LLM Book Knowledgebase

Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork

35 min read

Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork

Metadata

Highlights & Notes

What would happen for us if we, gleaning this precious insight, would shift our mind-set from “how” to “who”? What would be possible for you if your capabilities and potential were expanded by other brilliant Whos? In looking at your own life for a moment, how much of it are you trying to shoulder alone, for one reason or another?

What are YOU trying to accomplish? Do you have Whos in your life that give you the perspectives, resources, and ability to go beyond what you could do alone? Or are you keeping your goals so small to make them easier to accomplish them on your own?

Do you really think you must be the one to put in the blood, sweat, and tears, bearing the whole load to prove your capability?

It can be easy to focus on How, especially for high achievers who want to control what they can control, which is themselves. It takes vulnerability and trust to expand your efforts and build a winning team. It takes wisdom to recognize that 1) other people are more than capable enough to handle much of the Hows, and 2) that your efforts and contribution (your “Hows”) should be focused exclusively where your greatest passion and impact are. Your attention and energy should not be spread thin, but purposefully directed where you can experience extreme flow and creativity.

Results, not effort, is the name of the game. You are rewarded in life by the results you produce, not the effort and time you put in. All too often, there is a lack of commitment to results and an over-infatuation with “process” or “hard work.”

This book argues that with each ascending level of success, your ability to produce results will be more and more contingent on Whos, not Hows. By focusing on Who you work with and not How you achieve your goals, your level of accomplishment, and thus freedom, will dramatically increase in all key areas—time, money, relationships, and purpose.

Whenever you imagine a bigger and better future, there’s a problem. You don’t currently know how to achieve the goal, because it’s bigger and better than your current situation and capabilities.

A much better question is: “Who can help me achieve this?”

Dan said: “Let’s do this. Here’s what success looks like. Here’s why this project is so important for us. Here’s what we gain if we succeed. Here’s what’s at stake if we fail. I’m here if you need me. Go!”

That’s what real leadership is: Creating and clarifying the vision (the “what”), and giving that vision greater context and importance (the “why”) for all Whos involved. Once the “what” and “why” have clearly been established, the specified “Who” or “Whos” have all they need to go about executing the “How.” All the leader needs to do at that point is support and encourage the Who(s) through the process.

When you’re trying to accomplish something challenging or difficult that you’ve never done before, you probably need a Who. Let me say that another way: You absolutely need a Who if you’re trying to accomplish something new and challenging, unless you’re fine not getting the result you want in the near future.

When the vision is important enough, the right team of Whos will come together.

“There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” —Ronald Reagan

This is one of the keys of Who Not How: With the right Whos in place, your vision and purpose will expand dramatically.

Your purpose and vision expand when you have powerful Whos who can take your goals to places you couldn’t have imagined yourself.

When you develop collaborations, particularly with world-class talent, projects and businesses can quickly expand far beyond the initial concept.

Rather than viewing people or services as a “cost,” as in the transactional mind-set, everything is viewed as an investment, with the possibility of 10X (10 times), 100X, or even bigger returns and change.

“The only way to make your present better is by making your future bigger.”

If you’re courageous enough to pursue big goals, you’ll need Whos to help you. You’ll need Whos to transform your vision, giving it greater purpose and possibility than your initial thoughts could.

By letting Whos take care of the Hows, the final product will actually be different, and better, than you initially imagined.

Not only must the Who fully own the How, but they must have complete permission to do so.

If you’re going to apply higher levels of teamwork in your life, you’ll need to relinquish control over how things get done.

“Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.”

A core aspect of leadership is being explicit about the vision. The more explicit you are in what you want, the faster you’ll attract the right Whos to help you achieve that vision. The leader explains the “What” and “Why” and then allows the “Who” to execute the “How.”

Are you playing checkers or chess? What is the level of vision you have for yourself? Does your game involve powerful Whos to help you win? Do you seek to be surprised by what could happen?

As the famous quote says: “Someone once told me the definition of Hell: The last day you have on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.”

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” —Buddha

That’s the power of having a Who—you instantly get access to knowledge, insights, resources, and capabilities that are not currently available to you. “How” is linear and slow. “Who” is non-linear, instantaneous, and exponential.

Who Not How is about utilizing relationships, and being transformed by them.

“All progress starts with telling the truth.”

“You live as if you were destined to live forever, no thought of your frailty ever enters your head, of how much time has already gone by you take no heed. You squander time as if you drew from a full and abundant supply, though all the while that day which you bestow on some person or thing is perhaps your last.” —Lucius Annaeus Seneca

When you have a Self-Managing Company of capable Whos, Dan explained, you work less but accomplish much more. In a Self-Managed Company, your Whos manage themselves; they aren’t managed by you. They have full responsibility for how they handle themselves because you’ve made the vision abundantly clear and exciting. You’ve then given them full ownership over executing and achieving the vision in whatever way suits them.

This should be the goal of every entrepreneur. Having freedom to relax, recover, play, or do whatever you want is crucial for entrepreneurial creativity, success, and longevity.

The first Who is always yourself: Improve yourself, value yourself, and ensure that you are in optimal form—happy, creative, and connected to the most important people in your life.

All she needed was a goal (a “what”), a reason (a “why”), and a Who.

You can accomplish a million times more if you stop asking “How?” and start getting Whos.

The resources you obtain through relationships can be material, like money, possessions, or friendship networks. But resources also include the other person’s perspectives, such as how they appreciate the world and ascribe explanations for people’s behaviors. Resources may even be their time, attention, or help.

Desirability: the perceived total amount of self-expansion that is possible for us through that specific relationship. Probability: the perceived likelihood that a close relationship with that specific individual can actually be formed.

What all of this tells us is that our efficacy, capability, and potential as human beings is not absolute, innate, or fixed. It is always contextual, relational, and fluid. What you can accomplish in relation to some people is very different from what you can do in relation to others. What you can learn and become with some people is different than with others.

The point here is, as you engage in relationships, you expand your efficacy as a person. Your efficacy is your ability to produce results, and it is based on the resources you have to put toward those results. Resources can be financial, but they can also be so much more than that. Encouragement, time, and focus are just as essential as monetary support.

If you’re focused on doing everything yourself, then you are dramatically limiting the resources you can direct toward your goals. If your resources are limited, your potential, your options, and your future are limited too.

But as you combine your efforts with other Whos, your efficacy immediately increases. Relationships are how you transform as a person. Relationships are how you transcend your current limitations. Relationships are how you produce results. Relationships are the purpose of life.

“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety—it is human connection.”

Employees, collaborators, and consultants work for you not because they are beneath you, but because they believe in you. You become an incredibly important Who in their life, giving them a mission to be part of, a way to provide for themselves and their families, and a way to build competence and confidence.

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

Take a look at your life right now: Where are you lacking collaboration and teamwork? Where is your vision so small that you’re doing everything by yourself? Where do you need more Whos to help you accomplish what you ultimately want to do? What relationships do you already have that are being under-utilized?

Getting Whos involved in your goals is an investment. Often, we lack the commitment to make such an investment. We aren’t fully sold on our goals ourselves, so why would we include others in our goals?

Yet, people often don’t make such investments, and as a result, never experience the increased commitment, motivation, and focus that comes with it.

You control your own level of commitment to your future. You control your own level of potential for expansion. By making the courageous step of investing in Whos, your capacity as a person increases.

“Our eyes only see and our ears only hear what our brain is looking for.”

“You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays.” —Meredith Willson

The sad truth is that most people spend the majority—if not the entirety—of their lives putting off the things that matter most.

According to recent studies, excessive online consumption leads to procrastination and lack of motivation.

Procrastination will ruin your life and limit your potential. Because procrastination stops you from achieving your goals, you miss the continuous uptick in confidence that comes from making progress.

“Personal confidence comes from making progress toward goals that are far bigger than your present capabilities.”

“Your future is your property.”

“A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.” —Charles Darwin

What procrastination means is that your goal or ambition is great. It’s something you’d like for yourself, but you’re not the right person to execute the plan to achieve it, at least not right now. You need a Who to get you through whatever stage you’re in, because at the moment, you’re clearly not the Who in possession of the needed knowledge or capability. If you were, you wouldn’t be procrastinating. Procrastination is wisdom—if you listen to it.

Procrastination is a very powerful signal telling you that it’s time to get another Who involved. You’re stuck. You need help.

You only have two options when you procrastinate. The first and most common approach is to ask yourself, “How do I do this?” This generally leads to more procrastination. “How?” is the question society and our public education system have trained us to ask the moment we have a goal or desire. The second, and more effective option, is to simply shift the question to, “Who can help me with this?” By doing so, you can stop procrastinating and feeling discouraged. Instead, you can experience an injection of energy, confidence, and creativity. Another powerful variation of this question could be, “Who can achieve this goal for me?” Who has the skills, knowledge, connections, and expertise to get this done ASAP? Asking “Who?” is the automatic response you need to develop every time you think of a new goal or desire.

The first thing we must learn then is to clearly define what we want. Ulrich wanted to play music with other musicians. That was his goal.

Not only do you have to know what you want, but you must clearly communicate your desires to others.

The “right” Who is always ready and waiting. All you need to do is express your vision clearly.

The Impact Filter, as a one-page document, solves this most pervasive leadership conundrum, and is comprised of the following questions: What is the project? Purpose: What do you want to accomplish? Importance: What’s the biggest difference this will make? Ideal Outcome: What does the completed project look like? Best Result: If you do take action? Worst Result: If you don’t take action? Success Criteria: What has to be true when this project is finished?

Being able to articulate and express your goals is one of the most important and fundamental skills necessary for success.

Every time you have a new goal to achieve, or have a specific project you want done, complete the one-page Impact Filter to clarify your thinking, define the vision, and ultimately, find the right Whos to execute the vision. If the Impact Filter is done well, meaning you’ve clearly explained what successful completion looks like, then it will be obvious to the right Who that they are the one for the job.

Without question, it takes courage to tell people your vision. It takes courage and leadership to get other people involved.

There are plenty of incredible and capable people who want to and will help you. All you need to do is tell them your vision.

That’s one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs and leaders make: micromanaging their Whos and insisting that they do their jobs in a particular way, when the only thing that matters is the end result. Once success has been defined, restrain yourself from needing to know or care “How” it gets done. Your only concern should be that it gets done.

“Having a capability is not an obligation to use it.”

But Who Not How is about results, not an obsession with “process.” Allow your Whos to worry about the How and trust them to achieve the desired result within the designated timeframe. Don’t micromanage their process. Let them do what they do because they are the experts, not you.

All he needs to do is clearly articulate his vision. He or one of his assistants then needs to find the relevant Whos that can effectively and efficiently get the job done.

“I now realize that my potential is virtually limitless when I focus on Who instead of How. My goals are not constrained by me. There are endless Whos out there and I can add that capability to anything I’m trying to accomplish.”

“What is the ultimate quantification of success? For me, it’s not how much time you spend doing what you love. It’s how little time you spend doing what you hate.” —Casey Neistat

Rather than asking, “How are we going to do this?” he asks, “Who are we going to get, either internally or externally, to make this happen?”

Will you stop tolerating the wasteful and painful use of your time? How you spend every second on this planet matters. You get in life what you tolerate.

Start by simply eliminating all tasks or distractions that are unnecessary to your future self. Often, we engage in tasks simply out of habit. If it can be eliminated altogether, then eliminate it. Your future self will thank you.

You can’t achieve massive goals in a day. Some of your goals may be so big that they take years to achieve. Even still, you can make massive progress every 90 days. Breaking down your goals into 90-day increments is good for focus and motivation. By chunking down your goals into smaller steps, you can focus more directly on what is right in front of you. You can make tangible and short-term progress, and then look back every 90 days and measure tangible progress. This gives a sense of movement and momentum.

Here are the questions on the one-page Moving Future process, which will help you improve your time every 90 days: Looking back over the past quarter, what are the things you have achieved that make you the proudest? What are the current areas of focus and progress that make you the most confident? Looking ahead at the next quarter, what new developments, projects, or goals are giving you the greatest sense of excitement? What are the five new “jumps” (progress) you can now achieve that will make your next 90 days a great quarter regardless of what else happens?

Challenge: Add at least one Who to your goals in the next 90 days in whatever area of your life you choose. By adding a Who, your commitment will increase and your behavior will improve. As a result, your confidence that you can achieve bigger results in that particular area will improve over the next 90 days.

“It’s more satisfying to be useful now than to be remembered later.”

“Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.” —Peter Drucker

By investing in Whos you not only utilize their time and resources, but also free yourself up to focus your time and attention on your most high-value activities. In turn, your earning capacity improves. This is Freedom of Money.

if you have enough money to solve a problem then you don’t have a problem.

I Know I’m Being Successful When: I can wake up every day and ask, “What would I like to do today?” My passive revenue exceeds my lifestyle needs. I can live anywhere in the world I choose. I’m working on projects that excite me and allow me to do my best work. I can disappear for several months with no effect on my income. There are no whiny people in my life. I wear my watch for curiosity only. I have no time obligations or deadlines. I wear whatever I want all the time. I can quit anytime.

Dean believes time is very important, but actually sees attention as the crown jewel. Your attention is always 100 percent engaged in something, even if that’s distraction. The problem with asking “How?” is that you’re basically telling yourself, “I’m willing to spend my finite attention on this task—finding out how to learn it, learning it, actually doing it, and one day, maybe, training someone else on how to do it.” This line of thinking negatively impacts how you spend your time, which directly impacts your Freedom of Money.

“How” requires your time and attention. “Who” requires someone else’s.

Unlike technical problems, adaptive problems do not have a known answer, according to Dean. Because they don’t have a known answer, they require a creator. That’s where you are the “Who.” Everything that has ever been invented or innovated was done by a Who, acting as a creator, solving an adaptive problem.

“The most useful thing you can do for other people is appreciate their value.”

“Civilization advances by extending the number of operations we can perform without thinking about them.” —Alfred North Whitehead

“Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.” —Michael Jordan

High performance and continued development of skills requires intensity of focus and what psychologists call “flow,” which is pure absorption in what you’re doing.

Some people don’t invest in Whos like Connie because they don’t view them as an investment, but as a cost. They worry about the amount of money they’ll have to pay their Who, rather than thinking about how that Who could elevate their vision and free up their time. The time I spend writing books and recording podcasts is worth at least 10X or even 100X the time I spent scheduling podcasts. If I’m scheduling podcasts, I’m diminishing my potential for freedom of both time and money. By having Connie support my vision, I have more time and more money. As a result, both Connie and I are more successful than either of us would have been without the relationship. Because I’m achieving more with her help, I’m making more. Because I’m making more, she’s making more.

The question is: Are you going to add a Who? Do you want to free up your time and your mind? What areas of your life and business most need a Who right now?

Remember the new question you must master: “Who can help me achieve this goal?”

“You can have everything you love in life as long as you give up what you hate.”

Money avoids the person who doesn’t value their time. Only those who improve their time, value it, and use it more effectively experience money freedom. Once you add Whos to handle your Hows, then your time will be best spent on those things that make the biggest impact.

Motivationally, supply actually follows perceived demand. When you believe something must be done, you somehow find the ability to get it done. This is why deadlines are so powerful. When there is a demand or requirement, you find the motivation. Without that pressing demand, your needed motivational supply doesn’t show up.

The famed historian, Will Durant, explained it this way: “The ability of the average man could be doubled if it were demanded, if the situation demanded.” In psychology, this idea is called the Pygmalion Effect, and what it means is that as people, we are either rising or falling to the expectations of those around us. When the demands are high, we show up. When they are low, we settle.

You need to increase the demand on yourself to focus and succeed. You need an environment and situation forcing you to rise up to the level of your goals. In order to do that, you need to increase the demand on yourself and others to produce the desired result. Pressure can bust pipes or make a diamond. You need the pressure to succeed. You add that pressure by increasing your investment. This forces you to better use your time, which enables you to increase your income capacity or Freedom of Money.

They want Freedom of Money with ease, which isn’t how freedom is created. Freedom comes through purpose, investment, and teamwork.

“Don’t twist yourself out of shape to be attractive to people you don’t want to work with.”

“Commitment is a statement of what ‘is.’ You can know what you’re committed to by your results, not by what you say your commitments are. We are all committed. We are all producing results. The result is proof of a commitment.” —Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Klemp

Every time you invest in a vision, your commitment to that vision increases.

Every time you invest yourself in something, you become more committed to it.

For Nicole, it’s essential to commit to specific results and get your team on board. In order to do so, you can’t let them off the hook. You’ve got to allow them to be challenged. They’ve got to face obstacles and break through them; otherwise, they’ll never develop the confidence and commitment they need to fulfill your vision—and their own goals.

“There are two kinds of suffering: long suffering and short suffering. The choice is yours.”

The focus for entrepreneurs always has to be on results or there’s no revenue coming in. If you work for an entrepreneur, guess what! This is true for you too. Though you probably have a guaranteed income, it’s important to understand that the business you work in exists inside the Results Economy, even if you’re sheltered somewhat from seeing that.

If you want greater freedom in your life, you’ll need to focus on results.

According to Self-Determination Theory, every human being has three basic psychological needs related to their work: A sense of competence Autonomy in how they do their work Positive and meaningful relationships

However, when a team has 1) high autonomy, 2) high goal clarity, and also 3) gets regular feedback on their results, then their performance shoots through the roof.

Lack of clarity of vision and inability to articulate that vision leaves Whos with no identity and no clear purpose. They become frustrated and lose their confidence. It’s not because they lack the resources or capability, but because they have bad leadership.

It is not the role of the leader to explain how the job is done. The Who determines how they will best go about getting the job done. All they need is clarity about what specifically “done” looks like.

By having clear Success Criteria, meaning what has to be true when this project is finished, you can ensure your Who doesn’t get lost. At the same time, you give them full autonomy in how they make that Success Criteria real.

“Always reward creators. Never reward complainers.”

“Lessons are repeated until learned.” —Dr. Chérie Carter-Scott

“If you have enough money to solve a problem, then you don’t have a problem.”

Although having a great work ethic is something to strive for, you’ve got to be careful. You’re either in the “Time and Effort Economy” or the “Results Economy.” Far too often, people wear their hard work as a badge of honor. But in reality, they are engaging in Hows that could easily be handled by a Who to more effectively produce the desired result.

“No one ever lost any advantage by being humble, interested, and useful.”

“Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution toward the things that really matter.” —Greg McKeown

This is the power of thinking in terms of investment. It wasn’t a cost to add that sales manager. It was actually costing Carl and the company to not have him.

If you’re cost-minded, then by nature, you’re transactional and short-term focused. You’ll see Whos as a cost, which means you’ll never be able to create the brilliant collaborations that are possible. Whos, when selected properly to fit within your vision, are never a cost. Whos are an investment. If you’re investment-minded, then you will be transformational in your relationships, including the relationship you have with yourself. You’ll be long-term focused, having an increasingly growing vision of your future. You’ll see that by investing in Whos, your future can dramatically grow.

By shifting your focus from cost to investment, you stop worrying about what you’re giving up and instead, realize that by making powerful decisions you can make enormous gains.

“You can survive without a community, but you can’t thrive without one.”

Your ability to succeed is based on the quality of the people in your life.

“Treat your employees as an investment, not a cost.”

First and foremost, when it comes to connecting with someone, you should want to be connected with them. It shouldn’t be a chore. There shouldn’t be any desire to avoid contact or escape from them. There should be no need for posturing or posing. But rather, you should feel completely free to be yourself, and ultimately, who you aspire to be.

“I don’t want to work on a relationship. I just want a relationship that works,”

When finding Whos, don’t settle. Create transformational relationships with people you’re drawn to and excited to be around. Find Whos that fit.

“Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. Look around at how people want to get more out of life than they put in. A man of value will give more than he receives.” —Albert Einstein

Don’t reach out to someone unless you have something meaningful to offer them. That “something” needs to be real and relevant, not just a compliment or flattery. True and real value. And if you want the relationship to continue, you must continue creating value.

“You have to work less to make more money.”

“Successful givers are every bit as ambitious as takers and matchers. They simply have a different way of pursuing their goals… . If you insist on a quid pro quo every time you help others, you will have a much narrower network… . Givers succeed in a way that creates a ripple effect, enhancing the success of people around them.” —Adam Grant

“Be nice to the people on your way up, because you’ll meet them on the way down.”

In the beginning of your career, you get paid for what you do. But if you become highly successful and influential, then over time, you’ll get paid for who you are.

Learn to serve other people without any expectation for reward.

If you’re useful, and continue being generous, the world will be very good to you. You’ll have all the opportunity in the world you need because you’ll have Freedom of Relationship. Never stop providing value to your Whos, especially the Whos that have been in your life for a long time.

“Surround yourself with people who remind you more of the future than the past.”

“Self-made is an illusion. There are many people who played divine roles in you having the life that you have today. Be sure to let them know how grateful you are. Example: the person who introduced you to the person who introduced you to your spouse or business partner or client. Go back that far.” —Michael Fishman

“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” —William James

Bring a result to the table. Make the pie bigger for everyone involved. Don’t come with big promises of future results. Bring immediate results. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.

“Intelligence is the ability to make finer distinctions.” —Robert Kiyosaki

“If you work on something important for twenty years, it will transform everything around you.”

“When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than ‘Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah!’—then say ‘no.’” —Derek Sivers

“Look, there’s absolutely no pressure for you to work with us. This is a two-way interview, and we are both evaluating if it’s a great fit. If you choose a different advisory firm, we will be absolutely fine. We only want to work together if we are excited and 100 percent on the same page for goals and expectations. Being aligned and upfront with each other from day one is crucial to a successful long-term relationship. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about.”

“We remain young to the degree that our ambitions are greater than our memories.”

“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” —attributed to Mark Twain

Because Chad was clear on his future, he could reject seemingly incredible opportunities in the present.

Now it’s your turn. Take some time to reflect on the following questions: How have you changed over the past five years, when it comes to the types of people you surround yourself with? What things do you no longer tolerate? How have you become a better Who for the people in your life? Dan has a saying for this: “Always be the buyer.” What he means is that, in every situation you’re in, you should be the one who is buying, not selling. The buyer can reject the seller, not the other way around.

You can become the buyer in all aspects of your life. You do this by rejecting anything that isn’t in line with your vision. Being the buyer takes courage, but over time, it will become the only way you engage in relationships. You will become incredibly picky about your relationships because you’re incredibly clear about who your future self is, your vision, and your priorities.

“Personal confidence comes from making progress toward goals that are far bigger than your present capabilities.”

“No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.” —Reid Hoffman

“Support is attracted to purpose.”

“Without contraries is no progression.” —William Blake

The first key to engaging in high-quality teamwork is to not think you know exactly what you’re doing. You’ve got to be open to other people’s ideas. You’ve got to realize that other people’s ideas, solutions, or strategies can be far superior to your own. And that’s a good thing!

You are only one person. As brilliant as you are, your current views are very limited at best. By combining your perspectives and skills with those of others, your thinking and results can improve dramatically.

“Technology is a team member that keeps getting smarter and faster.”

“Eighty percent is already getting results while a hundred percent is still thinking about it.” —Dan Sullivan

You often need encouragement to be courageous. That’s what teamwork is all about.

The faster you get at throwing out incomplete work, the faster it will transform into something great. Dan calls this the 80 percent rule. You can get to 80 percent of a project very quickly, such as writing a rough draft. However, going from 80 percent to 90 percent is exponentially more work than going from 0 to 80 percent. Going from 90 to 100 percent is a mountain. You just need to do what you can do as the Who, and then quickly pass it off to the next Who. The longer you try to perfect your idea before feedback, the slower the transformation process. Get your Whos involved. Stop trying to do it all yourself. The sooner you get teamwork involved, the faster and better your work will be. Also, with encouragement, you’ll work through challenges instead of procrastinating as you would naturally.

Finally, get used to “publishing” or sending out imperfect work. Nothing is ever truly “finished,” only “done.” Done is better than perfect.

“What people want to buy most is their own future.”

“Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it.” —Viktor Frankl quoting Spinoza’s Ethics in Man’s Search for Meaning

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” —Mr. Rogers

“All progress starts by telling the truth.”

“Always make your learning greater than your experience.”

“For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.” —Viktor Frankl

“Who do you want to be a hero to?” —Dan Sullivan

If you genuinely want to be a hero to your collaborators, you’ll show up for them. You’ll do your best work. You’ll produce the needed results.

Likewise, as a leader, you should want nothing more than to be a hero for your team.

“Getting results doesn’t take much time at all. It’s not getting the results that takes up all the time.”

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” —Ayn Rand

“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” The more deep and powerful your sense of purpose, the more meaningful your life will be. But also, the more committed you’ll be to do whatever is required to live that purpose.

That’s what happens when other Whos get involved, the project becomes more important and impactful—this is an example of expansion or Freedom of Purpose through Who Not How. By adding Whos to what you’re doing, with greater capabilities and perspectives where you’re weak, the initial vision you had will automatically expand. Your goal becomes far better than anything you could conjure up on your own.

“Entrepreneurs base their lives on results. It’s not about time or effort.”

“Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.” —Dalai Lama

Getting help from others not only enables you to create success in your life but also gives you a deep sense of meaning and belonging.

accomplish this?” The fact of the matter is this: You don’t have to feel guilty for not doing everything yourself. You’re not less of a person for getting help. You’re not cheating. Even more, there are hordes of brilliant and talented people out there who’d love to help you with your goals and objectives (and get your help with theirs).

“Competition is for losers.” —Peter Thiel

We are no longer in the “How” world with its limitations. Instead, we are in a world where “Whos”—including technology—allow you faster and bigger results and more freedom than ever before. The age of competition and “How” is dying. Consequently, we are far more enabled to generate Freedom of Purpose. We have more options. It’s easier to find a need to fill, create a team to support you, and to make tangible impacts on people throughout the world.

“The only way you can make your present better is by making your future better.”

“If you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story and then turn your story into something bigger—something that matters.” —Blake Mycoskie

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller

The same is true for you. Your identity is not fixed, but rather based upon your current experiences. Your identity and purpose will expand as you have experiences of encouragement and support through the right Whos.

“When you see talent like that,” Lee told me, “you get them on board and then find out what to do with them. All you need to do for people like Chrissy is set the stage and let them go.”

A moonshot, he said, should first be about solving “a huge problem in the world that affects many millions of people.” Second, it should not settle for half-baked measures. It has to provide a “radical solution” that can do away with the problem for good. Teller’s last criteria is the reasonable expectation that technology can actually solve the problem. Moonshots should be as much about pragmatism as they are about dreaming.

“When going into new situations, you have to know what is nonnegotiable.”

“I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” —Bob Dylan

Without purpose, your work can become shallow because it is solely about making money. When driven by purpose, you stop doing the minimum required. You really go deep within yourself. You become a creator. You become willing to go above and beyond the “call of duty.” You put your soul into your work. You genuinely seek to address the particular problem you’re trying to solve. You genuinely care about the people you’re serving.

Mary and Tony Miller focus on and invest big in their primary Whos: their employees. As a result, their customers get a fundamentally different experience and level of service and care, Mary and Tony have found immense and transformative purpose, and their business has grown exponentially.

“Delegate everything except genius.”

The group coaching has been far more transformative because it creates a space where the clients rely less on Dan and more on their own experience. They are able to really think about their thinking.

Unique Ability Teamwork is about seeing Whos as people with special gifts and abilities, not objects you can use.

As you define what you want for yourself, and as you fuel that desire, you’ll begin living out that purpose and serving the people you want to help. You’ll become a hero for people, helping them achieve their goals. Being a hero brings out the best in human beings.

It all starts by setting a goal, a new and bigger version of your own future. Then your next step is to ask, “Who can help me do this?” Master this process and your life will take you down a path of unimaginable joy and meaning.

Backlinks