Simon Sinek: World’s top achievers ‘hit zero’ or nearly did, calling failure ‘the gift’

(SeaPRwire) –   Although high achievers might seem far ahead of everyone else, those who have reached great heights in their careers or businesses have also experienced difficult struggles.

Indeed, leadership expert Simon Sinek noted that every highly successful individual has experienced a low point prior to achieving peak success.

“I’ve never encountered a successful individual who gained knowledge when everything was running smoothly,” Sinek shared with Chris Williamson on the Modern Wisdom podcast. “The crucial lessons that propelled them to success were all learned when things went completely sideways.”

Sinek is widely known for his 2009 TED Talk focusing on the concept of “why” and his “Golden Circle” framework, which urges organizations and leaders to identify their fundamental purpose to motivate staff and clients. His presentation ranks among the most popular TED Talks ever, garnering over 60 million views on the official platform. Currently, Sinek has built an audience of almost 8.9 million followers on LinkedIn.

“The world’s most accomplished individuals—without exception—have hit rock bottom or come incredibly close to it at some point,” he added, describing failure as “the gift.”

How are failure and success connected?

According to a 2019 study conducted by researchers at Northwestern University, failing is a necessary step toward succeeding. To support this claim, the research team examined over four decades of venture capital investments in startups, alongside other data.

“All victors start out as losers,” Dashun Wang, a professor of management and organizations at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, explained to Scientific American. Wang, who designed and directed the research, also holds the Kellogg chair of technology among his various roles at the university.

However, Wang pointed out that setbacks only pave the way for success if one extracts lessons from them.

“It is crucial to identify what was effective and what failed, and then concentrate on refining those specific areas rather than making chaotic, sweeping changes,” he remarked. “Those who did not succeed did not necessarily put in less effort; in fact, they might have worked harder, but they made too many pointless adjustments.”

A prominent example of a major corporate leader rising from failure is Apple’s legendary co-founder, Steve Jobs. In 1985, the company’s board of directors ousted Jobs from his role. However, during a 2005 graduation speech at Stanford University, Jobs shared that his awareness of mortality guided his life choices and helped him conquer the fear of failing. (Jobs eventually went back to Apple in 1997.)

“Keeping in mind that my time is limited is the most valuable tool I have found for making major life decisions,” Jobs remarked. “This is because nearly everything—including outside expectations, pride, and the dread of embarrassment or failure—fades away when confronted with death, leaving behind only what genuinely matters.”

An earlier edition of this article was first featured on .com on October 24, 2025.