Simon Sinek recounts his harrowing experience on 9/11, compelled afterwards to leave advertising for more meaningful work. He recalls New York’s initial unity fading as people reverted to old patterns when the crisis passed. Sinek explains humans struggle with long-term thinking, wired for instant gratification versus imagining distant retirements. He notes tangible threats finally spur changes, like near-death moments exposing mortality. Sinek highlights why elderly individuals share unfiltered wisdom, liberated from others’ opinions with finite time left. He advocates storytelling transfers life lessons without requiring firsthand trauma to incite growth. Overall, Sinek criticizes shortcut mentalities that waste foundational wake-up calls once threats subside.