ANSWERING WHY:
Unleashing Passion, Purpose & Performance in Younger Generations.
- The landmark bestseller by generational expert Mark C. Perna
A Fresh Take on Gen Z and Millennials
Get the Real Story Beyond the Stereotypes.
Today’s young people get a lot of bad press—but what if it’s all wrong?
In Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose & Performance in Younger Generations, join international speaker Mark C. Perna for a journey that will reshape everything you thought you knew about young people. Together, Millennials and Gen Z comprise the Why Generation—and they’re one of the most talented, resourceful, and tenacious generations to come down the pike.
With humor and candor, Mark unlocks the secrets of the Why Generation: how they think, what makes them tick, and how they make decisions. They can achieve beyond all expectations, if we bridge the generational divide and answer their why.
Want to see for yourself? Read the First Chapter FREE.
THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK you can apply to every area of your life. Educators, trainers, and anyone working with young people today will DISCOVER THE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO BUILD DIRECTION, MOTIVATION, AND PASSION in these pages.
Bestselling Author of 86 Books
Who Is Answering Why For?
Educators
Young people are capable of higher performance, and your job is to unleash their true potential. In Answering Why, discover the national best practices to empower students and trainees to make the most of their education and career journey.
Employers & Economic Developers
The skills gap is getting wider for almost every industry in America. Answering Why provides the proven strategies you need to build pipelines and recruit, retain, and engage the best young talent out there today.
Parents
With more than 100 million people in today’s younger generations, you’re not alone in your parenting struggles. Lean in as author and single dad Mark shares the motivational strategies that made the difference for his sons.
Educators
Young people are capable of higher performance, and your job is to unleash their true potential. In Answering Why, discover the national best practices to empower students and trainees to make the most of their education and career journey.
Employers & Economic Developers
The skills gap is getting wider for almost every industry in America. Answering Why provides the proven strategies you need to build pipelines and recruit, retain, and engage the best young talent out there today.
Parents
With more than 100 million people in today’s younger generations, you’re not alone in your parenting struggles. Lean in as author and single dad Mark shares the motivational strategies that made the difference for his sons.
Perceptive…reasonable and THOUGHT-PROVOKING arguments all.
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A Path Forward for Education, Employment & Economic Development
Start Connecting the Dots in Your Community.
- To thrive in today’s fast-changing world, young people need a powerful competitive advantage.
- Business leaders need to build robust talent pipelines at all levels of education and experience.
- And somewhere in the middle are the economic developers who want to bring it all together.
Answering Why is the catalyst to start these necessary conversations among educators, employers, and economic developers in communities across North America. We’ve operated in siloes for far too long. Now is the time to bridge the gap, connect the dots, and empower every young person with a dynamic competitive advantage.
Mark has created a comprehensive playbook full of insight while dispelling the mainstream myths concerning the younger generations. In addition, he strategically creates a compendium for greater conversations as well as a call to action among school administrators, industry leaders, policymakers and higher education providers. This is an essential read for anyone looking to influence education and the greater global economy while lessening the skills gap crisis.
The Inspiration You Didn’t Know You Needed
FOCUS, PLAN, AND TAKE ACTION WITH MARK.
Alongside Answering Why’s practical strategies and insights, Mark shares the signature inspiration that will recharge your passion for making a difference. Though today he’s on top of the world, Mark knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom. And that’s where he learned what to do when your branch creaks: focus, plan, and take action.
Notice that last step: action. Mark’s brand of motivation is all about making real changes. In Answering Why, he’ll show you how—because we can’t motivate the next generation unless we’re motivated first.
Free Resources to Get the Most From Answering Why
Explore the Action Guides, Discussion Guide, Career Convo Starter, and More.
Answering Why Video Series
Why did Mark write Answering Why? Who did he have in mind when he penned it? Check out Mark’s author interviews and promotional materials for Answering Why.
Discussion Guide
Deepen your understanding of Answering Why’s message and strategies with this useful resource for both individuals and groups. Through in-depth questions for each chapter, this discussion guide empowers you to explore the book’s concepts and apply its principles.
Action Guide 1: Three 30-Second Secrets to Maximize Interactions with Today’s Younger Generations
If you’re a parent, educator, or employer, these three initial secrets from Answering Why can change the way you understand and engage with the young people in your sphere of influence. Each secret takes about 30 seconds to read, so you’re just 90 seconds away from maximizing your interactions with today’s younger generations—at home, at school, and on the job.
Action Guide 2: Three 30-Second Ways to Ignite Purpose in Today’s Younger Generations
Finding a purpose that matters to them is what motivates young people to higher performance. Use these three quick secrets from Answering Why to help ignite that spark and open the door for success in both their academic pursuits and career journey.
Career Conversation Starter
Start having productive career conversations with your child using this helpful guide. Together, you can explore the many exciting career possibilities available today—and the pathway that best fits your child’s unique interests, talents, and abilities. It’s never too early to begin thinking about, preparing for, and having purpose for the future, so open the conversation today.
This book will remind educators and workforce development professionals why they care about students and careers. By opening the conversation with useful and practical steps to reach the Why Generation, Mark Perna is working to reframe mindsets about how we connect students to careers. Answering Why will be the catalyst to change our thinking about this critical topic.
Vice President in the Construction Industry, Elected Board of Education Trustee, Millennial, and Parent
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The Awards
Answering Why Has Won 8 National Awards.
I’m naturally thrilled with the awards that Answering Why has won, but I feel keenly that this recognition is not about me. It’s the message that is resonating with readers, at a time when we desperately need to engage young people differently and inspire them to perform at a higher level. — Mark
NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS: SILVER MEDALIST Answering Why won Silver in the 2018 Nautilus Book Awards. This competition, taglined as “Better Books for a Better World,” has been in existence since 1998 and seeks to recognize books in multiple categories that “make a difference and inspire.” Previous winners include the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Barbara Kingsolver, Simon Sinek, and other notable names.
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS: SILVER MEDALIST
Answering Why won Silver in the 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY). Launched in 1996, the IPPY Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to deserving but often unsung titles. As the first awards program open exclusively to independent authors and publishers, IPPY is a well-known competition in the publishing world.
AXIOM BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS: HUMAN RESOURCES/EMPLOYEE TRAINING
Answering Why won Silver in the Human Resources/Employee Training category in the 2020 Axiom Business Book Awards. The Axiom Business Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary business books and their creators.
INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARDS: CAREER, EDUCATION CATEGORIES
Answering Why won Gold in two categories, Career and Education, in the 2019 Independent Press Award (IPA). The IPA competition celebrates the best new books published by independent presses, giving them greater exposure in the book business across the nation.
NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS: BUSINESS MOTIVATIONAL, PARENTING & FAMILY CATEGORIES and FINALIST: CAREER CATEGORY
Answering Why is a Gold Winner in the Business Motivational and Parenting & Family categories and a Finalist in the Career category in the 13th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA). NIEA exists to champion self-publishing and small independent presses going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect.
Reader Reviews
See What Readers Are Saying About Answering Why.
Sarah Caitlin Morales“Mark’s view of young people is powerful and positive. As an educator, it’s important to me to play to the strengths of my students and I love the fact that his ideas help me see MORE strengths! The information he provides in this book is useful for teachers, counselors, and parents who want to help kids find meaning and drive. And who WOULDN’T want to help kids do that? This book and Mark’s ideas have truly reinvigorated me and my work as a school counselor.”
Glenn Olson"Answering Why is an excellent resource for educators, parents, employers, and anyone working with today’s younger generation…As an educator for 35 years, I found Mark’s insight into Generation Y and Z to be right on target. Many of the strategies that worked effectively 35 years ago can be counter-productive today. Mark lays out a clear path for motivating today’s students to be truly successful as they seek to attain their goals beyond high school. I recommend this book for anyone working with people from teens through their 30s.”
Todd Bertsch“As a father, teacher and employer of the younger generations this book spoke to me on many levels. It’s refreshing to hear some positive thoughts on how to teach, collaborate with and inspire the younger generations. It’s an easy read and I was able to put some items into immediate action that have proven to be home runs. Mark pours his heart and soul into this book and shares some personal stories that I’m sure many parents can relate to. I don’t leave many reviews, but I highly recommend this book.”
Amazon Reader“Mark C. Perna’s book, “Answering Why,” really helps you understand how to bridge the gap between older generations and the younger “Why Generation.” I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book for anyone who is an employer, parent, educator, or anyone who finds themselves spending a lot of time around the younger generations. This book is filled with a plethora of valuable information that will help make unlocking the passion, purpose, and performance in younger generations a lot easier, and a lot more enjoyable.”
Casey“Answering Why is an engaging read for educators, parents, students and all stakeholders in education. Mr. Perna delivers an insightful read that helps inform readers about the skills gap and identifies key areas where we can make a difference. His message is a clear call to action for both legislators and educators as we strive to help our students find “passion, purpose and performance” in their future.”
Mdominy“As a high school teacher (and a parent of a college student) please, please read this book…It is like having a cheat sheet on how to motivate and engage young people to find their passion and pursue their potential. But more importantly, this book has taught me how to be a better advocate for my students and my own children. Thank you, Mr. Perna, for your insight!”
G Reichow“As a secondary career tech educator, I can attest to the success of the ideas Mark shares in this book. In order to prepare students and employees to meet today’s work force challenges, we must help them see the “Why”. This insightful and thought provoking book can arm its readers with strategies to do just that.”
Ken G““Answering Why” is a must read for educators, parents, employers as well as students. Mark Perna has nailed the missing ingredient in our educational system today. His book provides the practical “tools” needed to help reshape the landscape of career education and work force development in America!”
Lindsau“I have worked in a career tech school for 11 years and wish more people would hear the message that Mark and this book is telling. Focusing on the “light at the end of the tunnel” is a piece highlighted throughout the book that needs to be addressed with our society as a whole.”
Jeremy R“This book helped me to understand my own children better. It has helped me to better understand my students at school and to help them see the light at the end of the tunnel…This is an amazing read from and amazing author!”
Mitchell R. Alegre“Mark Perna has written a clear and practical book on how to help Millennials and Generation Z individuals unleash their passion and discover meaningful work…This is an important book for educators, employers, parents, and students.”
Jen S“If you are a parent, educator, industry professional, or anything in between who is grappling with how to motivate students to find their career passion and pathway, then Answering Why is the book for you.”
Varsity“This book is an incredible resource for educators, parents, and employers. The Career Tree system is a game changer for all…I can’t say enough about how this book delivers on insight and solutions!”
Melissa L. Patterson“As a mom of two teenagers, I wish all parents would take the time to read this book. It is eye-opening and thought-provoking.”
Dora Okeyo“There’s never been a book on connecting with, understanding and exploring the potential of young people as this. It’s a must-read.”
Melinda Barton“Very insightful! This is an engaging book that provides insight into what makes Generations Y and Z tick!”
Cynthia A. Dunigan“Motivating and focusing students on their future requires energy and “Answering Why” is the fuel we need.”
Amazon Reader“If you think you know today’s generation, Answering Why will give you a positive, new perspective.”
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