The Unconventional Secret to Success: Help Others Succeed First

Everyone seeks success, but have you ever asked yourself where its true secret lies? A New Year’s dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang invites us to reconsider our path. There is a counterintuitive principle: help others succeed first, and your own success will follow.

**The Story of an Uncommon Student**

At Phat Quang Pagoda, there was a boy who grew up visiting the temple and later went abroad to study psychology. Throughout his many years at university, he consistently helped his friends, sharing notes and hoping they would do even better than him. When the time came to apply for a competitive PhD program, with over 250 applicants for just five spots, he maintained this same attitude. He simply continued studying while helping his peers, unconcerned with the fierce competition. The result was astonishing: he was accepted and received a full scholarship for his four-year doctoral studies.

“He just kept supporting his friends to pass their exams, without worrying about how brutal the competition was.”

The most miraculous part was that the night before his oral examination, challenging questions that the professors would ask suddenly appeared in his mind. He prepared and answered them with confidence and precision. Venerable Thích Chân Quang calls this “support from celestial beings” – supernatural aid for those with a heart dedicated to helping others.

**The Path to Success is Not Found in Competition**

We often think of success as a small pie, where one person’s gain is another’s loss, forcing us into competition. But in reality, such an attitude only leads to failure. Venerable Thích Chân Quang shares:

“In this world, only those who are truly wise, deeply ethical, and remarkably bold seek success by helping others succeed first. Little do they know, this is the very secret to success.”

A parable about three people who fall into a pit also teaches this lesson: if they all pull each other down, they starve; but if they unite to support one another, all three can escape. This shows that when we help others succeed, we are building the foundation for our own achievement.

**The Power of Unity**

In Vietnamese society, we often see the highest spirit of unity in the face of foreign invasion. But can this spirit be maintained in times of peace? Venerable Chân Quang observes that this is the key to success for an entire nation. He also points to the example of the United States: thanks to immigrants from Europe who carried a spirit of unity and mutual support during their voyages across the Atlantic, the nation rose to become a great power.

If every Vietnamese person possessed the heart to help others, the entire country would develop together. This is no small matter; it is a revolution in thinking.

**Trusting in the Law of Cause and Effect and Invisible Support**

To truly practice this teaching, the most important thing is to have absolute faith in the law of cause and effect. Venerable Chân Quang says:

“We must believe absolutely in karmic law. Whatever seed is sown, that is the fruit we shall reap. Our conviction must be absolute. If we harbor even a little doubt, we cannot walk this path.”

It was this faith that helped the student in the story receive invisible assistance. In life, we sometimes have premonitions about danger or opportunities; these may be whispers from our ancestors, local spirits, or celestial beings. We should keep our mind peaceful to recognize such messages.

**Change Your Thinking Today**

Venerable Thích Chân Quang poses a profound challenge:

“This way of thinking completely overturns our life, our emotions, and our perspectives. Today, do we dare to undertake a spectacular revolution within our own hearts? To seek success by helping others succeed first.”

From today, try changing just once: instead of competing, offer help; instead of fighting, yield. When you help a colleague succeed, when you support a friend in achieving good results, you are planting good seeds. The results will arrive when you least expect them.

This is the secret to success that Venerable Chân Quang conveys at the beginning of the year. Have faith and put it into practice, and your life will be filled with blessings from merit.