The Secret of Success: When You Choose to Help Others First

This is the story of an international student studying psychology, who chose the path of supporting his friends rather than engaging in fierce competition for a doctoral position. The unexpected result came from that selfless assistance.

Golden afternoon sunlight filtered through the glass windows of a university lecture hall in America, dyeing the thick pages of books on the desk with warmth. In the quiet and tense atmosphere of graduate entrance exams, a young man sat there. His eyes still held a trace of fatigue, yet his gaze shone with an indescribable joy. He had just left the classroom, his hands trembling slightly as he held his phone, quickly typing a message to send back to Vietnam.

"Master! Today, our professor taught us meditation exactly according to the method of Phat Quang Pagoda. He dimmed the lights, guided everyone to sit upright on their chairs, to be aware of the whole body, and to follow the breath... I am so happy!"

That young man was once a boy who ran busily around the departments at Phap Quang Company when he was small. As he grew up, he chose to study abroad in Psychology, a complex field demanding deep empathy. However, what makes this story special is not the coincidental similarity in meditation methods, but the next letter he sent home years later, when the doors of the future were wide open before him.

The letter read: "I have good news. I was accepted directly into the four-year PhD program with a full scholarship. The reason is that I always obeyed my Master’s advice: to always support my friends, wishing for others to succeed rather than trying to fly above them."

Imagine the harsh context of that time. The major itself was difficult, compounded by the race for the Doctoral program, which offered only five spots among more than two hundred and fifty excellent candidates. It was a merciless battle. Everyone was anxious, calculating how to stand out more than others. But this young man chose a counter-intuitive path. Instead of hiding his skills or keeping precious materials secret, he shared all his experiences and guided his classmates with utmost sincerity. If someone asked for help, he assisted wholeheartedly; if they did not ask, he still skillfully suggested effective study methods. In his mind, there was only one thought: "May my friends become better than me."

Days passed under heavy pressure. After passing the preliminary review of grades from undergraduate to master's studies, he entered the second round – the direct interview with the professors' council. This was the real challenge. The professors were famous for posing tricky questions, outside any textbook, designed to eliminate candidates lacking resilience. Many entered the exam room trembling, answering awkwardly, and failing immediately.

A few days before entering the exam room, a strange phenomenon occurred. Extremely difficult, detailed, and specific questions suddenly appeared in the young man’s mind. He was surprised, wondering, "Why do these questions appear?" Without hesitation, he began researching, seeking materials, and drafting tight and thorough answers. He did not know that this was a "preview of the test" from a supernatural source, an invisible support for his sincere heart.

The day of the exam arrived. The door opened, and a cold atmosphere enveloped the room. The presiding professor looked at him with sharp eyes and began to ask. Then, his heart seemed to skip a beat in astonishment. The first, second, and third questions... matched perfectly with what had appeared in his mind days earlier. Thanks to his careful preparation, he answered firmly, confidently, logically, and deeply. There was no awkwardness or hesitation usually seen in other candidates. The council nodded in satisfaction. The final result: The four-year full scholarship belonged to him.

After receiving the result, he reflected. Friends could not help him because he was better than them. Teachers could not show favoritism due to strict regulations. So who helped him? It was the law of cause and effect (karmic law) and the support from devas, those who always establish fairness in the world. Because he chose to help others succeed first, heaven and earth made space for him to succeed later.

The Meaning of the Story

The secret to sustainable success does not lie in fierce competition or fighting for superiority, but in "helping others succeed first." When we live with the intention to support, share, and wish well for our fellow beings, we accumulate blessings from merit and receive protection from forces of justice (devas, the law of cause and effect). Personal success will come as an inevitable consequence, even beyond imagination, because we have chosen the path of wisdom and ethics instead of the path of selfishness.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang