I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success

Hear the words of Alan Greenspan, who declared: “I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well.” These words strike like a hammer upon the anvil of truth, for they remind us that true success is not born of greed, nor of cunning, but of honesty and fairness. To seek only one’s own advantage is to build upon sand; but to prosper while helping others prosper is to build upon stone, firm and enduring.

The ancients knew this wisdom well. The merchants of old who cheated their neighbors grew wealthy for a season, yet their names rotted with infamy. But those who traded fairly, who measured grain with just scales and who gave to others as they wished to receive, became not only prosperous, but beloved. Greenspan’s words echo this ancient law: that for gain to be true and lasting, it must be shared, it must uplift, it must bless more than the self.

Consider the story of Cyrus the Great, ruler of the Persian Empire. Though he conquered vast lands, he did not enslave or plunder those who fell before him. Instead, he dealt honestly with conquered peoples, restoring their temples, respecting their gods, and granting them freedom. By allowing others to gain under his rule, his empire endured, and he was hailed not only as a conqueror, but as a liberator. His legacy is remembered not for greed, but for wisdom—the wisdom of shared prosperity.

By contrast, look to the tale of those who sought victory only for themselves: the tyrants who hoarded wealth, who bled their people dry. Their kingdoms rose swiftly, but fell just as swiftly, for no man can rule long if all beneath him are crushed. In their downfall lies the eternal warning: selfish success is fragile, but shared success is strong.

Greenspan’s teaching is not only for kings and merchants, but for all who walk the earth. To conduct oneself with honest dealing is to live with integrity, to speak truth even when falsehood tempts, to offer fairness even when deceit might bring faster profit. To live by this rule is to cultivate trust, and trust is the foundation upon which all true relationships—be they in trade, in friendship, or in governance—are built.

To you who hear this, take it as sacred counsel: in your dealings, ask not only, “What will I gain?” but also, “What will they gain?” If your actions lift another while lifting yourself, then your success will shine like the sun—bright, enduring, and undeniable. But if your actions cast others into shadow for the sake of your own light, then your triumph will be as fleeting as the spark struck in darkness, gone in an instant.

Practical wisdom follows: conduct your work with fairness. If you are in business, ensure your customers find true value. If you are in leadership, let your people flourish as you flourish. If you are in friendship, give as much as you receive. In doing so, your name will be spoken with respect, your relationships will endure, and your success will not be hollow, but full of meaning and satisfaction.

Thus remember Greenspan’s words: there is no greater satisfaction than honest dealing and mutual gain. Live by this principle, and your life will not only be prosperous, but honorable. For the greatest wealth is not the coin in your hand, but the trust in the hearts of those who have walked beside you and found that in your success, they too have gained.