The success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.

Hear now the wisdom of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who declared with clarity: “The success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.” This saying, simple yet profound, is not merely the reflection of a man of wealth, but the echo of an eternal law: that no life, no endeavor, no nation, no soul stands alone. What one builds is strengthened or weakened by the lives around it, and what others achieve, in turn, sustains or diminishes one’s own. Thus, in this brief utterance, Rockefeller reminds us that success is not an island, but a woven fabric, where each thread lends strength to the whole.

The ancients knew this well. In the stories of Homer, the heroes of Greece could not conquer Troy by their own glory alone. Achilles’ strength meant little without Odysseus’ cunning, and Odysseus’ plans would have failed without the valor of warriors who followed him. The fall of Troy was not the work of one, but of many, bound together. So too in life, the success of a farmer depends on the craftsman who sharpens his plow, and the craftsman depends on the farmer to provide his bread. Each one’s triumph sustains the other.

Rockefeller himself, born into wealth yet carrying the burden of stewardship, understood this truth not only in business but in society. He spoke these words in defense of cooperation between labor and capital, between worker and employer. For what good is the might of a company if its workers are crushed? And what stability can workers enjoy if the company itself collapses? In his vision, success could only endure when both sides rose together, not when one prospered at the cost of the other.

History gives us another example: the rise of the Florentine Renaissance. Artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci are remembered as solitary geniuses, yet their success was born of patrons, guilds, merchants, and even humble laborers who carved stone or mixed paint. The glory of Florence was not the achievement of a single hand, but the flowering of many lives intertwined. The painter needed the mason, the mason the quarryman, and the patron needed them all. Each flourished because the others did.

This truth extends beyond art and commerce. Consider the natural world: the tree gives shade to the soil, the soil nourishes the tree, the rain feeds both. Remove one, and the others falter. Human life mirrors this same law. No man rises without others lifting him, and no community prospers while any part of it is abandoned. The arrogance of believing one can thrive while others suffer is a blindness that leads only to ruin. Rockefeller’s words tear away this illusion and call us to humility.

The lesson is clear: your destiny is bound to those around you. If you wish to thrive, do not trample your neighbor. If you seek greatness, raise others with you. Measure your success not only by what you achieve, but by how your achievement strengthens the lives it touches. The wealthiest man is impoverished if he is surrounded by ruin, and the most skilled artisan finds his work meaningless if no one prospers from it. True success is shared.

Practical wisdom follows: in your work, seek cooperation rather than domination. In your home, seek harmony rather than victory. In your friendships, strive not for advantage, but for mutual flourishing. Build not for yourself alone, but for the community of which you are a part. Celebrate the triumphs of others, knowing they strengthen your own. And when you succeed, extend your hand so that others may climb beside you.

So let these words be remembered: “The success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.” This is no passing observation, but an eternal law of life. To honor it is to build a world where triumph endures. To ignore it is to sow division that destroys. Choose, therefore, to live by this wisdom, and your success will not fade, for it will be rooted not in isolation, but in the unshakable bonds of shared prosperity.