the secret to life - symbiosis

On the last email that I sent out, I got a message that read as follows:

“I am so thankful to you for sending these mails…I couldn't even tell in words how greatly I am affected by you and your story”

On reading it, I felt a very unique sense of warmth. It felt good to know that there are people out there whose lives are being impacted positively by my actions and decisions. 

This wasn’t the first time I received such a message.

From time to time, I get these incredibly heartwarming messages from people, telling me how my content and my stories have helped them. 

I took a moment to think about it. (You will be amazed at how much insight you can get, if you only take a few moments out to think about stuff that happens to you.)

All the content that I have created, all the newsletters I have written, have all been done with one aim in mind. 

How can I create the most amount of value for the people that have given me their time and attention?

This is how I think about everything in my life. When I pitch to clients, when I talk to my employees, when I take decisions about my business, etc. 

It all comes down to how can I provide more value. And this thought process is in stark contrast to how I see most people think. 

I get a ton of messages from people, trying to attend to their own selfish interests. Can I get a job, can I edit your videos, etc. 

This attitude is often why most of these people cannot succeed.

It’s because they do not understand the concept of symbiosis. In Biology, Symbiosis is defined as a close, prolonged association between two or more different biological species.

But the process and phenomenon has much wider implications.

It stands true in a material sense, in a biological sense, and maybe also in a metaphysical sense.

But in simple terms, here’s what it means.

When you create value for others, you create value for yourself as a by product.

Let’s address the material implication first:

One of the biggest markers of a great business, is how much value it creates for others. 

Amazon is a 2.2 Trillion dollar company. Jeff Bezos, the founder, only owns around 8 percent of it. That’s  roughly 176 Billion dollars. The remaining 2 odd Trillion dollars, is value that he created for employees, shareholders, etc. 

The only way Bezos could reach such incredible heights, was because he created immense value for other people. For customers, employee, shareholders, etc.

That is the secret. If you want to build a great business, find ways to create value for other people. 

Most people when starting a business think about how they can make the most money.

Not about the problem they want to solve, or the value they want to provide.

If you try to only create value for yourself, and make as much money as you can, you are setting yourself up for epic failure. 

On a more biological level: 

Life supports life. Nature rewards all activities that add value to existing life.

For example, a bee is rewarded for pollination with nectar. 

Fungi attach to plant roots, helping them absorb nutrients like phosphorus are rewarded with carbohydrates from the plants.

These examples are all around us for you too see. 

Altruistic and cooperative behaviors are always more successful than purely selfish ones (e.g., wolves hunting in packs vs. lone hunters)

When you do anything that creates value for a broader group of organisms, you are much more likely to get rewarded for it. 

And finally in a more metaphysical sense:

It reflects a fundamental principle of the universe: interconnectedness, balance, and mutual exchange at every level.

Metaphysical traditions (like Taoism, Buddhism, and even quantum physics theories) suggest that energy is in constant flow—it must be given and received to stay balanced.

Holding onto energy (selfishness, greed, stagnation) creates disharmony, while freely exchanging it (kindness, generosity, gratitude) amplifies life.

For example, a river that flows nourishes the land; a stagnant pond breeds decay. Energy and relationships work the same way.

In the same vein, when you do things with the intention of creating value for others, when you take decisions that are altruistic, a range of different factors start to conspire in your favour, making it much more likely that you achieve the goal that you want.

This is a mindset shift. Once it happens, you start seeing everything in a different light. 

Let’s say you are applying for a job. 

The person who is only trying to create value for themselves will think :

“How can I get this job?”

On the other hand, the person who always looks to create value for others, thinks:

“How will I be able to help this company?”

When these two people sit for an interview, there will be a massive difference in how they answer  questions. Who do you think will do better at the interview? 

And more importantly, who do you think will be able to do a better job, regardless of their skill level? 

When I started my business with no experience and no money, perhaps the biggest reason people trusted me and gave me work was that I went in to add value to their operation. Not to selfishly make money.

Most people I meet and talk to are just trying to fend for themselves. And I don’t blame them. 

It’s a cruel world, and a lot of people are in very unpleasant situations. 

But what you have to realise is that the way out of these situations is not being selfish and greedy.  

It’s by understanding symbiosis, understanding the nature of the world we live in, and then living life and taking decisions accordingly.

Approach situations with an intention to create value, to lift yourself and others out of it gracefully, and you will see situations change drastically.

Try to do this for a few days, I can assure you, you will see an improvement in the quality of your life and outcomes. 

See you next week.

- Khyatt