As February fills with red hearts in a celebration of love, people are becoming more cynical at whether this display of affection for our dear ones one day a year is a lovely thing or an empty display of commercial greed. When flowers get marked up four time their usual price, it’s hard not to question. Is corporate success always an antithesis to authentic relationships? Is professional success always incompatible with personal contentment? Oftentimes, our struggle to find balance is rooted in the belief that the two are diametrically opposite. Yet if we simply – though by no means, easily – reframe a commonly-accepted belief that financial success cannot equal personal happiness (and vice versa), we can see that together, the power of compassion and the power of economics can propel positive social and personal change. But it’s up to us to refuse the commercialization of love and the dispassion of greed.

Corporate Compassion
Vice President of the “Structured Finance Group of the Investment Banking & Markets Division for the Americas” for the Americans of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is a title that not only sounds impressive, but likely overfills a business card. The man carrying this title is Tsewang Namgyal, who I know otherwise, as a brother, even if not by blood. During the last Wisdom 2.0 conference, he was invited to speak about the responsibility corporations have to create a world more generous, more kind, and more compassionate.

1. Go for it
We sometimes confuse competitiveness and ambition for lack of ethics and greed. Having a healthy sense of competitiveness and strong desire for the corner office enables us to continue to reach, stretch, and grow. In so doing, we can find ourselves in greater positions to shift the status quo, improve the lives of others, and find greater fulfillment.

2. Think “we,” not “me”
The danger of greed and corruption happens far easier when we is simply me. How much do I get? How do I win? What is it in for me? Rather, when we start thinking about “we,” whether it is a special someone, a child, a neighbor, a neighborhood, a community, a country, the world, our drive for success is ultimately driven by the collective. The world is not a zero-sum game.

3. Amass a legacy
When we amass wealth, we often amass things. Yet study after study shows that experiences, not material things, give us the greatest life satisfaction and sense of richness. Buying that beautiful vase may truly give you deep satisfaction and appreciation for beauty. Fantastic. Buy it and admire it, and don’t forget to donate another piece of something that has been sitting on your shelf or hiding in your closet that you don’t need. As your fortune grows, consider what you want to leave as your legacy. A collection of vases or meaningful contributions to society.

4. Help others to succeed
Helping others not only infuses us with the good feeling hormones, but it also has a less altruistic result: it engenders others to support us. Despite some who claim they did it “on their own,” those who really make it do so with the support of others. As you climb the ladder of success, find ways to support others to success. Their success will help you succeed, which helps others to…and the virtuous cycle continues, creating a multiplier environment of generosity.

5. Stay true to priorities
A key to bringing compassion into the professional and corporate world is to identify your priorities and stay true to them. If your goal is to make your company the most impactful in bringing economic opportunities to communities, stay true to that purpose and do not take the shortcuts with a Machiavellian rationale (e.g. tax evasion will help in the long run….). Prioritize your values and remember the true purpose of your ambition.