Love, service, and spirituality are not terms usually associated with the marketplace. Many of us believe that it is necessary to sell out in order to succeed in business, or drop out in order to pursue a spiritual life. That is a false polarity. When business is conducted from a high level of consciousness, there is no tension between material and spiritual wealth.

The larger purpose of business—or any competitive activity—is not to succeed, but to serve as a theater for self-knowledge, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. We discover who we are and what we really stand for as we respond to business situations. We establish our values through our behavior, our dealings with other people and the world. We transcend ourselves as we expand our circle of care and concern to include colleagues, customers and other people.

Of course, in order to keep the business game alive, players must strive to make money and accomplish their mission, but the game is about much more than winning. Material success is not the end anymore; it becomes a means to develop and express one’s highest nature.