Mudita: The Power of Finding Joy in Others' Success

The Early Career Trap: Chasing Money and Titles

When you're in your 30s raising three young kids, the priorities are simple and urgent: make it through the week, manage logistics, make enough money to cover expenses, and worry about future costs. Money and title are primary drivers because they're literally survival.

I spent years optimizing for advancement. Earn the next promotion. Increase the paycheck. Climb the ladder. And yes, there was satisfaction in those wins. But somewhere along the way, I noticed something shifting.

The wins felt smaller. The titles felt hollow. And the people around me who seemed most satisfied weren't always the ones at the top of the organizational chart.

The Shift: From Achievement to Impact

Last weekend, my daughter attended her freshman orientation at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. During the enrollment director's presentation, two concepts stood out: "Mudita" and "Learn by Doing." Mudita caught my attention immediately.

Mudita is sympathetic joy—finding joy in others' success.

It's a Buddhist concept that translates to something like "taking delight in the good fortune of others." For much of my career, I would have found this concept foreign. Joy in someone else's success? When I was focused on my own advancement?

But over the past several years, my focus has shifted. I think less about money and advancement, and more about the work I do and how I can help companies succeed and help individuals advance in their careers. And honestly, that's brought more satisfaction than any title or paycheck ever did.

The Reward: Watching Others Succeed

I continue to find satisfaction in talking with colleagues, advising them, up-leveling their skills, and having a direct impact on their careers. That's mudita in practice.

Watching someone you've mentored land their dream job. Seeing a team member get promoted. Helping a company navigate through business challenges and grow. That's all deeply rewarding. It's a better word than "satisfying"—it's genuinely rewarding.

The irony is that this mindset doesn't hurt your career. In fact, leaders known for developing others, for creating environments where people advance, tend to attract the best talent and build the strongest teams. The success of others becomes a reflection of your leadership.

The Reality: Not All Organizations Embrace Mudita

I'd be dishonest if I suggested this journey has been all positive. I've worked for cut-throat organizations where leaders would step over cadavers to protect their RSUs. I've seen some of the most lauded executives leave a trail of bodies to protect their position. And I'm sure I've fallen into those behaviors too.

Those environments don't value mudita. Success there means advancing at others' expense, not alongside them.

But here's what I've learned: the organizations that win long-term are the ones where leaders actively practice mudita. Where success is shared. Where people genuinely want to help each other advance. Those cultures create loyalty, innovation, and sustainable growth.

The Practice: How to Bring Mudita Into Your Leadership

If this resonates with you, here's what I've found works:

• Make time for mentoring. Don't just manage people; actively invest in their growth. Ask about their goals. Help them navigate challenges.
• Celebrate wins openly. When a team member succeeds, make it visible. Share their achievement with the broader organization.
• Create advancement opportunities. If someone on your team is ready for the next level, fight for them to get it—even if it means losing them from your team.
• Share credit generously. When your team wins, they won. When they fail, you failed as a leader. That mindset shifts everything.
• Remember: success feels better when it's shared. This isn't a motivational poster slogan. It's literally true. Your joy in others' advancement becomes your joy.