The Law of Reciprocity is one of the oldest forms of morality that exists in the world. It states simply, Treat others as you would wish to be treated. Those that ignore this maxim do so because they think doing good deeds for others inhibits their own progress; any successful entrepreneur can tell you, however, that the Law of Reciprocity is crucial for success.

You see, the power of good is infectious. Let’s say you’re making your way up the corporate ladder, and you treat everyone on the way up with kindness and respect. You help advance the careers of your interns, or you always give your staff members a bonus. You will find that people will speak well of you, and people will be more inclined to do business with you, viewing you to be the kind of person who understands the power of the Law of Reciprocity.

Now let’s imagine you ignore the Law of Reciprocity. You cheat, steal, and lie your way to every promotion, taking credit for work that isn’t yours. Let’s say one day something unexpected happens—your company downsizes, or you need to miss work for an emergency. Do you think anyone will help you, hire you, or cut you a break? Think again.

Working in business means being part of a team. Even if you’re self-employed, you’re going to need to outsource specialties or publicity duties. If you want to attract the best and the brightest talent, you need to be living the Law of Reciprocity. Help others selflessly, and the universe will bless you.

Never underestimate the infectious power of negativity to corrupt and destroy. Professor of Cognitive Science Selmer Bringsjord, for example, has been spending the last few years working on an artificial intelligence program called “E.” E is supposed to represent pure evil, which Bringsjord defines as having the wish to harm others without provocation, and for no reason other than personal satisfaction.

When describing the program, Bringsjord said that he would never release his creation into a fake computer world like Second Life, because it would destroy the simulated world. Even in purely fictional environments, E is too dangerous to exist without programming safeguards.

In the real world, negativity has a similar power—it destroys everything it touches. But there is also power in positivity. We need to remind ourselves that the kinder we are to other people, and the more we treat them with unconditional love and respect, the more likely we are to be rewarded. Just like when a stone is thrown into a pond, the ripples of our actions bounce off of other objects and travel back towards us. The surest way to success is to make sure these ripples of energy are positive, not negative.