It's true that the rich and successful are no better than we are. However, most didn't get that way by being dishonest—they did it by following and applying specific Principles of Success.

In fact, the majority of top achievers recognize that helping other people unconditionally is the surest way to get ahead. We're all familiar with karma, and karma is another word for the Law of Attraction. Energy is attracted to like energy: those who help other people to success will bring successful energy their way. The more kind things you do, the more success you'll earn.

Part of the problem in our economy today is lack of business ethics. The subprime mortgage breakdown was about banks bundling bad mortgages and then lying to their investors, claiming that such mortgages were safe from default. Now, these same banks are in trouble, and every day they are losing more money. It's not hard to see this isn't a coincidence—dishonest behavior brings negative energy.

When it comes to achieving your dreams, success is never in conflict with ethical behavior. If it is, you'll find you'll find that your dream won't make you happy, or your dream won't ever be achieved.

The Principles of Success state that when it comes to attracting what we want, we are the only ones who can manifest our desires into reality. Achievement isn't a competition with others, it's the focus of our own energy. Successful people create enthusiasm within themselves, and whatever energy they don't have, they create. They know it is their actions that move them forward, and they strive to continue in the spirit of positivity.

Rather than obsessing about coworkers or competition, successful people focus only on their own abilities. They have faith in their own mind—feelings of inadequacy are actually the byproduct of self-doubt. Nixon's downfall, after all, stemmed from paranoia brought on by self-doubt. Had he had faith in his own abilities, he would have acted ethically. He could have been one of the greatest presidents our country has ever known.

Many people who act unethically do so because they are afraid of growth. One of the Principles of Success is that growth is the result of taking risks, or overcoming fear. Think about it for a second: why do people lie, or cheat to get ahead? They do it because they're afraid that if they try their best, they will fail.

For the unethical, every action is tied to personal self worth: if they succeed, they're "winners," and if they fail, they're "losers." Successful people understand that actions are the products of thoughts, and that if they believe strongly enough in something, it will happen eventually. With that mindset, every failure is a chance to learn and grow, it isn't tied to their feelings of self worth.

Can ethics create success? Yes, they can. Ethical behavior is the result of clarity of mind, knowledge, and self-esteem. These Principles of Success can make the difference between someone who struggles all his life for happiness, or someone who has the real joy of profound success.