Some people will have you believe that by sharing the knowledge you’ve gained, you are losing your advantage. It’s simply not true. Shine Theory has only moved us closer to our goals. We have gained so much by sharing information that helped our friends get new jobs, make more money, or navigate tricky work problems. The researcher Adam Grant has found that the people who are unafraid to share their knowledge and resources with others in their community are the most likely to succeed over the long term.

And make no mistake, Shine Theory is a long game. At the start of our careers, it was mainly about commiserating and strategizing a way through our problems when we didn’t have much power or many resources. Now that we’re older and more established, we still don’t have all the answers. But we have gained more connections, experience, and financial security—which means we’re able to help each other in more meaningful ways. We’re in a position to support each other even more.

Shine Theory hasn’t neutered our ambition—quite the opposite. We are two women who run only if something’s on fire, but we hope to follow the example of the distance runner Shalane Flanagan. After she won the 2017 New York City Marathon, it was reported that she had been training 11 other women runners. This is because Flanagan saw a need. There was no community of women distance runners, who tended to burst on the scene after college and then burn out quickly. As one of the few women in her sport with staying power, Flanagan could have enjoyed her solo elite status. Instead, she got to work helping her potential competitors, offering everything from training tips to pep talks. Every single one of them has since made it to the Olympics. 

The New York Times called it “the Shalane Effect.” Flanagan created a cohort and became a better runner herself because of it. She proves that you can be hypercompetitive and at the top of your game, and still be an incredible supporter and collaborator. The payoff is huge. “When we achieve great things on our own, it doesn’t feel nearly as special,” she told the Times.

Flanagan is also a great example of why Shine Theory goes deeper than mere networking. She could have patted those other runners on the back and told them “good luck” and gone on to join a running group with men—the equivalent of exchanging email addresses at an awkward professional conference and never following up. Instead, she made a real investment of her time and knowledge. 

Shine Theory is not about collecting contact info or trying to help every single person we meet along the way, because if we’re doing it right, it’s simply not possible to invest deeply in that many people. That’s why we always specify that Shine Theory is mutual, meaningful investment, over the long term.