“Envy is a propensity to view the well-being of others with distress, even though it does not detract from one’s own.” – Immanuel Kant

Envy is an emotion that all of us humans deal with, both within us and from others. For example, the neighbors get a new luxury vehicle. Suddenly, the old reliable car that’s paid for doesn’t look so good and we feel worse about ourselves. Maybe you make that big sale or get the coveted promotion. Your friends smile and give the token congratulations, but soon you find yourself on the receiving end of snarky remarks disguised as humor. While painful, you attempt to write it off as harmless towel snapping. 

The great business tycoon, Warren Buffett once said, “It’s not greed that runs this world, but envy.” In many respects, envy is the life force of the economy, and this emotion can be destructive if not handled well.  All of us will experience and struggle with the envy of others from time to time. There’s a population of people who have a vested interest in tearing down others so they can temporarily feel better about themselves.

As I became more successful, the frequency and intensity of critical remarks directed toward me increased significantly. One of the locals made the comment, “People want you to do well, but not too well.” The comment created uncertainty and I began to ask myself if I deserved my success, was I worthy of it and would it be taken from me. With time and practice, I began to control the quality of my thoughts. Mastering my mind allowed me to have an objective view of my accomplishments, and I was about to kill the demons of doubt. I consistently delivered results and their cheap shots said more about them than me.

There’s an old saying, “Dogs don’t bark at parked cars.” If you’re moving down the road to success, realize that many may not celebrate your victories, and sadly may resent you for them. As you “get a life” with more free time, more money, and more success, the ugly green-eyed monster of envy will surface. Expect it, deal with it in a positive way, refuse to doubt yourself, and continue to scale new peaks.

There is a positive aspect of envy and it’s called benign envy. Sometimes objectively examining your feelings of envy towards others can provide a roadmap to what you are searching for. It may spark healthy ambition, plans for achievement and provide a positive role model to emulate.

“Don’t follow a model that doesn’t work. If the recipe sucks, it doesn’t matter how good a cook you are.”  ~Tim Ferris — author of “The 4-Hour Workweek”