Success Envy

Robert Terson

One of the great lessons I’ve learned in life is that not everyone is overjoyed when a friend or associate achieves something noteworthy. It’s rather sad, but oh so true. This is a competitive world we live in, and far too many people would secretly rather see you fall on your ass than achieve something that they’d wish for themselves. This becomes especially true when the two of you are “competing” in the same arena, trying to achieve success re the exact same thing—like authoring a book for example. There are a lot of sales books out there, and each author wants his/her book to be recognized as a Momentous Accomplishment, as well as the best seller of all-time.

I call this phenomenon Success Envy. If your achievement has gone off the charts, has accumulated awards and notoriety, they’ll effusively congratulate you, but inside, deep within…they’re dying a slow death because it’s you and not them. It’s not only petty, I believe it’s self-destructive.


Amen to that! Tracy is spot on.

Sincerely celebrating the achievements of your friends, neighbors, peers, does not come easy for most people, but I want you to know that it’s in your best interest to do so.

Here are some additional quotes that are pertinent to success envy. Take a look at them from time to time:

Aeschylus: “It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.

Harold Coffin: “Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.

Yevgeny Yevtushenko: “Envy is an insult to oneself.”

Josh Billings: “Love looks through a telescope; envy through a microscope.”


Eubie Blake: “Never trust anyone who wants what you’ve got. Friend or no, envy is an overwhelming emotion.

Oliver Stone: “Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy. Never underestimate that.

Jean Vanier: Envy comes from people’s ignorance of, or lack of belief in, their own gifts.



English Proverb: “Envy shoots at others and wounds itself”

Charles Churchill: “With that malignant envy which turns pale, And sickens, even if a friend prevail.”

Let me suggest that you compete with no one but yourself, and envy no one. Life will become so much sweeter, and your successes will multiply tenfold. Strive to be the best YOU that you can be, and always look inward, not at the other guy.




Get your free Preview of Selling Fearlessly’s Chapter 1 here.