Let me ask you something: Have you ever felt that sharp, hot twist in your gut when someone else’s victory feels like a personal defeat? Like life handed them a golden ticket while you’re stuck holding a “try again later” scratch-off?
Yeah. Me too.
Let’s rewind. Picture this: It’s 3 AM. My laptop screen casts a ghostly glow as I stare at my 27th internship rejection email. The reason? “Your three-month availability doesn’t align with our needs.” Translation: We want someone who’ll stick around long enough to memorize the coffee orders. I’m fresh out of graduation, armed with a master’s degree pursuit and a three-month void of what now? So, like any rational human, I do the thing. I open LinkedIn.
Big. Mistake.
Suddenly, my feed is a highlight reel of everyone else’s wins. Dia at Google. Faiyaz launching a startup. Emma's doing “meaningful work” in Bali (with a sunset backdrop, of course). My screen screams, Look at them thriving while you’re here in sweatpants, debating whether popcorn counts as dinner.
Here’s the kicker: I didn’t hate all of it. When my friend Rohan posted about his promotion after pulling all-nighters for months, I cheered. But when a classmate landed a CEO gig because of “family connections”? Cue the internal scream. Why does their privilege feel like my failure?
I called my best friend, ranting: “Am I just… bitter?” She laughed. “Welcome to the human race.”
Chapter 1 : The Revelation That Changed Everything
Turns out, envy isn’t the villain. It’s a mirror. That sting? It’s not about them—it’s about you. What you crave. What you’re willing to fight for.
I started dissecting my envy like a scientist:
- Green Flags: Admiration for those who grinded? That’s fuel.
- Red Flags: Resentment toward unearned privilege? That’s your integrity yelling, “Play fair!”
So I made rules:
1. Ban the Noise: Instagram? Deleted. LinkedIn? Scheduled like a caffeine drip—10 minutes a day. Your focus is a superpower; guard it.
2. Audit Your Envy: Ask, “Does this person’s win threaten mine?” Spoiler: No. The universe isn’t rationing success.
3. Rewrite the Script: Instead of “Why them?” try “What’s my next move?”
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| The pursuit of happiness movie, highly recommended. |
Chapter 2 : The Truth No One Tells You
Your path isn’t a racecourse—it’s a fingerprint. Unique. Messy. Unrepeatable. That classmate with the CEO title? Their “success” might be a gilded cage. The influencer in Bali? Probably editing out the mosquito bites.
I start small. Freelance gigs. Online courses. A blog (hi, you’re reading it). Rejections still came, but now they felt like dodged bullets, not verdicts.
One night, I stumbled on a quote: “Don’t compare your Chapter 2 to someone else’s Chapter 20.” (thank you random instagram reel)
Chapter 3 : Boom.
Your Turn
Dia from Google DMed me: “How’d you get into writing? I’ve always wanted to try!”
The irony? We’re all eyeballing someone else’s lawn while standing on our own potential paradise.
So here’s my challenge to you:
- Let envy be your compass, not your cage.
- Celebrate others loudly—it’s practice for celebrating yourself later.
- Burn the script that says success has a deadline.
You’re not behind. You’re not less-than. You’re a protagonist in progress, and the best chapters? They’re always ahead.
Now go delete that app, shut the noise, and build something that makes them envious.
To the greater tomorrow we’re all writing—one messy, magnificent step at a time. 🚀
—The guy who traded envy for a blueprint, Stillwriting.
(P.S. Popcorn totally counts as dinner.)
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