Jealousy often takes root when you do not acknowledge the effort it takes to achieve or maintain the object of your jealousy.
We often attribute others success to their wealth, beauty, charisma, social class, aka their ‘unfair advantage’ but there is no advantage that is forever or limitless. Even if you have an advantage, it is always for a time being. If you are lucky, you are not lucky every day. It is true. Luck can in fact jumpstart a career but luck will not keep you there. Beauty can jumpstart a relationship but beauty alone cannot maintain it indefinitely. Wealth can open a door but it cannot guarantee a seat in the room forever.
The problem with us is we are often jealous of the results and not the process.
If you ever find yourself jealous, explore if you are downplaying their success because it is very hard to jealous of someone you are certain is deserving of success.
I always say jealousy is ignorance. We all believe we are trying our hardest but until we achieve success and look back, we are not always able to tell we are not trying enough or we may be trying hard at the wrong thing. Because success is not only in doing. It is also in knowing when to do what you do.
We can focus on effort but we rarely acknowledge effort without strategy is just working yourself to the bone. Jealousy is irrational. Jealousy refuses to explore possibilities. Jealousy refuses to have hope. It is resolute in its certainty that the world and its people are unfair. And the more I observe, the more I believe it is just not true.