Reflections on People Wanting You to Do Well but….Not Better Than Them…
Overview:
Why do some celebrate others' success while others resent it? I explore how mindset influences our view of achievements. Instead of seeing success as competition, I see it as proof that growth and opportunity are possible for everyone. If you've struggled with comparison or want a healthier perspective, this reflection offers a new outlook.
I once worked with someone who, in my opinion, cared way too much about what everyone else was doing and how.
"Do you think she REALLY has THAT many followers?" she asked me one day. Or, "I wonder if she's making any money doing that?"
Meanwhile, I'm sitting there thinking, Why the hell do you care?
But the worst part was when I realized why she cared. She only cared because she thought someone else might be doing better in life than she was at that moment.
That realization honestly made me sad.
Not because people compare themselves to others; we all do that sometimes, but because her first instinct wasn't curiosity, admiration, or even inspiration. It was skepticism. It was almost as if someone else's success somehow took something away from her.
And that's a mindset I never want to have.
Call me fake or crazy. I'm sure I've been called both.
But I'm genuinely happy for people who are doing better than me.
I'm happy because their success reminds me that it's possible.
When I see someone build a thriving business, heal from something difficult, create a beautiful life, or finally reach a goal they've been chasing, I don't think, Why them?
I think, If they figured it out, then maybe I can too.
To me, success isn't a pie with only so many slices. Someone else getting theirs doesn't mean there's less left for me.
In fact, the more examples I see of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, the more hope I have. It reminds me that opportunities exist. That growth is possible. That hard seasons don't last forever.
I'd much rather spend my energy learning from people than trying to discredit them.
Because whether we realize it or not, the way we respond to someone else's success says a lot more about us than it does about them.
