Envy In Everyday Life

Even if envy is denied or ignored, it will still continue to fester, because, as Laurie Beckelman noted, it is a mushroom of an emotion that flourishes in dark places.

t’s possible, in some circumstances, that competition is good. However, if some people are preoccupied with bringing others down, that’s not healthy for any organization. It is also true that envious people undervalue their own efforts while being resentfully impressed by those of others.

Envy in the workplace damages relationships, disrupts teams and undermines performance. Most of all it harms the one who feels it. When we are obsessed with someone else’s success, our self-respect suffers and we may neglect or even sabotage our own performance and possibly our career. Comparing ourselves with successful workmates can be motivating, but it can also trigger envy.