Author Jason Jack on 'Success Envy'

Dear author Jason Jack, what do you think about other people's success?

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Success Envy.
We've all seen it. It may just have been an off handed comment or a full blown diatribe. It may be full of spite and it may not even be envious at all. But it will always be negative.

I define success envy as "any comment or action lobbied against a person/institution who has achieved something". It may not be a comment made out of envy at all but a judgement (but success judgement just didn't have a good ring to it).

EXAMPLES . . .

"That was a GREAT song, but Miley Cyrus didn't deserve (credit for) it."
"Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga's a joke! She doesn't deserve the success!"
"Call of Duty is mindless crap. People should be playing good games instead."

Pick any industry and you'll find examples of this seed of negativity.

I cannot stress this enough--we as individuals, then as a family, a community, then as common Earth-dwellers, have the responsibility to do better and to be better. Judging other people/companies/groups who have achieved success because YOU have deemed it incorrect or undeserved goes against a world of peace and cohesion.

• We should be praising each other for sticking our necks out for our dreams.
• We should be patting each other on the backs for seizing opportunities when they come.
• We should be happy we live in a world where we can make our desires a reality.
• We should support each other the entire way through, even when success arrives.

Because when one does well, we all do well.

Then why do some people judge what others deserve? Maybe because we are jealous, or maybe not. Maybe because we think we know what is quality and when we see success come to those that are below that quality bar, we think it's undeserved, in need of ridicule.

But the negativity only shows the world the person you are. Miley Cyrus, despite what you have to say about her current behavior, is doing what she is doing and she is successful. Call of Duty is played and enjoyed by millions every day and bought by millions every year. Stephanie Meyer gave millions of young and old readers a story to embrace even if it wasn't to this or that person's liking. They're successful no matter what you say, something to remember when you feel that bitter bug crawling to the surface.

Time is precious, and I think we should be driving our energies on celebrating the successes in life while focusing on making our goals, dreams, and hopes realities. Perhaps, we shouldn't be wasting time on harsh critiques that only serve to suck our energy and turn us into downers.

SO . . .

After today, perhaps we'll let other's achievements not irk us but brighten our day, give us the motivational support we need, because another person's success is not bad at all. Another person's success simply proves that if we just do what's in our hearts, what we truly believe in, we can achieve it.

Other people's success, a beautiful thing, proves this. Be happy, be supportive, be motivated by it. And your success will come or perhaps it already has :)

Until next time.

--Author Jason Jack