Do you feel bad when someone you know becomes successful? If so, you’re not alone. This kind of envy is common.
A 2013 study by psychologist Mina Cikara found that people not only resent other people’s success, they also take particular pleasure if a person suffering bad luck is a particularly successful person.
Participants in the study were shown photographs of four different types of people – a student, an elderly person, a drug addict and a wealthy professional – in various situations. Incredibly, they experienced greater pleasure from scenarios where the wealthy professional suffered in some way, like getting soaked by the water from a passing car driving through a puddle, than when any of the four types of people received some good fortune.
Resentment and envy of success are common human traits, but this doesn’t make them healthy. If you want to be more successful, you must learn to overcome your initial envy of other people’s success and harness their power instead.
The best way to do this is through collaboration.
Take the example of chocolatier Milton Hershey. One of his employees, H. B. Reese, started building up a rival candy company in the same city while he was still working in Hershey’s chocolate factory.
Instead of becoming angry or resentful, Hershey surprisingly gave Reese his full support. Reese created his own special candy, the peanut butter cup, and Hershey’s factory provided the milk chocolate for his experiments. The two men continued to collaborate throughout their lives, and after their deaths, the two companies merged.
If both men had viewed each other’s success with envy, they’d have needlessly fought against each other. Yet, by supporting each other’s strengths and ideas, they both built strong and profitable businesses.
In short, people who enjoy and celebrate other people’s success end up attracting successful people with whom they can collaborate. Ultimately, these competitive partners motivate and inspire each other, leading to great success for all involved.
