Your observation of the lives of the people with whom you share your environment can awaken feelings of jealousy within you today. You may wonder what others have done to have been blessed with such prosperity and feel frustrated at the nature of your circumstances in comparison. Consider, however, that your limited view of the lives of those you envy can work against you today. You likely do not know how hard these individuals work or what their individual values are. But if you waste time and energy coveting that which your neighbors, colleagues, and loved ones possess, you will naturally have fewer resources to devote to achieving your own aims.

We can never fully appreciate the complexities of others' circumstances, so envy is nothing more than conjecture and does little to help us refine our understanding of the world around us. We may see that certain individuals live lives of luxury, but we cannot discern how they attained their abundance or maintain it in the present from simply observing their habits. When we put aside envy, we realize that existence can be rich no matter what our levels of status or socioeconomic standing. Furthermore, our ability to comprehend the differences between outer-world and inner-world success allows us to be grateful for all we do possess, while still endeavoring to improve ourselves for the sake of growth. You will no longer be tempted to compare yourselves to others today when you recognize that the definition of accomplishment varies by individual.