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Beware the Green-Eyed Monster · The Daily Writer

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Daily Writer, where we share a lesson each day to help you cultivate the habits for creative success.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: These lessons are inspired by great artists, authors, and thinkers, both past and present.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: For more, you can visit us at dailywriterlife.com.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Time for a bit of honest introspection.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Chances are that you're listening to this alone, so it's okay to be completely honest with yourself.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Here goes.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever felt jealous of another writer's success?
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Again, we're going for complete honesty here, so let's assume the answer is yes.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the world of writers can be a funny place.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: We love to support one another, read each other's books, and collaborate in ways that few other industries do.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: On the other hand, because our work is creative by nature, it's often intertwined with our sense of self-esteem and security.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: We are acutely aware at all times of the success that our other writer friends are enjoying.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: And when a writer friend has a book launch, they get media attention, or they reach a big goal of some kind, it's easy to feel like that's a commentary on our own success.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: And in our moments of weakness, we get consumed with jealousy, also called by a peculiar name the green eyed monster.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: This term comes from Shakespeare's Othello, when the villain Iago says, Oh beware, my lord, of jealousy.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: It is the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, I was doing my best to evil Shakespeare there.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: You know, feeding is a good analogy here.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Jealousy not only feeds on its victims, it also feeds lies to its victims.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Specifically, there are three little lies that jealousy whispers in your ear.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, jealousy lies about your own accomplishments.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: When you focus on other people's achievements and why you don't measure up to those achievements, you quickly forget about all the things that you've accomplished.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: If you take just a few moments to write down your wins over the last six months or perhaps a year, you will be amazed at all the things that you've achieved.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, jealousy lies about the cost of success.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: When you're jealous of what other people have accomplished, you're only seeing the results of their success, not the process or the cost of getting there.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: We easily forget that when that friend has a book launch, they have labored in secret for a year or more to write that book that's not getting all that attention.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: Jealousy says that we should be enjoying those results too, but that's a lie unless we've also put in the work.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Then finally, number three, jealousy lies about your influence.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Jealousy likes to diminish your success in your own eyes.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: It makes you want to forget about the things that you've achieved and the hurdles that you have climbed.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: But the truth is that there are people in your circle who are jealous of you.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: They wish they had your skills, your position, your accomplishments, or success.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: No matter who you are, you have some level of influence.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of spending emotional energy being jealous, we should focus on helping others to achieve our level of success, whatever that may be.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: The movie director Oliver Stone said it best.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of NB2 destroy.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Never underestimate that.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you play the comparison game, you will lose every single time.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: You'll either minimize your own accomplishments and spend all your time feeling bad about yourself, or you'll magnify your own accomplishments and become prideful.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let yourself be seduced by the green-eyed monster.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Daily Rider Podcast.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: We really appreciate your support, as always, and we hope you enjoyed this.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: You can find more at dailywriterlife.com.