Envy contains information

Envy is uncomfortable, so we quickly convert it into criticism.

We find a flaw in the person, question the quality of the achievement, or decide that the goal never mattered. This protects the ego and destroys the information.

Envy can reveal an ambition we have not admitted, a neglected capacity, or a life choice we are afraid to make. It does not mean we should copy the person we envy. It means our reaction may be pointing towards something unfinished in us.

The useful question is not, “Why do they deserve this?” It is, “What does my reaction reveal that I want?”