Envy Quotes

“He is a sensible man who does not grieve for what he has not, but enjoys what he has.”
― Democritus

“So I am going to run away from Faerie. Like you.'

That's not how I'd thought of myself, as a runaway. I was someone with nowhere to go. Waiting until I was older. Or less afraid. Or more powerful. 'The Prince of Elfhame can't up and disappear.'

'They'd probably be happier if I did,' he told me. 'I'm the reason my father is in exile. The reason my mother married him in the first place. My one sister and her girlfriend had to take care of me when I was little, even though they were barely more than kids themselves. My other sister almost got killed lots of times to keep me safe. Things will be easier without me around. They'll see that.'

'They won't,' I told him, trying to ignore the intense surge of envy that came with knowing he would be missed.”
― Holly Black, The Stolen Heir

“Happy people don’t compare themselves with others. If they like something in another person, it inspires them to do something a little different in themselves. They don’t waste energy on jealousy.”
― Donna Goddard, Nanima: Spiritual Fiction

“It doesn't matter if she was prettier than you when he decided to cheat. She was treated like trash just like you. He didn't commit to her. He didn't love her soul or cherished any of her accomplishments. He just liked her face and what is that? It is nothing. That is not who she is. He didn't give his heart or time to her. She was the one that was cheated because he stayed with you. You never lost him because he never made a commitment to her. So don't be so hard on the other woman. She was treated poorly also. She was nothing to him. She was only something superficial that he coveted. But loving her? Knowing her? Sharing his deepest feelings with her?... No! She could have been any pretty face. It was never her but a fantasy. He didn't even know her, but for her beauty. And what is beauty? Isn't that something you can buy at a plastic surgeon's office?”
― Shannon L. Alder, The Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Bible

“What does emerge is the importance of a right theory as to what constitutes happiness. In such important acts as choosing a career, a man is greatly influenced by theory. If a wrong theory prevails, successful men will be unhappy, but will not know why.
This fills them with rage, which leads them to desire the slaughter of younger men, whom they envy unconsciously. Most modern politics, while nominally based on economics, is really due to rage caused by lack of instinctive satisfaction; and this lack, in turn, is largely due to false popular psychology.”
― Bertrand Russell, Sceptical Essays

“Someone’s good fortune is not your misfortune.”
― Frank Sonnenberg, The Path to a Meaningful Life

“People don’t hurt you by being successful; you hurt yourself by being envious of them.”
― Frank Sonnenberg, The Path to a Meaningful Life

“It is the fortune of all good men that their virtue rises in glory after their deaths, and that the envy which evil men conceive against them never outlives them long; some have the happiness even to see it die before them; but in Numa's case, also, the fortunes of the succeeding kings served as foils to set off the brightness of his reputation.”
― Plutarch, Plutarch's Lives: Volume I

“Envy is much like a heart that sheds innocent blood, but brands itself the dam to a magnificent flood: menacing you'll become to what could lift you above - not from your hands it starts, but your inner parts it loves.”
― Criss Jami

“Turn your envy into motivation to pour into your passions. Use anger as fuel to speak up against injustice. Sadness as an opportunity to give yourself more love.”
― Ash Alves

“The more horrible the story, the more it is cherished. Faeries may not be able to lie, but stories grow here as they do anywhere, fed on ambition and envy and desire.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King

“Assumptions are the death of truth”
― Kerri Maniscalco, Kingdom of the Wicked

“If a man cannot discipline himself to ignore words born out of anger, jealousy, or envy, he will spend all his life fighting a losing battle.”
― Uzihben

“Be careful of your peers. They are sometimes harmless, sometimes even helpful. They can also be deadly. If you intend to do well in your chosen career, be careful about spending too much time with struggling peers. No matter how sweetly it dresses, the ego cannot help but feel that one person's success is an opportunity taken away from itself in an intensely competitive market. Don’t fall prey to it, and make sure you are not one of those egos yourself. Healthy competition is not detrimental to our well-being and progress. It is advantageous. It highlights the skills that others have. It is a teaching and motivating device. It helps us to see the weaker areas within ourselves that need improvement. Other people’s strengths are not disadvantageous to us. They can inspire and push us to develop those elements within our being. Turn the flame of jealousy into the fire of self-improvement.”
― Donna Goddard, Writing: A Spiritual Voice

“All in the golden city are like me. There is no envy among them. They all love one another, and are glad because they see how much I love them, everyone.”
― Mother Mary Loyola

“Nothing bad has ever happened to the well-adjusted, so they assume the world will always be ready to receive them, in all their positivity and grace.”
― Sophie McCreesh, Once More, with Feeling

“Be happy; it makes your enemies crazy.”
― Wayne Gerard Trotman

“Not only do you get a chance to get out of Hawksburg again to start up the franchise, but Finn’s heaven sent. He could kick-start our food to the next level. I know you’re ready to stop treading water.”
Treading water. Heaven sent. Finn had been in town less than two days, and already people thought he was more valuable to Honey and Hickory than she was.
Lyndsey leaned both elbows on the prep table and turned to Simone, eyes bright. “Do you think he can teach me how to flambé? I’ve always wanted to try.”
Of course he could. He could teach them to fillet a halibut, or make a red wine reduction. But what did that matter at Honey and Hickory? “You planning to flambé a pork butt?”
Lyndsey shook her head.
“Then it’s a moot point. Finn’s here to help with the reception dinner—that’s it.”
Brows raised, Lyndsey said, “Heard.”
― Chandra Blumberg, Stirring Up Love

“Stop it, Rachel." Annalise elbowed my shin. "Envy is bad for your skin.”
― Laura Hatosy, Drawn from Memory

“You cannot envy someone until you walk in their shoes and embrace their flaws.”
― Joan Ambu

“No envy, no evil.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita

“Where there is envy, there exist every kind of evil.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita

“It is never progressing if it has not attracted the envy”
― Victor UzihBen

“If you are loved, something is wrong. Growth attracts hatred and envy.

Progress attracts tribulations, and it arrives, be sure you are on the right path”
― Victor UzihBen

“The honor that I hold of being able to possess an attitude of thankfulness means that my heart will never be ransomed by greed or my soul bound by envy. And how is freedom even remotely possible if I am not freed from these?”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough

“The worst mistake everyone makes is to analyze their self-image through the reflections the world mirrors because the world will never ever mirror something that is equal or better than what you show but always inferior. People don't feel comfortable near individuals that make them feel bad unless they want something or admire them, which is often not the case because of envy and resentment. Consequently nobody will ever show you your best qualities. They will hide them from you by never telling them to you. Instead, they will reflect back at you your mistakes and insecurities. When you don't want to fight, people insult you, when you are being polite, people disrespect you, and when you ask questions, people take the opportunity to make you feel stupid. Nobody will ever show you the real you. As a matter of fact it is more comfortable for them to believe who you are is all you can be.”
― Dan Desmarques

“Wherever there is envy, there exist every kind of evil.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita

“In the end, I think certain things are so successful because people love to have something to badmouth.”
― Luigina Sgarro

“Without discipline, a man will spend his entire life fighting a lost battle against words born from anger, jealousy, and envy.”
― Uzihben

“Envy is often preceded by a secret pride, which spurs us to wish to be preferred above others, or at least to be their equal. For fear that our neighbor may rise too high and eclipse us, we craftily clip his wings.”
― Fr. Belet, Sins of the Tongue: Cross-linked to the Bible