Envying Another Entrepreneur's Success? Here's the Cure.
Scrolling through my social media, I'm constantly bombarded by successes and highlights of other entrepreneurs. There's a couple of people I follow that I personally know, and I envy their house, cars, business size, and lifestyle.
And even though I'm a God-first entrepreneur with two well-established businesses and a Christian personal brand, I found myself trapped in comparison, asking if I was doing enough, did I miss out on something, and when was it going to be my turn to live like them?
I felt the gnawing discontentment that comes from entrepreneurial envy.
As Godpreneurs, we are not immune to the green-eyed monster called envy, especially in today's digital connectedness. How many times have we looked at another entrepreneur's success story on LinkedIn or Instagram and felt a pinch of envy?
The age of digital identity, with polished company websites and success narratives on social media, has only amplified these feelings.
The constant stream of other's success stories can sometimes overshadow our own journeys and God-given blessings.
So how do we break free to overcome entrepreneurial envy?
The Bible warns us about the dangers of envy. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote in Proverbs 14:30,
"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."
This ancient wisdom underscores how true contentment, a heart at peace, nourishes our entire being, while envy can be destructive, corroding our joy, health, and well-being.
Solomon’s insight is timeless, reminding us Godpreneurs that the state of our heart is directly correlated to our physical ability to show up for and lead our businesses.
For Godpreneurs, Solomon's wisdom can be looked at like this:
Peaceful heart = life for my business
Envious heart = death for my business
Solomon is warning Godpreneurs that while true contentment brings peace for our entrepreneurial journey, envy can destroy our well-being and ability to run the race God set before us.
So how do you not let envy take root?
You focus on what God has done in the past and what He promises for the future.
If you're like me, then you have some form of envy in your heart that you need to address.
Begin by confessing, in prayer, all the people you envy. Call them out by name. Give those names to the Lord. Those are His children, too. Remember, the plans He has for them are, also, to prosper.
Next, open up a Google Document on your phone and start your Victories List. I've been doing this since 2017. Every month you bullet point all the awesome things that happened that month. You can even put promises from God that you found that month in the Bible. You should even write unique challenges you've faced, and how the Lord helped you overcome them.
Now, when the urge to compare surfaces, counteract it by genuinely thanking God for what He is blessing them with and going to your Victories List reading past wins and maybe writing down new ones.
By focusing on gratitude and God's unique plan for your business journey, you'll find a deeper, more genuine contentment.
Imagine a community of Godpreneurs where we lift each other up, celebrate each other's successes, and focus on our unique God-given paths. Instead of envy, our hearts would be filled with gratitude, contentment, and peace.
As Godpreneurs, we have a unique opportunity to lead by example, to show others how to find joy and contentment in what we have, and to trust in God's perfect plan for our lives and businesses.
If you haven't already, start your Business Victories List today!