Envy. It’s one of those negative emotions that tempts us. It is certainly not something to be proud of and some people grow out of so much envy :), but on the other hand, if you can control this emotion or you can channel it in a positive force in such a way as to you become a better version of yourself, then it’s perfect for you.
Quotes about envy and what it means to compare yourself with others or to want what others have. Why? Because many of us are red with envy sometimes.
From philosophers like Aristotle and politicians like Margaret Thatcher and Theodore Roosevelt, the great American president, to rappers, actors and sportsmen, they all reflected on the idea of envy and jealousy, so I chose many memorable and very expressive quotes about envy signed by these to choose from.
Top quotes about envy
From the Stoic philosophers we know from antiquity that if we want to be happy we must be content with what we have and not compare ourselves with others. The comparison is not only the seed of envy, but also of unhappiness. You can’t be happy if you’re jealous. And, conversely, if you are happy then you do not envy anyone. This is the thought that transpires from many quotes about envy and maxims on this subject, said by some of the most famous thinkers in the world, but also personalities from other fields.
1. Comparison is the thief of joy. – Theodore Roosevelt
2. No one envies the process, only the results. – Regan Jacklin
3. Better to be envied than compassionate. – Herodotus
4. Envy is born of ignorance or lack of confidence in one’s own qualities. – Jean Vanier
5. The envious one does not die once but every time the envious one receives applause. – Baltasar Gracian
6. The few who do something are the object of the envy of the many who just watch. – Jim Rohn
7. Envy is a motivating factor for many people. – Shia LaBeouf
8. Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy. – Francois de la Rochefoucauld
9. Don’t ruin everything you have by wanting what you don’t have. – Ann Brashares
10. Don’t underestimate what you already have, don’t envy others. He who feels envy will never have peace of mind. – Buddha
11. The spirit of envy destroys, it can never build. – Margaret Thatcher
12. To live without comparing yourself to others means to get rid of a formidable burden. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
13. It is not greed that moves the world, it is envy. – Warren Buffett
14. There is nothing sharper than envy. – Thomas Fuller
15. Man will do much to be loved, but he will do all he can to be envied. – Mark Twain
16. Envy devours many of us. – Alexander Solzhenitsyn
17. Envy is information. It tells you what you want, what you admire and what you don’t like about yourself. You could learn from the person you envy if you weren’t blinded by resentment. – The Stoic Emperor
18. You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars. – Gary Allan
19. A little jealousy can be good, because it can remind us to appreciate what we already have. – Shane Parrish
20. For most of us, envy is the basis of our actions. If you remove envy we feel lost. All our effort is to achieve success and that is envy. And behind the envy is fear. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
21. Turn the individual into admiration and what you admire will be part of your life. – Yoko Ono
22. Everyone has pity on the weak, envy, on the other hand, must be won. – Arnold Schwarzenegger
23. Envy creates hidden enemies. – Robert Greene
24. Never surpass your master. – Robert Greene
25. Our culture is based on envy. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
26. A sign of wealth – to live without envy and without fear. – Greg Isenberg
27. You are jealous because you are not aware that everything you need to be successful is already in you. – Peter Deunov
28. Envy is hidden deep in people’s hearts like a viper in its rock. – Honor of Balzac
29. Don’t be envious! Be inspired! – Thibaut
30. Of the 7 deadly sins, envy alone is not fun at all. – Joseph Epstein
31. Envy is a symptom of a lack of appreciation of one’s own uniqueness and self-worth. Each of us has something unique to offer.
Therefore, let us cleanse our minds a little and keep our inner hygiene as good as possible, so that no trace of envy will reach us: neither should we feel it towards others, nor should others. envy us. Let’s keep our modesty and not try to impress at any cost.
Quotes about envy and frustration
Envy is a sure way to frustration. Because we will never be able to have everything we see in others and we want. And frustrations lead to unhappiness and, ultimately, wickedness and pettiness. So, for our peace of mind, but also to be content with ourselves and have a chance at happiness, let us suppress any beginning of envy that we may feel.
On the other hand, if we see envy in others and they are close to us, don’t let them take this path, try to explain to them that envy is a good sister with frustration.
The quotes about envy and frustration below can be a good start for a discussion with friends or loved ones about envy and the inner havoc it can do in our souls.
32. Envy is a waste of time. – unknown author
33. The wise man is satisfied with what he has, whatever that means, without wanting what he does not have. – Seneca
34. Envy is the pain that some feel for the luck of another. – Aristotle
35. You never hate jealous people. They are jealous because they think you are better than them. – Paulo Coelho
36. No one can have everything he wants, but we can refrain from wanting what we don’t have and enjoy the bird we already have in our hands. – Seneca
37. The fastest way to lose friends and alienate people is to become a better version of yourself. – Life Math Money
38. People hate those who make them feel inferior. – Lord Chesterfield
39. Those who are competent and self-confident are incapable of envy. Envy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity. – Robert Heinlein
40. Just as iron is eaten by rust, so are the envious consumed by envy. – Antisthenes
41. Every time a friend is successful, a particle of me dies. – Gore Vidal
42. Envy blinds people and does not allow them to see clearly. – Malcolm X
43. If you’re happy, people might be jealous. No matter, keep up the good content. – Mother Teresa
44. Negative emotions such as loneliness, envy and guilt play an important role in a happy life. There are signs that tell us we need to change something. – Gretchen Rubin
45. Envy implies that you are dissatisfied with yourself. Jiddu Krishnamurti
46. Pride, envy, greed – these are the sparks that have ignited the hearts of all people. – Dante Alighieri
47. Perhaps envy would diminish if we knew the whole story behind the success. And we would be less willing to put someone on a pedestal. – James Clear
48. Envy draws on others but hurts itself. – English proverb
Quotes about envy and wickedness
49. The most unfortunate part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you. – Bette Midler
Quotes about envy and stupidity
Other personalities suggest or say it as directly as possible that only the little ones in mind and soul envy. That enlightened souls and minds do not feel this vulgar emotion. What these quotes actually mean about envy and stupidity is that it is in our power not to be slaves to envy. If we educate our minds and souls to be the best version of ourselves and to love ourselves, then the feeling of envy will stay away from us.
50. The petty are envious and hate. It’s the way she admires others. – Victor Hugo
51. Jealousy is the tribute that mediocrity pays to genius. – Fulton Sheen
52. Envy is a declaration of inferiority. – Napoleon
53. Envy is the art of counting the blessings of others instead of counting one’s own blessings. – Harold Coffin
54. Envy suggests inferiority. – Wayne Gerard Trotman
55. We all experience moments of jealousy. The worthy hide it, the vulgar act out of envy. – Ibn Taymiyyah
Did you know that envy is one of the seven deadly sins? Envy or envy entered the top of the greatest sins only in the sixth century, including by Pope Gregory I, and was then popularized with the other six sins by Dante Aligheri, in his wonderful work Divine Comedy, one among the masterpieces of universal literature.
