You haveseen a friend succeed.No doubt you feel joy at this.You love yourfriend,and maybe you even helped him accomplish hisgoal.Still,there is another feeling,a dark feeling,within you.Youbegin to wish that it was you who was enjoying success,and youbegin to even dislike your friend.At first thisenvious feeling starts off like a tiny seed.But then, like aseed,it grows.It threatens to overtake you.
Of courseyou feel bad about your feelings,as theyhavebecome a handicap to your friendship.Still,there doesn't seem to beanything that you can do.Facing your friend invariably leads tomore tension between you.Avoiding him just seems to widen the gulfbetween you.
Instead offeeling guilty about your envy or hating your friend,you shouldtake adifferent approach.Use your friend'ssuccess as a chalenge.He has succeeded.This means that you cansucceed as well.By thingking this way,you are harnessing yourfeelings and redirecting them into a course of action that won'truin your friendship.
Rememberthat friendships can survive friendly competitiion.Youcannot,however,maintain your friendship if you harbor envy.