“That person is so good at that. I wish I was good at it, too!”
How often have you thought this? It’s a pretty universal feeling, I think. We’ve all admired someone’s talent and felt a little envious. But often our envy could be put to positive use if only we directed it at the right thing!
See, when we look at someone else’s talent, it’s usually not the talent itself we’re envious of – it’s the results. If I look at a star basketball player and feel envious, it’s not truly skill at basketball I wish I had; it’s fame, fortune, attention. And that’s important, because I’m not ever going to be a talented basketball player. But if I actually wanted fame and fortune, there are ways for me to achieve that goal!
So instead of saying “I wish I could do that,” ask yourself what results you’re seeing that you really want, and then ask yourself what the best path for you to achieve those results is, given your own talents and ambitions. You’ll spend more time productively planning and being yourself, which are always good results to see!
The Opportunity Machine 