"Envy arises when we compare ourselves to someone else and conclude they're better off. We've all been there. And while envy is a universal emotion, it's also a corrosive one. In a large longitudinal study of more than 18,000 adults, researchers found that higher levels of envy predicted poorer well-being years later. Put simply: The more envious we are, the worse we tend to feel over time."
"Although psychologists haven't yet named it formally, purpose envy is becoming a modern condition. We scroll through feeds full of people who seem to know exactly why they're here and what they're meant to do. They've branded their purpose, packaged it beautifully, and broadcast it to millions. For young people in particular, this can be intoxicating. Searching for a relatable version of purpose, they often model their lives on the influencers they follow:"
"Most of us would love to sidestep that emotion entirely. But when it comes to purpose -our sense of direction and meaning-it's getting harder than ever to avoid. Although psychologists haven't yet named it formally, purpose envy is becoming a modern condition. We scroll through feeds full of people who seem to know exactly why they're here and what they're meant to do. They've branded their purpose, packaged it beautifully, and broadcast it to millions."
Envy damages long-term well-being, with higher envy predicting poorer health years later. Purpose envy emerges when people compare their sense of direction to others who present polished, purposeful lives online. Social media influencers and highlight reels encourage imitation, leading individuals to chase lifestyles that don't align with their own values or capacities. True purpose cannot be borrowed; it must reflect personal values and commitments. Envy diminishes when individuals focus on what they genuinely want and are willing to work for, embracing their own path rather than co-opting someone else's. Younger people are particularly vulnerable to modeling their lives on curated examples.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]