The power of ENVY

My clients who are going through big life / career changes are often surprised when I encourage them to use envy as a tool for inner guidance.

Let me first clarify what I mean by envy, a term which is often equated with jealousy, but is in fact rather different. I have always viewed jealousy as a negative and destructive emotion, whereas envy is positive and motivational. Jealousy is when we see someone with something we want, and wish we could have it instead of them.

Envy on the other hand is when we look at the person and think wow how great for them, I would love that, I am now feeling inspired to make it happen for myself. It's about tuning into your emotions to understand what may be missing in your life, and feeling motivated to pursue it.

This is an effective practice if you are currently considering a career change. Whether it's finding a new employer, retraining or even starting a side-hustle, envy can prove to be one of your best sources of guidance. And especially if you are feeling stuck, this exercise can really help:

Think about someone in the relevant scenario (a different job, running a business etc.) who you admire and maybe envy a little & take some time to answer these questions:

What exactly is it about them and their life / work / business that you envy?

How are they spending their days?

Who are they talking to?

What does their work day involve?

What sort of money are they making?

What opportunities do they have, or are able to create?

How is their life outside of work as a result?

How do they feel about themselves?

How would it feel for you to live a day in their life?

Now, looking at your answers, make a list of all the things you envy about them. You should have a picture which is telling you what is missing in your life, that deep down you want to have. It may be super clear from this what it is you want, or maybe some more exploration is needed, but it's usually the best start. And now what you have an idea, what steps can you take to start to bridge the gap between where you are & where you want to be? These are the kinds of questions I ask in my Career Change Course – which is launching soon. If you would like to join my pre-launch testing group at a significantly reduced price, you can contact me here for more information.