What do you wish you’d done? What is the work you wish you had accomplished?
My pal James is fond of (playfully) telling people he hates them when they impress him by coming up with a great idea he wish he’d thought up or sharing a compelling story from the stage he longs to emulate.
He’s jealous in those moments, but in a healthy and admirable way.
So are the staff at Bloomberg who produce their annual “Jealousy List” of articles they wish they’d written. It’s high praise couched in a phrase that catches our attention due to its taboo. (In other words, I’m jealous of the idea of a “Jealousy List.”)
But what is it you’re jealous of? Who is doing great work you wish you could copy or be on par with? Who is killing it? What do you long to be a part of, create, or manage?
Make a list. Not because you want to copy it. But because you want to do your work and reach your audience in an equally authentic and superb way.
Don’t copy someone’s work. Copy their work ethic.
