--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't waste your time on jealousy…" description: "\"Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/mary-schmich-10979_advice_don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-someti_198484.jpg" --- # Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead… ![“Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.” quote by Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/mary-schmich-10979_advice_don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-someti_198484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/mary-schmich-10979_advice_don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-someti_198484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/mary-schmich-10979_advice_don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-someti_198484.jpg) > “Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.” [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote advises focusing on personal growth rather than comparing yourself to others, treating life as a personal race. **In simple terms:** Focus on yourself, not others. Key Takeaway Prioritize self‑improvement. Themes self‑esteem comparison personal growth Mood reflective encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career development - relationships - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts mindfulness self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure progress without comparison? - What self‑compliments boost your confidence? A Different Perspective Neglecting external feedback can limit learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments/) [Compliments you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments-you/) [Jealousy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jealousy/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Sunscreen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunscreen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Wear sunscreen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wear-sunscreen/) ## Related quotes > [Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/remember-compliments-you-receive-forget-the-insults-if-you-succeed-in/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Don't waste your time on jealousy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-sometimes-you-re-ahead-sometimes-2/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [Don't waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/don-t-waste-time-on-jealousy-sometimes-you-re-ahead-sometimes-you-re/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Don't waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you're behind, sometimes you're ahead. The race is long but in the end, it's only with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-sunscreen-song/don-t-waste-your-time-on-jealousy-sometimes-you-re-behind-sometimes/) The Sunscreen Song > [“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/ladies-and-gentlemen-of-the-class-of-97-wear-sunscreen-if-i-could/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [The race is long but in the end it is only with YOURSELF...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/the-race-is-long-but-in-the-end-it-is-only-with-yourself/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [“Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/enjoy-the-power-and-beauty-of-your-youth-oh-nevermind-you-will-not/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/ladies-and-gentlemen-of-the-class-of-97-wear-sunscreen-if-i-could-2/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Be nice to your siblings. They are your link to the past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/be-nice-to-your-siblings-they-are-your-link-to-the-past-and-the/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/be-kind-to-your-knees-you-ll-miss-them-when-they-re-gone/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Do one thing every day that scares you. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/do-one-thing-every-day-that-scares-you-the-race-is-long-and-in-the/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/get-to-know-your-parents-you-never-know-when-they-ll-be-gone-for-good/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/keep-your-old-love-letters-throw-away-your-old-bank-statements/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Unusual commencement advice: Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/unusual-commencement-advice-ladies-and-gentlemen-of-the-class-of-97/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) ## More by Mary Schmich > [Linda Tripp has shown that a true friend is an archivist, a biographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/linda-tripp-has-shown-that-a-true-friend-is-an-archivist-a-biographer/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [The movies we love and admire are to some extent a function of who we are when we see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/the-movies-we-love-and-admire-are-to-some-extent-a-function-of-who-we/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/don-t-feel-guilty-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-want-to-do-with-your/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/dance-even-if-you-have-nowhere-to-do-it-but-your-living-room/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Thanksgiving without tension is like a Thanksgiving without turkey. It can be done, but it is not the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/thanksgiving-without-tension-is-like-a-thanksgiving-without-turkey-it/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [I couldn't have foreseen all the good things that have followed my mother's death. The renewed energy, the surprising sweetness of grief. The tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/i-couldn-t-have-foreseen-all-the-good-things-that-have-followed-my/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [On an average day, we allow ourselves the fiction that we own a piece of our workplace. That's part of what it takes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/on-an-average-day-we-allow-ourselves-the-fiction-that-we-own-a-piece/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Be nice to your siblings. They are your link to the past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/be-nice-to-your-siblings-they-are-your-link-to-the-past-and-the/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Families are ecosystems. Each life grows in response to the lives around it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/families-are-ecosystems-each-life-grows-in-response-to-the-lives/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [You can map your life through your favorite movies, and no two people's maps will be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/you-can-map-your-life-through-your-favorite-movies-and-no-two-people/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Barbie is just a doll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/barbie-is-just-a-doll/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Chicago is constantly auditioning for the world, determined that one day, on the streets of Barcelona, in Berlin's cabarets, in the coffee shops of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/chicago-is-constantly-auditioning-for-the-world-determined-that-one/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [When you're thinking, "Why do I have to eat Aunt Sue's casserole with potato chips crumbled on top again?" change that thought to "A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/when-you-re-thinking-why-do-i-have-to-eat-aunt-sue-s-casserole-with/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/be-kind-to-your-knees-you-ll-miss-them-when-they-re-gone/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) > [Replace the words "have to" with "get to" and watch how the cold rain on your life changes to sunshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schmich/replace-the-words-have-to-with-get-to-and-watch-how-the-cold-rain-on/) [Mary Schmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) [Explore all 62 Mary Schmich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schmich/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. 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