Explore the psychology of gluckschmerz and why others feel resentment toward your success. Learn how progress can spark envy in competitive environments.

If your progress makes someone else feel small, that’s their signal to look inward, not your signal to shrink. Your success belongs to you, and you don’t have to apologize for it.
So yesterday I posted something that some people that hate me would judge me upon my protein intake that I was too skinny. That’s what they would criticize me about so I took that and I created a post of me actually being fool with muscle and today they posted a video of them working out really angry. He could see it in their face. They are upset. Also, I know they are haters, but they look really big as in inflamed they listened to a guy that was a foe instead of me they had the to be friends


Gluckschmerz is a dark human emotion characterized by feeling displeasure or pain at someone else's joy or achievements. While schadenfreude involves finding joy in another person's misfortune, gluckschmerz is the opposite: it is the resentment felt when observing another person's success. It is often described as the bittersweet smell of success where the bitterness is felt entirely by the observer rather than the person achieving the goal.
Resentment toward fitness progress often stems from social comparison in competitive environments. When someone displays physical transformation or gym progress, observers may view that success as a personal attack on their own standing. This can lead to visible physical strain or anger, especially if the observer is following questionable fitness advice. In these cases, one person's win feels like a personal loss to the resentful party.
Research suggests that gluckschmerz is not necessarily a sign of being a mean person, but rather a fundamental human emotion that frequently emerges in competitive environments. It is a complex psychological reaction tied to envy and social comparison. While it is a dark emotion, it is a common response when someone else's achievement makes an observer feel inadequate or physically stressed by their own lack of progress.
Creado por exalumnos de la Universidad de Columbia en San Francisco
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Creado por exalumnos de la Universidad de Columbia en San Francisco
