"Competing against my imagination" Reflecting on the dynamics of envy and self-reflection

"We were invited to speak at the same conference and instead of introducing each other, I confessed to him, 'You make me really insecure.' He responded, 'Funny, I think the same about you.' This made me realize that my anger and contempt had nothing to do with him, but everything to do with my own failings. I learned that I was competing against my imagination, not against him."