I saw my friends in medical school seeming to be more engaged

“I saw my friends in medical school seeming to be more engaged with the real world. That provoked a sort of jealousy, and I decided to go to medical school after all.” Thus confessed Harold E. Varmus, the Nobel laureate, whose life’s work in medicine and science transformed the world’s understanding of cancer. In this reflection, he does not speak with arrogance but with humility, revealing that even the loftiest journeys may begin with something as ordinary, even as troubling, as jealousy. Yet his words remind us that such feelings, when rightly harnessed, can become sparks that ignite destinies.

The meaning of this quote lies in the transformation of envy into action. Jealousy, in its dark form, corrodes the soul, making one bitter and resentful of others’ success. But in its brighter aspect, when tempered with humility, it can awaken desire, pushing us to rise to a higher calling. Varmus saw his companions engaged with the real world, applying their talents to healing and serving. In their lives he saw both what he lacked and what he desired. Rather than stew in bitterness, he chose to walk the harder path himself, thus turning jealousy into a teacher, and competition into inspiration.

The ancients knew well the dual nature of envy. The Greeks spoke of phthonos, the destructive jealousy that seeks to diminish others, and of zelos, the nobler envy that stirs one to imitate and surpass the good. The former leads to ruin, but the latter gives birth to greatness. Varmus’ story is an embodiment of zelos: the recognition that what others possess can awaken in us the courage to claim our own place in the world’s labor.

History is filled with examples of such transformation. Consider Ignaz Semmelweis, the physician who, upon seeing colleagues succeed where he failed, was provoked to investigate further, eventually discovering the role of handwashing in preventing infections. Or think of Alexander Hamilton, who, born in obscurity and surrounded by peers of privilege, allowed his envy of their opportunities to drive him toward relentless study, fiery oratory, and a place among the founders of a nation. In both cases, the sting of jealousy was not wasted—it was transfigured into the fuel of achievement.

Yet Varmus also names another truth: the longing to be engaged with the real world. For knowledge without application is like a sword left rusting in its sheath. He saw in his friends not only academic pursuits, but the tangible touch of medicine upon human lives. And this awakened in him the realization that his own path must also join knowledge to service. Thus his story teaches that the greatest calling of education is not to remain in books alone, but to step into the living world, where wisdom becomes healing, and study becomes service.

The lesson for us is this: do not despise jealousy when it arises in your heart. Ask instead what it is trying to tell you. If you envy another, let it reveal what you yourself desire and are called to pursue. Do not allow it to harden into bitterness, but transmute it into action. Let the success of others be your inspiration, their achievements your summons to rise, their engagement your reminder that you, too, must serve. For jealousy that is ignored becomes poison, but jealousy that is transformed becomes fire.

So let Harold Varmus’s confession echo in our souls: “That provoked a sort of jealousy, and I decided to go.” Learn from him. When you see others engaged more deeply in the real world, do not shrink back in despair. Step forward. Respect their example, but claim your own path. For in the end, the world does not need our envy, but our courage, our labor, our willingness to act. And when we choose to turn jealousy into purpose, we discover, as Varmus did, that even the humblest beginnings can lead to greatness.