Look at the successful people in the news or even the successful people in your life. Who’s jealous and resentful? Who believes those people lied, cheated or stole their way to success? Who believes they got lucky? Who wishes they were in that position?

On the flip side, who congratulates the successful? Who works to find out how the successful achieved what they did so that maybe they can apply some of those same lessons to their own lives? Who sees inspiration in the successes of others? Who wants to work hard not to strip down the successful, but to join them?

I believe it is a much more useful and positive experience for you, and everyone involved, to surround yourself with successful people and find inspiration in the achievements of others.

But some find no virtue in the success of others. When given the choice between raising the bar and trying to raise everyone up to the top rung or lowering the bar and bringing everyone down to the lowest common denominator, they, usually in the name of fairness, will choose to bring everyone down.

Conservatives, instead, will point to the successful as an example for all to follow. Successful people can motivate and inspire others to pursue their own excellence – in whatever form.

While some resent the success of others, conservatives celebrate it.

Which one describes you?