Those Who Speak Ill of You Are Just Two Types

How you react to malice reveals the height of your life. Those unwarranted accusations and inexplicable hostility never stem from you, but from the other person's heart: either they are trapped in their own pain, or they covet the light you have.
- Their Malice Is Dissatisfaction with Themselves
Have you ever met such people? When you work steadily, they say you're "pretending to work hard"; when you live smoothly, they say you're "lucky". In fact, this isn't your problem, but their "psychological projection" — being mediocre, they can't bear to see others shine; being incompetent, they want to find balance by belittling you. You don't need to blame yourself; your very existence stings their inferiority.
- You're Targeted Because You Have What They Don't
The more outstanding you are, the more likely you are to be targeted by jealousy. When you're responsible, they say you're "showing off"; when you're sincere to others, they say you're "hypocritical". Essentially, they crave your qualities but lack the ability to possess them; they envy your life but lack the courage to pursue it. So, their malice is nothing but anger at their own deficiencies.
In The Face of Malice, The Best Counterattack Is Growth
Don't Respond: Don't take their negative emotions — malice will eventually backfire on them;
Don't Entangle: Arguing with bad people will only lower your level;
Don't Drain Yourself: Saving your energy for worthy people and things is true clarity.
True strength is never about competing with villains for victory or defeat, but about smiling, calming down, and becoming a better version of yourself. After all, those who release malice towards you just prove that you're better than them.
So this is projective identification! I used to drain myself over others' malice, but now I realize they've never hated me—they hate their own incompetence. Focusing on self-growth is the best way to counter malice.
The more outstanding you are, the more likely you are to be targeted. That malice is like a mirror—it reveals the other person's narrow-mindedness, and also helps me see my own worth more clearly. Calming down to grow is more powerful than any rebuttal.