A Tall Poppy is a successful person who as a result of their achievements, talents and skills is the target of jealousy, criticism and cutting remarks. It’s a term which is commonly used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
I had never heard of it until recently but boy was I familiar with the meaning. I’m sure everyone has been a Tall Poppy at one time or another.
Perhaps you experienced this phenomena in grade school when you received a gold star or were selected to help the teacher with a specific task because of your grades. Then during recess time children taunted you with cries of, “Teachers pet,” or “You think you’re so smart.”
Or maybe you were a Tall Poppy as a young adult shining as the super star on your sports team and then bore the brunt of ridicule and criticism by teammates and competitors for the smallest infraction.
Tall Poppy Syndrome may be haunting you at work where you are climbing up the corporate ladder and co-workers slander you behind your back, insisting that you aren’t anything special and wondering who you must be sleeping with to get the position.
Maybe you are a mom with a healthy fit body and other moms in exasperation gossip amongst themselves how you must be starving yourself or neglecting your family to take care of your own needs.
Regardless of the situation there is a common thread in each of these scenarios.
One person is moving forward making positive change, working to be the best that they can be. This person is striving for their goals and dreams and achieving them.
The other commonality is the person or group of people who are engulfed by jealousy and are unable able to cope with someone else’s success.
At the core of their jealous are belief’s about themselves and the situation. Some might be thinking, “Nothing good ever happens to me only to other people.” They play victim, the blame game and won’t take responsibility for the creation of their own lives.
Others may not feel good enough, smart enough or capable of achieving their goals and so in a rage of inner hurt they do the only thing they know how, lash out at another’s success. The hope being to bring the Tall Poppy down. The underlying subconscious belief, “If I can’t have it, I don’t want you to have it either.”
Keep this in mind the next time you achieve a goal and one of your friends sulks instead of celebrating with you. When you are put in the spotlight for something great and a colleague whispers negative things about you.
What you are experiencing is unfortunately something so common its been labeled as a syndrome. But more importantly as you keep shining have compassion for those who try to dirty your achievements for they are battling their own insecurities and negative beliefs. It’s their issue not yours. Keep being a Tall Poppy.
I started off this post by saying I was familiar with the meaning of Tall Poppy. Truth is I have been on both ends. The achiever being criticised and the insecure girl who was so hurt she needed to lash out and belittle the success of another. It was only when I changed the negative beliefs held deep inside of myself that I was able to break free and begin celebrating the accomplishments of all.
~Love, Esther
I had never heard of this term, either. But it’s fitting, that’s for sure – what a great way to describe it. Your philosophy is a great one 🙂 If everyone did that, the syndrome would be eradicated completely!
Thank you Tamara for reading the post. With or without a name this is something many people have experienced.
I had never heard of this term, either. But it’s fitting, that’s for sure – what a great way to describe it. Your philosophy is a great one 🙂 If everyone did that, the syndrome would be eradicated completely!
Thank you Tamara for reading the post. With or without a name this is something many people have experienced.
What a great post Esther. And it got me to thinking – how many times do we do this to ourselves? We push ourselves to reach high, to acheive big and then when we do, we try and convince ourselves we haven’t earned it or don’t deserve it. We, sometimes, cut down our own Tall Poppy
Oh Laurie what an excellent observation. Thank you for sharing it. As a belief therapist I would say the core belief is–I am not deserving.
What a great post Esther. And it got me to thinking – how many times do we do this to ourselves? We push ourselves to reach high, to acheive big and then when we do, we try and convince ourselves we haven’t earned it or don’t deserve it. We, sometimes, cut down our own Tall Poppy
Oh Laurie what an excellent observation. Thank you for sharing it. As a belief therapist I would say the core belief is–I am not deserving.
Excellent post…as always…Esther. Last night I came across this term for the first time and was joking with my sister about it…how ironic that you wrote about it… Thanks again for a great post..
Bob Wilson
Ha! I was sitting on this post for a while and tonight I felt compelled to get it out. Perhaps it was for you Bob on a deeper level. (wink)
I have not heard this term but I aspire to be the tallest poppy there is !!! 🙂
Oh I love that and I support it!
Excellent post…as always…Esther. Last night I came across this term for the first time and was joking with my sister about it…how ironic that you wrote about it… Thanks again for a great post..
Bob Wilson
Ha! I was sitting on this post for a while and tonight I felt compelled to get it out. Perhaps it was for you Bob on a deeper level. (wink)
I have not heard this term but I aspire to be the tallest poppy there is !!! 🙂
Oh I love that and I support it!
Great Post Esther… I heard the term Tall Poppy but never knew what it meant. Thanks for the great explanation.
I had never heard of it before either. Interesting concept is labeled as a syndrome.
Great Post Esther… I heard the term Tall Poppy but never knew what it meant. Thanks for the great explanation.
I had never heard of it before either. Interesting concept is labeled as a syndrome.