“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”

Simplified Meaning:

It can be really frustrating when someone sets a high standard that seems impossible to reach. Imagine you have a friend who always gets top grades without breaking a sweat. While you want to be happy for them, it might make you feel like you’re not doing enough, even if you are working hard. This feeling can be annoying because their success constantly reminds you of what you haven't achieved yet. In history, for example, think about Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb. Many other inventors tried to create it before him and felt defeated because they couldn't succeed like he did. If you constantly measure yourself against someone who is exceptionally good at what they do, you might end up feeling discouraged. To deal with this, rather than letting it get to you, focus on your own progress and set realistic goals that are right for you. Use other people’s success as motivation to improve, not as a benchmark to measure your worth.