Empathy

I am taking this online class, and one of the lessons from last night brought me to tears. It was about empathy. First, the point was made:

Empathy is about seeing the way that other people see. Feeling the way other people feel. Good marketing (not based on a traditional definition) is about offering something helpful, based around empathy, and insisting that people come to you rather than spamming someone or stealing their precious attention.

When I am getting to know someone, I want them to give me space to move closer towards them. Give me time to develop trust, and we will see how I respond.

What has consumed a lot of my energy this week, empathy exercises and all, is the realization is that I want a lot of what other people want. Recognition. Advancement.

So my next homework question is: So, what do they want that I don’t?

That’s more homework.