Where do you have empathy that others don’t?

There are many project management applications out there because everyone has worked on projects of some type, and the basic management principles don’t change all that much from industry to industry. So many software companies can conceptualize, design and program an application in this space, it’s not a unique source of empathy.

What about mechanical engineering software tools? How many programmers have empathy for the challenges that mechanical engineers face? It’s a small subset. Those that do have empathy that is unique for that unique career. As a result, they are the ones suited for writing software and solving challenges that the rest of the software industry doesn’t see.

This extends far beyond software. The world is now seeking people who find these connections and gaps in empathy and fill the need. Before the modern digital age, this wasn’t possible because finding these small groups was incredibly hard. Today, it’s much easier. If you want to be part of something special, all you have to ask yourself is, “Where do I have empathy for problems that others don’t register at all?”