The 50th Law (with 50 Cent)

The empathic skill: Becoming empathetic involves a process, like
anything. In order to make sure that you are really making progress
and improving your ability to understand people on a deeper level, you
need feedback. This can come in one of two forms: direct and indirect.
In the direct form, you ask people about their thoughts and feelings to
get a sense of whether you have guessed correctly. This must be
discreet and based on a level of trust, but it can be a very accurate
gauge of your skill. Then there is the indirect form—you sense a greater
rapport and how certain techniques have worked for you.
To work on this skill, keep several things in mind: The more people
you interact with in the flesh, the better you will get at this. And the
greater the variety of people you meet, the more versatile your skill will
become. Also, keep a sense of flow. Your ideas about people never
quite settle into a judgment. In an encounter, keep your attention
active to see how the other person changes over the course of a
conversation and the effect you are having on them. Be alive to the
moment. Try to see people as they interact with others besides you—
people are often very different depending on the person they are
involved with. Try to focus not on categories but on the feeling tone
and mood that people evoke in you, which is continually shifting. As

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you get better at this, you will discover more and more cues that people
give as to their psychology. You will notice more. Continually mix the
visceral with the analytic.
Seeing improvement in your skill level will excite you greatly and
motivate you to go deeper. In general you will notice a smoother ride
through life, as you avoid unnecessary conflicts and
misunderstandings.
The deepest principle of Human Nature is the craving to be appreciated.
—William James