Formula of Success for Empaths

Empaths typically have a bad rap for not being successful in the career or financial aspects of life. The common misconception is that empaths are too kind and too soft to make it in the often competitive and harsh world of business. At least, that’s what the world has been telling me. 

I’ve heard it all. 

“You’re too sweet, you’re going to get eaten alive.”

“You don’t have a grasp of reality.”

“You are too easygoing, you have to be more aggressive and go after what you want.”

We’re often told that in order for us to be successful in climbing the career ladder, we need to work hard and perform to outshine others; we need to be logical and sensible; we need to obtain relevant knowledge and degrees; we need to prove ourselves worthy of a promotion, employment, or to win a client’s business.

While that might be fitting advice for some personalities, we empaths are a different breed. We feel our way through life and have compassion for all living beings. When we give, we give genuinely without expectations in return. We just want to help others. We need a special formula of success in a world that consists of mostly monetarily driven ecosystems.

Since I left my corporate job to pursue my independent career path, I’ve learned the “real world” isn’t as cold as my former employers had made it out to be. The clients I’ve met and have worked with truly appreciate the soft skills I bring into our working environment and the fact that I am genuinely interested in their journey and care about what I can do to help. And that’s the sweet spot I would like to share with you where you can excel as an empath and a professional. 

Claim your 3 empathic superpowers:

1. Thoughtfulness is an underrated skill. 

While thoughtfulness is rarely praised in the business forefront, it is in fact a superpower. Whenever I think of someone who is thoughtful, I always think about how that person has made my days easier, simply by thinking about what will be helpful to me and acting on it, if only for a brief minute. And we all want to be around someone who makes our days easier. 

Thoughtfulness brings a warmth not often felt in the work environment and it will work in your favor in the long run. Whether they’re aware of it or not, most people want to work with those who genuinely care. In this case, the extra care you give at no monetary cost is a golden nugget people will want to hold onto.

2. Compassion is your strength.  

Empaths are often the most compassionate people because they can feel what others are feeling, including difficult emotions. Giving your compassion to others who might be suffering is more than just a sympathetic “aw.” You’re capable of putting yourself in others’ situations with a deeper understanding of what they may be going through and genuinely want to help. It’s a gift to those who appreciate it in their time of need. 

It’s a strength that appeals to many because in the often fast-paced work environment, you’re the very few who understand moments of distress and are capable of making people feel like everything is going to be okay.

3. Intuition is your hidden talent.

You often sense something in the undercurrent that no one else seems to notice. Not everyone is as in tune as you are to the energies around you, which gives you an edge to what might truly be going on below the surface.

Trusting your own intuition allows you to make decisions that align with what feels right rather than what sounds good. When you’ve built up enough experience developing your decision-making abilities based on intuition then you’ll begin to see confirmation from others in the results of your work. People may not agree with you at first, but speaking up tactfully about your ideas or suggestions, if they’re something you feel strongly about, can win more trust from them in the future.

Develop these 3 areas to protect your self-worth: 

1. Boost your self-confidence (feel good about your kindness).

Empaths can often feel unnoticed and unappreciated in a work environment. Our society places more emphasis on credentials and work experience than the equally necessary qualities such as kindness in the workplace. In fact, many corporations spend millions on boosting employee morale but those efforts aren’t truly felt because few leaders actually understand what that means. While kindness doesn’t always drive revenue, it is the pillar for the morale of any organization, from families to corporations. Kindness is what promotes stability and the longevity of businesses. An organization without kindness often sees burned-out employees, quick turnovers, and decline in revenue over time. 

Whether you know it or not, you are an important component of success because of your kindness, regardless where you are employed. Feel good about who you are, what you have to offer, and continue to be the person you are at heart. Allow any due recognition to catch up to you in time.

2. Establish boundaries.

Because of your kind and compassionate nature, you might have experienced being taken advantage of by others. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear from empaths. Because you’re always ready to help others, you give yourself freely without any expectations in return. And that can attract many who are very comfortable taking from you.

So getting to know your own boundaries and establishing them with others is extremely important. Others can’t know how to respect your boundaries if you’re not clear on what they are. If this is a challenging area for you, be sure to spend a good amount of quiet time journaling, self-reflecting or meditating, to gain clarity on your limits. 

Don’t be afraid to say “no” or change your mind on something you don’t feel comfortable with. Those who respect you will understand and extend their courtesy to you so you don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do. Those who don’t will have an opportunity to move on and not bother you again, and that’s a good thing.

3. Choose clients and employers who value you.

It’s important for empaths to be around others who value and appreciate them. Not just verbally, but through action as well. This is not about boosting confidence and addressing insecurity. What I’m referring to here is enhancing your self-worth and self-love by being around those who see you for who you are and nurture you to be the best version of yourself on a daily basis.

But first, you have to value yourself and be empowered to walk away from those who diminish your sense of self-worth. It is the one thing each of us can truly own and be a keeper of — how we feel about ourselves. Life will present you with many opportunities and options. Rather than taking them on a first-come, first-served basis, make conscious choices of who you want to work with, as it will be a big part of your life and will build toward your future.

As an empath who has personally experienced the challenges and obstacles that can set us back, I would like to see more and more empaths empowered and feel great about who they are. We are sensitive beings and often take others comments and feelings to heart, but we are more powerful than we think. The part of us we need to pay close attention to is the way we see and speak about our own value and believing in our own self worth.