Marshall Goldsmith Shows Why Empathy and Caring Are Necessary to a Full Life

In a blog post related to concern for others, adapted from his new book The Earned Life, the renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith talks about the empathy of caring.

Goldsmith writes: “This empathy of caring differs from the empathy of feeling in one important way: It is caused by concern for the person’s reaction to the event, not the event itself. We have the opportunity to be empathic dozens of times a day—and each time is an opportunity to display empathy either well or poorly. If you’ve ever come home and neglected your family members because you were still preoccupied with the empathic emotions you felt upon listening to a colleague’s problems, you’ve seen the hazards of empathy overdone or done poorly.”

More than one million Americans — and probably many more — have died of Covid, according to a recent news report from the New York Times. This is a higher rate of death from Covid-19 than any other country has seen, at least officially speaking. At the same time, many Americans are willing to meet unmasked in groups, to do away with precautions, and simply to “live” with the virus. The question is how to deal with people who have lost loved ones? Do we just forget them? That’s a big question of empathy — and the covid pandemic has shown how far our empathy can go, according to some observers.

In The Earned Life Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crises, including regrets that stem from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroute destinies, and haunt our memories. These are particularly timely themes today.

With Goldsmith’s book as a guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life that is fulfilling in the long run.

You can read Marshall Goldsmith’s blog here.

About MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized for years as the world’s leading executive coach and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. He received his Ph.D. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In his coaching practice, Goldsmith has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.

About THE EARNED LIFE

In THE EARNED LIFE (Currency Books), Marshall Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crisis: regret, the kind stemming from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroutes destinies, and haunts our memories—particularly timely themes as the pandemic and Great Resignation inspire people to seek meaning in their lives, get unstuck and make changes. With this book as their guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life too fulfilling to dwell on the “what ifs.”

If you’d like more information on Marshall Goldsmith, The Earned Life, and his work, please get in touch with Lyda Goldsmith.