Backward E
Take your index finger and write a capital letter E on your forehead. Did you write it where you could read it or that others could read it?
Stop for a second. Think about that action.
Most people write the ‘E’ backward. They write it so they can read it themselves in a mirror.
It’s a small, simple test. But it says everything about our default setting.
We are programmed to focus on ourselves. Our perspective is primary. It’s natural. It’s how we survive.
But living only in that self-centered space is limiting. It narrows our view. It blinds us to the world right outside our own heads.
The ‘E’ test is a quick indicator. It reveals where our focus lands first. Inward or outward?
An outward ‘E’ is the key. It means you instinctively considered the other person. The audience.
This is what empathy feels like in practice. It’s not a grand, emotional gesture. It’s a slight shift in perspective. A tiny, automatic adjustment.
It means moving your focus from “What do I see?” to “What do they see?”
It’s about making a deliberate choice. A choice to see the world from a different vantage point.
Why does this matter? Because almost every conflict, every missed connection, stems from a failure of empathy. We assume our reality is the only reality.
In meetings, we talk about our needs. On social media, we broadcast our opinions. In traffic, we fume about our delay. It’s all “I, me, mine.”
Shifting focus changes everything.
Try it today. Don’t just hear the words someone is saying. Listen to the feeling behind them.
When designing something, don’t ask if you like it. Ask if the user will understand it.
When communicating, don’t ask if you were clear. Ask what they actually heard.
It’s about writing the ‘E’ for someone else.
It forces you out of your head. It forces you to consider their experience, their needs, their context.
This isn’t about being selfless to the point of exhaustion. It’s about being effective.
When you focus on others, you understand the world better. You build stronger connections. You solve better problems.
Your success is almost always linked to how well you serve, communicate with, and understand other people.
So, next time you draw that mental ‘E’, make it backward for yourself. Make it right for the world. Change your default. Look outward. It’s where the real connection happens.