You can’t keep polishing someone else’s mirror hoping to see yourself clearly.  Their glass will always reflect the dust of their own experience - old fingerprints, cloudy film, distortions that have nothing to do with you.  No matter how gently you wipe, their stories smear across your reflection until you start mistaking their image for your own.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a vital skill that influences our lives both personally and professionally. It’s the ability to recognize,...