The key to Naruto’s success: empathy

What makes Naruto such a successful person? Many people have examined and discussed his different traits, his personality, and even the values ​​that were instilled in him. However, I think that while we’re looking at the core of Naruto’s character, we’ve forgotten something really important.

Naruto has the ability to understand others and their feelings. He can feel the malice of his enemies and the pain of others. Naruto can understand exactly what they went through and relate, enough to befriend the people he once called enemies. While this seems very simple and straightforward, I think this type of understanding is not a normal thing for everyone to have.

First, let’s look at empathy. Most of us probably know exactly what sympathy is when we feel sorry for another person because of their problems. Empathy is a little different; can be described as literally feeling the pain or emotions of others.

While Naruto possesses sympathy, I feel that he also has empathy. Sasuke, Naruto’s lifelong rival, also surprisingly seems to possess some form of empathy. I think this contributes to the fact that Sasuke and Naruto are so similar, but also very different. Having empathy for others can be a painful curse or a beneficial power. Going deeper, the comparison will become clearer.

Naruto can easily discover Sakura’s true feelings due to his empathy.

I’m sure many would be surprised that Sasuke, the calm and collected individual, has empathy. The answer is yes, it definitely does. Both Naruto and Sasuke ended up hating the village. Naruto never had the chance to meet his parents and was forced to carry the Nine-Tails inside his body. Many of the villagers were injured physically and emotionally by the demon’s attack, thus creating hatred within them.

However, the Nine-Tails is no longer free, but there was absolutely no one to blame for the pain caused. Therefore, the victim became Naruto, the closest thing to the sealed fox. Naruto, even at the age of a child, has some kind of empathy as we can assume that the hatred he received from the villagers was recovered. He sensed their hatred and negative feelings towards him, therefore, he had no reason to think well of them.

Sasuke was a little different. He started with a family and it was taken away from him. Itachi Uchiha put on a mask and told Sasuke to hate and become stronger, these emotions were also absorbed by him and in turn made him the person he is now. Even though he became secretive, arrogant, and acquired a one-track mind, deep down Sasuke was still the old Sasuke. His experiences and the emotions he picked up from others shaped him.

Everything after this point came down to personality. Naruto was able to control his empathy and use it to protect his friends and other people. Sasuke began to awaken this again, caring more about his comrades and less about revenge. However, with his encounter with Itachi, hatred once again invaded his heart. Naruto had his moments of doubt, but continued to relate to and believe in others, contrary to Sasuke’s development. While Sasuke turned off his feelings for others, Naruto increased his. Despite this, Sasuke was unable to sever his bond with Naruto.

Sasuke takes a dark path and Naruto takes the lighter path. What makes them different if they are so similar? The answer is the way they use the abilities they have been blessed with and the decisions they make. Both Sasuke and Naruto have the ability to understand and inspire others. They are not necessarily natural leaders, but their experiences have allowed them to gain the power to lead.

However, because Naruto developed the gifts he was blessed with and used them forever, he is never alone. Being able to understand everyone allows anyone to open up to him. He can inspire even the coldest hearts with his compassion. These simple traits are the key to Naruto’s success.

Naruto does not sacrifice others for his goals, he brings them with him and continues doing what he wants. Naruto does not belittle people who suffer, he understands their pain and helps them get better. The ninja does not change himself for anyone, although he can feel emotions and share them with others. Naruto moves forward and follows what he believes in, but he does so with respect for others. I believe these facts are the reason why Naruto is so successful.