Ask HN: How did you fix your narcissism?

As others advised empathy is likely a better area of focus. The approach there varies from person to person and for a variety of reasons even unpacking the types of "empathy" cobflated together. Higher functioning sociopaths are good at reading people's emotions but don't necessarily care about them. A well socialized one does the right thing for "wrong" reasons. Someone autistic may not be in sync with sending or receiving emotions and signs but they will be upset to learn they inadvertently hurt someone. Anyway that tangent aside from someone on the spectrum here are some techniques.

I tend to try to "universalize" my perspective as a view from outside. It has its own frustrations (knowing that even if you are right there is no way to outright prove that will trust) admittedly and I am not an expert in human interaction. My coping methods are more "sociological" than personal interaction level. Pitfalls include probably not being very good for your confidence - I say probably because of being uncertain what is preexisting and sample size of 1.

I've been seeing a therapist for 5 years now, and the positive impact this has had in my life and on my general self-awareness can't be overstated.

As engineers and tech people we have one tool that has proven incredible useful in our careers: our brilliant rational minds. So we tend to think that we can solve any problem in life with this tool. Turns out we can't; thinking that therapy is somehow beneath us is pure hubris.

I also resisted therapy for a long time as a matter of principle. In high school I learned about the id, ego and super-ego, and in my 17 year old wisdom I thought "This is all bullshit! Did the guy open someone's head and see three parts? No! This is all made up!" Being unquestionable older and hopefully wiser now, I've understood that "all models are wrong, but some are useful"[0]. And therapy happens to have some useful models to offer.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_models_are_wrong