What Others Want From You But Won’t Tell You

Whether it’s at work or at home, you’re surrounded by people who want something from you.

If they tell you what they want, it makes things easier.

But there’s one thing that everyone wants from you and it’s the same thing you want from others.

William James, the “Father of psychology” put it this way:

“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”

I know, people can be really difficult!

When is the last time someone at work or in your family came right out and said, “I want to feel you really appreciate me!”

They will tell you they want you to do something or to stop doing something in a heartbeat but not, “Please help me feel appreciated!”

Yet, the leaders, managers, spouses, parents, friends who are masters at making the ones around them feel appreciated are the ones who have more than a title.

They have people around them that will go the extra mile for them and likely follow them anywhere.

It’s easy to take someone for granted.

Salespeople take their customers or clients for granted and fail to show appreciation in a way that gets noticed.

Spouses or life partners take their partner for granted and get complacent in the little things and then the bigger things.

And guess what?

It’s easy to take yourself for granted and fail to appreciate yourself.

Here are two questions to think about this week:

  1. Who can you show appreciation to today and how will you do that?
  2. How can you do the same for yourself (and does that seem awkward to you?)

Someone needs you to express your appreciation to him or her.

I’ll end with a link to a video that shows everyone needs to feel appreciated.

He or she might be incredibly successful, have plenty of money or power but that doesn’t mean their “Appreciation Tank” doesn’t need filling.

Go watch this now and you’ll see a well-known football coach break down because he feels so appreciated: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-hall-of-fame/0ap3000001095948/David-Baker-surprises-Bill-Cowher-with-Hall-of-Fame-welcome-on-live

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