Father’s Day is just a couple of weeks away. If you are fortunate enough to have a good man in your life, maybe you’ll give him a card and a Sunday afternoon together. Or you might even splurge for a gift he’s wanted… an iwatch or tickets to a game. But research shows the greatest gift you can give your dad or any good man in your life is respect and admiration.
In 2012, Cameron Anderson of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and his co-authors published an in-depth study showing overall happiness in life is related more to how much you are respected and admired by those around you than how much money you have in the bank.
So why is this type of appreciation so important? As I’ve talked with family and friends over the years, I think there’s at least one big reason: motivation. Men and women both need to feel their actions and hard work are noticed and valued by those they love. What’s the point of making money if your family doesn’t appreciate the things money can buy? What’s the point of working hard if at the end of the day you come home to people who don’t want to be around you? Why strive when no-one cares to notice?
This Father’s Day give the good men in your life something they’ll really value. Tell them what you appreciate. Let them know they have your respect. Then show them you really mean it. Watch for the things they’re doing right throughout the entire year. Gratitude, respect, and admiration are timeless gifts everyone can afford.
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