Say a word, change a life.

No, seriously. It's that easy.

“Good job!”

I was somewhere between delusion and limb failure.

More accurately, I was somewhere between mile 12 and mile 13.

This summer I spent a few hours running (hobbling) through the trails at Hanson Hills in Grayling, Michigan. It was part of my ill-advised agreement to participate in a 17-mile trail run.

(Actually 18. I took a wrong turn.)

Throughout the day, a few runners passed me and I passed a few runners. Each time I overtook someone, they shouted the same 2 words:

“𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗯!”

It’s silly.

- These people didn’t know me.

- They didn’t put any thought into what they were saying.

- They just tossed out 2 tiny words.

But you know what? Those 2 words made a difference.

In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a framework to understand human motivation. Today, most of us are aware of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Need a refresher?

Here are the levels, from bottom to top:

1️⃣ Physiological: Food, water, shelter, sleep
2️⃣ Safety: Health, personal security, protection
3️⃣ Love and belongingness: Social interaction, community
4️⃣ Esteem: Recognition, accomplishment, respect
5️⃣ Self-actualization: Pursuing and realizing your unique talents

Right there, smack dab on line 4 is the reason that mindless, “Good job!” had an impact.

People don’t just want to be admired, to be supported, to be appreciated. These verbal and physical manifestations of love are genuine human needs.

Right next to water, safety, and family — ”Good job!”

And within Maslow’s Hierarchy, no level provides more benefit for less effort than the fourth.

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁.

So why do we deny people this admiration?

Every day, multiple times a day, we have opportunities to fulfill a real human need for others. The irony is that the needs that require the most effort, energy, or cost — the bottom two levels of Maslow's pyramid — are constants for most of us. Most of us are fortunate enough to have a bed, water, and food.

But plenty of people who have an abundance of those levels are starved for a little bit of recognition, a little bit of accomplishment, a little bit of “Hey, I see what you’re doing, keep it up.”

And what does it cost you to give that recognition?

Not a penny.

My challenge to you (and to myself) is to vocalize every compliment you think about someone for the next month.

Don’t underestimate the outsized impact a few everyday words can have.

Admire, love, and support openly.

Your “Good job!” might be the push someone needs to keep going.