Covey introduced the idea of a relationship bank account — the deposits and withdrawals we make in the people around us. Deposits: keeping promises, listening deeply, expressing gratitude, showing up. Withdrawals: asking favors, breaking commitments, taking people for granted.
But there's something richer still in this principle: appreciation doesn't just maintain the account. It grows it. Interest compounds. A sincere thank-you doesn't just return to zero — it builds equity. The next time you show up, you arrive with accumulated trust.
Most people think of appreciation as a social nicety. A courtesy. Something you do so you don't seem rude. But appreciation is actually one of the highest-yield investments a person can make. The returns are unpredictable, long-delayed, and enormous.
Think of someone who expressed genuine appreciation to you years ago. Do you still remember it? Of course you do. The value of that deposit didn't depreciate — it appreciated.
The invitation: Who in your life has a low balance — and what's one deposit you could make today?
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