“What you praise you increase.” – Catherine Ponder

I don’t really know who Catherine Ponder is, but I think she managed to hit upon the essence of behavioral psychology in one sentence.

It sounds simple, and it seems kind of obvious. “What you praise you increase.” But I have some questions about this obviously simple statement.

So why do we focus on the negative?
Why is praise such a rare commodity in today’s society?
Why do I hear so many parents telling their children that they (the children) are stupid?
When was the last time you offered a word of praise to someone?

Hey, for what its worth, you’re doing a great job – keep it up!