There’s an old wisdom in the phrase:
Give credit where credit is due.
It sounds simple.
But we often find it surprisingly difficult to practise.
Someone does well, and instead of simply saying, “You did well,” we compare.
Why them?
What about me?
I could have done that.
And somewhere along the way, we confuse recognition with competition.
But someone else’s success doesn’t shrink yours.
Their moment in the sun doesn’t dim your light.
Recognition isn’t a limited resource.
There’s enough to go around.
In real life, it looks like this:
- A coworker stays late to fix a bug before launch. Say: “You saved us. That was brilliant.”
- A friend gets a promotion. Don’t immediately wonder when your turn is. Say: “You earned that. I’m proud of you.”
- Your partner handles the school runs, meals, bills and mental load. Say: “I notice everything you do. Thank you.”
- A teammate’s idea gets used in a meeting. Give them the credit: “This came from Maya.”
- A nurse, teacher, barista or driver goes out of their way to help. Tell them—or tell their manager: “I appreciate what you did.”
- Someone helps you when they didn’t have to. Acknowledge it: “That meant a lot. I won’t forget it.”
Old sayings have been reminding us of this for generations:
Give honour where honour is due.
Give praise where praise is due.
Give respect where respect is earned.
Hats off.
Give them their flowers.
Different words.
Same message.
Notice what deserves to be noticed.
And then tell them.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment.
Don’t assume they already know.
Give them their flowers while they can still smell them.
Because the world gets a little better when we stop asking,
“Why aren’t they recognising me?”
and start saying,
“You deserve to be recognised.”
Give credit where credit is due.
Give praise where praise is deserved.
Give respect where respect is earned.
And when someone genuinely deserves their moment in the sun…
Let them have it.
