A pattern in which someone depends on future praise to justify present effort, making recognition feel like a debt others must eventually repay.
The person may treat appreciation as evidence that the effort was worthwhile rather than allowing the work to stand independently.
NATURAL USAGE
“You did something generous, but you attached a Praise Mortgage to it.”
BEHAVIORAL DISTINCTION
Praise Mortgage describes expecting future recognition to repay present effort.
Candidate term. Proposed as a Human As Hell original; not trademark-cleared or legally verified, and not claimed as exclusive.