The Effort Effect: Why You’re Not Getting Results

We often wonder why we are not getting the results that we want, yet we don’t change what we are doing in order to change the outcome. If we want different results, we have to take different actions. Where and how we choose to focus our efforts determines our experience of success or failure. Effort is not passive; in fact, it is a conscious decision to act and is defined as “the total work done to achieve a particular end.” As we evaluate where we are falling short on our goals, we must determine if it is because of a lack of effort, misdirected effort, or something else.

There is an interesting phenomenon that occurs when we dedicate our time and energy to a task, and it’s that the more effort we put into something, the more value we perceive the task to have. We justify the amount of time we spend on a task by giving it meaning. Our level of effort does not determine the task’s significance, but it can be difficult to differentiate between the two. At times, we misjudge the importance of a task by either trivializing something that would benefit the business because we have not invested the necessary effort for it or by overinflating its value because we have put too much effort into it. That is why it is critical to establish metrics for measuring success; it keeps our evaluations objective.

Furthermore, it’s important to note that without exerting the right amount and kind of effort, we will not reach the goals we have set. For example, signing up for a course does not make you an expert on the subject matter. Attending the course, completing the work, and then applying the information to your life is what makes the material useful and leads to mastery. Learning is essential, but knowledge is wasted on those who don’t apply it.

If you are not getting the results that you want, it’s time to evaluate if you are exerting the right level and kind of effort into what you are doing. Sometimes it is not that the system doesn’t work; it’s that you aren’t putting in the right effort to make the system effective. There are far too many people that are frustrated with the results they’re not getting from the work they’re not doing. If something is truly important, focus your efforts on it, put in the work, and reap the rewards.

-Meghan Slaughter