The New Measure of Worth

5 Minute Read

Effort is the currency of accomplishment.

The more effort we must put into something, the greater value it will have. Effort is the only factor that determines how much joy, fulfillment, and passion we can derive from our training.

We’re runners. And we LOOOOVE our medals. We love the finish-line ambiance, we love our free post race banana, and we love the shiny finisher medal.

But what truly makes that achievement worth celebrating? It's the degree of effort that we invested along the way. If it wasn’t hard, it wasn’t worth it.

The Intrinsic Value of Effort

Effort is what turns a simple run into a true accomplishment. It’s the sweat, the struggle, the pushing through tough moments that makes our training rewarding. Effort builds character and resilience, teaching us that the journey, with all its challenges, is what makes the destination meaningful.

When we put in effort, we’re strengthening both our physical and mental ability. Every day we make the active commitment to do hard things, and little by little, we quite literally change who we are. The harder the journey, the sweeter the victory.

A Runner's Hypothetical

A 100 mile race is a big deal. Most (all?) would agree this is a significant accomplishment, that would be fulfilling.

Well, imagine you signed up for the Hardrock 100. A daunting challenge, right? Now, picture having people move your legs and arms every inch of the course. No physical exertion would be required from you. You’re covering the distance right? You had a running motion the whole time right? Are you a 100 miler finisher? Perhaps technically. Worth it? Obviously not.

The only thing missing is effort. We all subconsciously understand that this is the determining factor of fulfillment. 

The Shortcut Temptation

Given this concept, we should never seek to avoid effort. That’s, of course, very difficult to do. And if you’re reading this, you probably don’t shy away from effort entirely. But we are all tempted to avoid effort in minor ways every day (e.g. shortcuts). 

Taking shortcuts in training (and in life) may seem harmless—like skipping a tough training session, opting for easier workouts, or seeking quick fixes. But small deviations can undermine our progress and the value of our achievements.

If you take a shortcut and achieve your goal anyways, we’ll argue that the accomplishment will now be inherently less meaningful to you.

Effort and Mental Health

Effort has a profound impact on our mental health. By consistently putting in effort, we build resilience and mental toughness. This translates into confidence and strength in our everyday lives, reducing anxiety and the perception that we won’t succeed.

When we face challenges head-on and push through, we prove to ourselves that we are capable, fostering a positive mindset and a sense of accomplishment. This sounds like a tough thing to tackle, but the reality is we build up this ability in small ways, every day.

“Wrap it up, I gotta go to work.”

Effort is what gives our actions meaning and value. It’s what makes training worthwhile.

And now, when things get hard, we can all take a deep breath, and understand that this effort, this hard feeling, is what will make the accomplishment worth it.

This mindset enables us to build a routine we love, and train consistently. With consistency, we build passion.