8 Reasons Why You Should Evaluate Yourself By Effort, Not Results

In a world obsessed with achievement and results, we are used to measuring our success solely by visible victories and specific metrics. However, this approach often leads to emotional burnout, decreased motivation, and even incorrect conclusions about one’s own abilities. Research in the psychology of success and cognitive neuroscience points to a more effective way: to evaluate yourself through the prism of effort, not just by results. This method of self-esteem can dramatically change your life, opening up new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

1. Results do not always reflect real efforts.
Imagine two students: the first one studied a lot for the exam and received a grade of “good”, and the second, who has natural abilities for the subject, received “excellent” with minimal training. Who has done more valuable work in terms of personal development?
According to Stanford University research, people who focus on process and effort show a more sustained interest in self-development and perform better in the long run than those who judge themselves solely by ultimate achievement.

The results are often driven by a variety of external factors that we cannot influence: economic circumstances, other people’s decisions, random events, and even genetic predisposition. When we associate self-esteem only with results, we are essentially relying on many uncontrollable variables.
2. Your efforts are always in your control.
Unlike results, your efforts are entirely up to you. You can control how much time and energy you put into the business, how deeply you immerse yourself in the subject, how to organize your time and resources. The focus on effort shifts the focus to those aspects of life that are really in your control.
The Stoic Principle in the Contemporary Context
The ancient Stoics emphasized the importance of distinguishing between the controlled and the uncontrolled. Epictetus said, “Concentrate on what is in your power and ignore what is out of it.” Current research supports the wisdom of this approach: people who focus on controlled aspects of their lives exhibit higher levels of psychological well-being and are less stressed.


3. Focus on effort forms a growth mindset
Carol Dweck, a well-known psychologist at Stanford University, introduced the concept of a growth setting as opposed to a fixed setting. People with a growth mindset believe that their abilities can be developed through efforts, strategies, and help from others. They see failures as temporary obstacles, not as evidence of a lack of talent.
When you evaluate yourself by effort, you automatically form a growth mindset because you see a direct link between your actions and skill development. Even if the outcome is not perfect, you recognize the value of the work done and the lessons learned.
Keep a diary of effort, not just achievement. Every day write down not only what you have achieved, but also what efforts you have made, what difficulties you have overcome, what you have learned. This will help you see progress that is not always obvious in short-term results.

4. Evaluation by effort protects against burnout
Constantly striving for impressive results can lead to emotional burnout – a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. When we fixate on achievement and fail to recognize the value of effort, we risk falling into an endless cycle of dissatisfaction, where every success is quickly devalued and every failure is perceived as a disaster.
By focusing on effort, you’re marking your progress in the process, not just in the end result. This allows you to regularly receive inner satisfaction from your activities, even if the visible achievements are still small.
5. Invisible progress often precedes visible results.
Most significant achievements are characterized by nonlinear progress. This means that long periods of apparent lack of results can suddenly lead to a breakthrough. If you evaluate yourself only by visible results, there is a great risk of giving up before the tipping point comes.
A University of California study found that when mastering complex skills, people often go through "plateaus" - periods when visible progress is lacking despite ongoing efforts. It is at this stage that the brain reorganizes and consolidates information, preparing for the next leap in development.

6. Resistance to failure and external criticism
A person who evaluates himself by results is extremely vulnerable to failure and criticism. Every mistake or negative feedback becomes a direct blow to self-esteem. On the contrary, when you focus on effort, you maintain self-esteem even in situations where the outcome is far from ideal.
A life story.
Thomas Edison suffered more than 1,000 failures before building a working light bulb. When asked about his reaction to numerous failures, he replied, "I have not failed." I just found 10,000 ways that don't work. Edison understood that every attempt, regardless of the outcome, had value because it brought him closer to the goal and enriched him with knowledge.


7. Developing internal motivation instead of external motivation
Intrinsic motivation is the desire to act for the sake of the process itself and the satisfaction of it, and external motivation involves external stimuli such as rewards, recognition or avoidance of punishment. Research shows that intrinsic motivation is more resilient and more likely to lead to high long-term outcomes.
When you evaluate yourself by effort, you naturally develop intrinsic motivation. You begin to appreciate the process of work, learning, or creativity, not just the end result. This makes your work more sustainable and satisfying.
Identify three aspects of your work or hobby that you find intrinsically valuable, regardless of the outcome. For example, for a writer, it could be the process of creating new worlds, perfecting style, and learning the psychology of characters. Remind yourself of these inner values regularly, especially when external results don’t match expectations.

8. A deeper understanding of success and the value of experience
By focusing on effort, you begin to see success not as an endpoint, but as part of a continuous process of growth and development. This allows you to enjoy the journey, not just the destination.
Moreover, you begin to appreciate experience, even if it does not lead to visible results. When approached in terms of effort and knowledge gained, a failed project can be more valuable to your long-term development than an easy success that does not require real growth.
According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people who find personal meaning in their activities, regardless of external results, show higher rates of psychological well-being and life satisfaction.

Conclusion: balanced approach
Of course, the results also matter. It would be naive to argue that the ultimate achievements are completely irrelevant. The optimal approach is to find a balance: use the results as useful feedback and benchmark, but evaluate yourself primarily by the quality and amount of effort.
Start small: Choose one area of your life where you will purposefully shift your focus from results to effort. Celebrate your progress, learn from failures, and appreciate every step of the way. Gradually, you will find that this approach not only improves your psychological well-being, but also paradoxically leads to better outcomes.

Glossary
Growth setting
The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. The opposite of a fixed installation.
Fixed installation
The belief that a person’s abilities and talents are innate and immutable, which limits motivation and desire for development.
Emotional burnout
A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, especially when a person sees no meaning in their efforts or does not get satisfaction from the results.
Internal motivation
A desire for action, driven by interest in the activity itself and pleasure in the process, rather than external incentives or rewards.
External motivation
A desire for action driven by external factors such as recognition, rewards, status, or avoidance of punishment.
Nonlinear progress
A development process characterized by alternating periods of rapid growth and plateaus, where visible progress is temporarily absent despite ongoing efforts.
Cognitive neuroscience
A field of science that studies the biological mechanisms of cognitive processes such as learning, memory, decision-making, and other higher brain functions.
Psychological well-being
A complex state characterized by a positive emotional state, life satisfaction, sense of meaning, positive relationships and autonomy.