Effort means you care. Start trying.
Even if no one is watching, you still have to witness yourself either being lazy or not.
Phil Rosen
Effort is a funny thing. Effort can dictate how much you give and how much you get.
But it doesn’t always determine who notices.
On the off chance that someone does look into what you’re doing, it’s better to look like you’re trying. You want people — not just your boss, but everyone — to see you as someone who takes the time to do things correctly. A person who puts care, nuance, and thought behind projects of any size.
But it isn’t just about how other people see you. You should want to see yourself in a positive light, too.
See yourself as the type of person who cares about doing good work. The type of person you’d feel confident recommending for a job — someone who you can be sure will put in the effort.
Become the person who holds the traits you look up to.
Often, people notice when effort has been shirked. Shrugged off and dismissed. That’s how poor reputations develop. It can be devastating if you build a reputation as someone who doesn’t care enough to try. A blasé attitude isn’t cool or sexy. It’s off-putting and lazy and unimpressive.
Even though people don’t always notice when you try hard, they notice when you don’t. That’s life. And you don’t want to be noticed for the latter.
On balance, it is worthwhile to put effort behind things. It doesn’t always open doors, but none will close on you if you work too hard at something.
Show up. Try. Put effort behind the things you spend time on. Ignore the opportunity to cut corners because you should work to the point where you don't see yourself as the type of person who cuts corners.
Even if no one is watching, you still have to witness yourself either being lazy or not. To see yourself as someone who does put in the effort and who doesn't abdicate responsibility — that alone is worth the price of admission.
Plus, you never know what could happen if you tried your very hardest at something. It could be a bust, but it could also set you on a new, upward trajectory that you would have otherwise never discovered.
Make effort a no-brainer not because others may see it, but because you can turn it into a habit.
No one is going to see you as a high-effort, diligent person until you see yourself in that way. And then, if someone does notice your efforts, rewards may follow. You never know. If you're going to bet on yourself, you might as well do it with all you've got.
So try.
