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From motivational speakers to workplace seminars, we are constantly reminded that putting in extra effort leads to better results. And while this tends to be true, it relies on the assumption that the costs of putting in the effort are worth the benefits we hope to get in return.

However, mental and physical energy (what we expend when we exert effort) are limited resources and we are motivated to conserve them (Hobfoll, 1989). We are actually programmed not to spend these resources unnecessarily or in a way that does not meet our needs. goals and interests. In such situations, we tend to default to the path of least resistance. (1)by deploying only the efforts necessary to obtain sufficiently satisfactory results (satisfying) results.

A recent meta-analysis went further than simply stating that we are motivated to conserve our resources. David et al. (2024) actually found that the expenditure of mental effort is positively and strongly associated with increased levels of frustration (2)which is a specific type of negative affect. Their meta-analysis included over 100 studies, 350 tasks, and 4,500 participants, and the results were quite robust.

So, what can we conclude from their study? If more mental effort equals more frustration, then it might make sense that we’re all motivated toward laziness. The frustration caused by mental effort seems to be an obstacle to success.

However, this does not seem to be the case. So why not?

The answer lies in the fact that although we are programmed to avoid wasted effort, we are also motivated by goals and rewards that force us to overcome frustration when the stakes are high enough. Effort becomes more bearable – and even desirable – when we believe the outcome will provide greater value. It’s here motivational intensity theory (3) comes into play, which suggests that the amount of effort we are willing to invest is proportional to the importance we place on the outcome and the extent to which we believe that outcome is achievable.

In short, we are not lazy, we are selective. We reserve our highest efforts for situations where the potential reward justifies the mental and emotional cost. This explains why people may work tirelessly on a passion project or strive for a promotion, but are reluctant to put in extra effort for something they consider insignificant or misaligned with their personal goals. And this brings us back to the concept of satisfaction.

The role of satisfaction in effort management

When we are faced with a demand (i.e., a task or goal) that requires mental effort, we are only willing to expend the amount of effort necessary to do a job good enough to meet that demand . Sometimes we are not willing to put in any effort. We simply evaluate the request as requiring too much mental effort for a reasonable level of output, and so we choose to ignore it.

For example, let’s say you receive an invitation to attend a networking event after a long day at work. Although your participation may provide benefits, you may be tired after a long day and simply evaluate the potential benefits as not worth the mental effort required of you.

Other times, however, you may feel that the request is worth a certain level of effort. That is, you expect that putting in a certain amount of mental effort will lead to a result that is worth the cost.

For example, consider the need to respond to a work email. If the email requires thoughtful consideration and careful wording, you may choose to invest the mental effort because of the potential benefit that would accrue from a well-written response (securing a customer, resolving an urgent issue) (4). However, for a routine email, you might give a quicker, less detailed response, reasoning that the extra mental effort wouldn’t yield much return.

But it is also important to remember that the effort-reward evaluation is relative. As I wrote in the context of work-life balancewe have a limited amount of personal resources, and mental effort is one of those resources. Therefore, whether an expected benefit is worth the mental effort will necessarily be affected by (a) the amount of mental effort we perceive ourselves to have at that moment and (b) the presence of other demands (perhaps be competing) for our mental effort. .

In the previous networking event example, the value of the event is likely to be affected by the effort of the workday. (5). Most of the values ​​we possess are activated by the situation (6)so even if the event occurred after less time stressful day, this does not mean that the networking event would be a priority for your mental effort. A networking event may not be something that interests you. Instead, there may be other requirements that you believe provide a better return for the same or even less mental effort. These events would be considered a better use of your limited resources (7).

So it’s not that we’re lazy. We simply do not have enough resources to allocate the greatest mental effort to every task we encounter. So we make choices about where to expend more mental effort, where to expend only mental effort that is good enough, and where to expend no mental effort at all. Voltaire referenced an old Italian proverb that translates to “The best is the enemy of the good.” (8) which applies well here. Trying to exert the best mental effort to respond to each request would be an inefficient and misguided use of our resources. (9).

Finding balance: effort, motivation and well-being

The findings of David et al. (2024) highlight a relevant consideration for both individuals and organizations. Expenses of effort tend to be frustrating, even if they are worth it. We are motivated to exert effort – and deal with the resulting frustration – only when we judge the outcome to be worth it. And we are unlikely to be motivated to exert more effort than necessary.

But this is not the mindset we are taught to value nor is it the one that is reinforced in most organizations. Rather than the Italian proverb cited by Voltaire, much of the professional world relies on the reversed proverb of Jim Collins, who stated that “the good is the enemy of the great”.

Certainly, there are times when it’s worth pushing yourself or striving for greatness, and so in that regard, Collins’ advice makes sense. But allocating mental effort as a sort of blank check – where we continue to expend more and more effort towards a goal – can also lead to devoting a lot of mental effort to demands that aren’t worth it. the punishment.

And so, while GOOD can indeed be the enemy of greatwe need to be strategic about when we strive for the best and when it’s best to just settle for what’s good enough.