Effort Quote by Dan Ariely
““four principles of human endeavor: • The effort that we put into something does not just change the object. It changes us and the way we evaluate that object. • Greater labor leads to greater love. • Our overvaluation of the things we make runs so deep that we assume that others share our biased perspective. • When we cannot complete something into which we have put great effort, we don’t feel so attached to it.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely, 2008
Effort changes both the object and the creator, increasing attachment, bias, and perceived value, especially when incomplete work feels less owned.
In simple terms: Hard work makes us love what we make and overvalue it.
Key Takeaway
Be aware of effort bias when judging work.
Themes
effort
attachment
bias
valuation
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- project completion
- product design
- team collaboration
- personal hobbies
Key Concepts
psychology
behavioral economics
ownership
Questions to Reflect On
- How does effort affect your judgment of outcomes?
- When do you overvalue something because you built it?
A Different Perspective
Effort can blind us to objective quality.
![“[..] we human beings are ready and willing to steal something that does not explicitly reference monetary value - that is, something that lacks the face of a dead president.” quote by Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a1f/dan-ariely-1899_funny_we-human-beings-are-ready-and-willing-to_4436.jpg)
![“Bernie [Ecclestone] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our sport and want to make an effort - but in my own way. I am Nico [Rosberg] and not Lewis [Hamilton]!” quote by Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/15c/bernie-ecclestone-8452_champion_bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-righ_2948.jpg)
