99% of Effort Is Wasted – Or Is It?

a quote by Naval..

Naval Ravikant’s quote, “99% of effort is wasted,” stopped me in my tracks. At first, it seemed counter intuitive—surely effort is necessary for success. But as I reflected, I realized that this quote isn’t dismissing effort entirely; rather, it’s pointing out that effort alone is a poor substitute for discipline.

Effort is the push, the force we exert to achieve something, but discipline is the structure that ensures our energy isn’t wasted. Without discipline, even the hardest work can lead to undesirable results. Imagine working tirelessly to earn more money but lacking the discipline to manage it. What do you end up with? A lot of wasted energy and little to show for it.

Effort, in this sense, is like force—it’s reactive and often short-lived. When we try to force outcomes, things can backfire. Results get delayed, problems compound, and frustration builds. This is the “effort trap”: a cycle of endlessly churning energy into a system that doesn’t work. You keep trying harder and harder, only to feel more stuck.

How do we escape this trap? The answer lies in shifting our focus to fundamentals. Discipline isn’t flashy, but it’s foundational. It’s about maintaining systems—both mental and physical—that are efficient and sustainable. Effort gets things started, but discipline keeps them on track.

There’s another layer to this: desire. Sometimes, we don’t achieve our goals because we don’t genuinely want them. Instead, we chase fantasies that have been planted in us by external influences. Without a clear understanding of what we truly want, our efforts are scattered, and we fall into the trap of pursuing outcomes that don’t align with our reality.

To avoid wasted effort, we must elevate our systems. Build habits that reinforce discipline. Align actions with true desires. And above all, stop relying solely on force to move forward. The results you want won’t come from trying harder—they’ll come from trying smarter.