Is Effort About Quantity or Quality? — Why This Debate Is Misguided

I will be honest.

“Is effort about quantity or quality?”—I have been hearing this debate in the field for 20 years.

There are veterans who tell young employees to “put in the quantity.” On the other hand, there are consultants who say, “Improve the quality and discard wasted time.” Business books on bookstore shelves are also divided into the quantity camp and the quality camp.

However, having been a project manager for 20 years, I am convinced of one thing.

This debate has been misguided from the start.

It is neither quantity nor quality. The real turning point lies elsewhere.

The true nature of “working hard but not getting results”
This is the most common concern among the young PMs who come to me for advice.

“I work 12 hours a day. I study on weekends, too. But my performance rating doesn't go up.”
“I have earned three certifications. I have taken training courses. But I am not being entrusted with projects.”
“I am clearly putting in more effort than my peers, yet for some reason, they are advancing faster.”

Their effort is not a lie. They are not slacking off. They are truly working hard.

Even so, they do not get results.

At this point, many people ask themselves, “Is the quantity insufficient?” or “Is the quality low?” And then they start looking for ways to increase the quantity or improve the quality further.

This is the first trap.

Effort is determined by three factors
The structure I have seen over 20 years in the field is simple.

The results of effort are determined by the multiplication of the following three factors.

First, direction. Are you heading in the right direction?
Second, quantity. Are you investing enough time and effort?
Third, quality. Is the density of each attempt high?

The problem is the order of these three.

Most people discuss “quantity” and “quality” first. But the real turning point is “direction.” If the direction is wrong, no matter how much you increase the quantity or improve the quality, you will not get results. In fact, you will just be moving at high speed in the wrong direction.

A person who ran for 100 hours in the wrong direction versus a person who walked for 10 hours in the right direction.

The latter is the one who grows.

Why is “direction” not discussed?
The reason is simple.

Determining the direction is a painful task.

Increasing quantity is easy. You just need to wake up early and work late.
Improving quality is also relatively straightforward. You can read books, attend training, and ask for feedback.

However, questioning whether the direction is correct carries the risk of invalidating all the effort you have put in so far.

“Could it be that I have been running in the wrong direction for years?”
“Has the last three years been a waste?”

Facing this question head-on is painful. That is why many people unconsciously avoid it. Instead, they escape into the debate of quantity and quality, telling themselves, “If I just work harder” or “If I just refine my approach.”

This is the true nature of the structure where effort becomes misaligned.

Typical examples of “misalignment” I have seen in PM work
In my 20 years in the field, I have identified three typical patterns of people whose direction is misaligned.

The first pattern is people who put all their effort into “efforts that please their boss.”
Creating beautiful documents, being meticulous with reports, and speaking up in meetings—these things lead to praise from a boss. However, they only contribute halfway toward the goal of becoming a PM trusted by clients. If the boss transfers, the value of that effort drops significantly.

The second pattern is people who have become “certification collectors.”
PMP, IT Strategist, SME Consultant—they keep getting certifications. They claim it is for “career advancement.” But in the actual field, the opportunities to apply the knowledge from these certifications are limited. I have seen many cases where, if they had spent that study time solving real-world problems, they would have achieved three times the results.

The third pattern is people who act as a “handyman” for everyone.
They never turn down a request. They are liked by everyone. At first glance, they seem excellent. But they fail to develop expertise. Even after five years, they cannot explain to others what they are actually capable of. Convenience and expertise cannot coexist.

What these three patterns have in common is that the quantity and quality of their effort are sufficient.

The only thing that is misaligned is the direction.

So, how do you decide the direction?
This is the truly difficult part.

There is no way to find the “correct direction” in one go.

However, there are signs that your direction is misaligned. There are three of them.

Sign 1: You cannot explain your expertise in one line even after three years
Expertise is “your own unique strength that differentiates you from others.” If you have been putting in the same effort for three years and cannot explain it in one line, there is a high probability that your direction is misaligned.

Sign 2: The results of your efforts are not applicable elsewhere
Efforts that are only valued by your current company, your current boss, or your current project are misaligned. From the perspective of market value, efforts that cannot be transferred are merely local optimizations.

Sign 3: There is no “ideal self” at the end of your efforts
If you don't feel excited when imagining “what will happen if I continue this for five years,” your direction is misaligned. Efforts driven only by a sense of duty will not grow in either quantity or quality.

If even one of these signs applies to you, it is worth stopping to rethink your direction.

The true meaning of “effort never betrays you”
It is often said that “effort never betrays you.”

I used to hate this saying. In my twenties, I had the experience of working until late every night only to go unrecognized. I genuinely believed that "effort betrays you."

But now I understand.

Effort does not betray you. Provided, that is, that you are heading in the right direction.

If your direction is correct, both quantity and quality will follow. As long as the direction is right, even if you start slowly, you will be a different person in three years.

Conversely, if your direction is off, no matter how much you increase the quantity or polish the quality, you will not see results.

The debate over effort has always been off-target. The problem is neither quantity nor quality.

It is about where you are aiming.

Next time preview
In this series, I will unravel the "structure of misdirected effort" over three parts.

Part 2: People who don't grow despite their efforts are hiding in "efficiency"
Part 3: Working by job title leads to failure — How to work by role

If you feel that "my efforts might be misdirected," please read Part 2 as well. I will write about the trap of efficiency and how to find the area where you can thrive.

▼ Recommended reading
The job of a PM is something no one teaches you — Full table of contents of what I learned in 20 years on the front lines
https://note.com/quiet_emu2080/n/nc727b32351ab

The winners in the AI era are not the ones who are "working hard." — 4 differences quietly spreading, as seen by a 20-year PM
https://note.com/quiet_emu2080/n/n5c024f8b21b1

▼ Magazine
The structure of misdirected effort
https://note.com/quiet_emu2080/m/mf4ecbf2d6332