You’ve felt it. That moment when your lungs start to burn just a little bit or your brain feels like it’s trying to process data through a thick layer of wool. That is the feeling of exerting yourself. Most people think "exerting" is just a fancy word for trying hard. It's not. Honestly, if you look at the mechanics of it, exertion is the deliberate application of force, influence, or mental energy to overcome a specific resistance. It's the "push" against the "pull" of the world.
Whether you're pushing a stalled car or trying to focus on a tax return while your neighbor mows their lawn, you are exerting. It’s a transition state. You go from a state of rest or "maintenance" to a state of active output.
What Does Exerting Mean in Plain English?
Basically, to exert means to put forth. You’re taking something inside—energy, authority, or willpower—and shoving it out into the physical or social world. The Oxford English Dictionary breaks it down into two main buckets: physical effort and the application of influence.
Think about a judge. When a judge exerts their authority, they aren't necessarily sweating. They aren't lifting weights. But they are using the "weight" of their position to change the course of a legal proceeding. On the flip side, a marathon runner is exerting physical force against the pavement to maintain a sub-seven-minute mile. Both are exhausting. Both require a conscious decision to stop being passive.
The word actually comes from the Latin exserere, which literally means "to thrust forth." I love that imagery. It’s not a gentle nudge. It’s a thrust. If you aren't feeling some level of strain or intentionality, you probably aren't exerting. You're just... moving.
The Physical Side of the Coin
When we talk about physical exertion, we’re usually talking about the body’s metabolic response to work. Your heart rate climbs. Your sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear. According to the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), which is a scale used by athletes and clinicians, exertion is subjective but measurable.
You might feel like you’re exerting at a level 15 (hard) while someone else doing the same task feels like they’re at a 9 (very light). This depends on your baseline fitness, your sleep, and even your mood. It’s why some days the gym feels like a breeze and other days picking up your laundry feels like a Herculean task.
Why We Struggle to Exert Mentally
This is where it gets interesting. Mental exertion is often more taxing than physical labor for people in the modern workforce. Have you ever spent eight hours sitting at a desk and ended the day feeling more "wiped" than if you’d spent the day hiking? That’s because the brain is a massive energy hog.
When you exert mental effort—say, learning a new coding language or navigating a tense HR meeting—your prefrontal cortex is working overtime. This part of the brain is responsible for executive function. It’s the "boss" of your brain. Exerting here means suppressing distractions. It means holding complex variables in your working memory.
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Psychologists often refer to this as "cognitive load." When the load exceeds your capacity, you stop exerting effectively and start "spiraling." You've probably been there. You're staring at the screen, your eyes are moving, but nothing is happening. You’ve run out of the "juice" required to keep exerting.
The Social Power Play: Exerting Influence
We can't talk about exertion without talking about power. In a social or business context, exerting means using your leverage.
- Authority: A boss exerts control by setting deadlines.
- Social Capital: A friend exerts influence by convincing the group to go to a specific restaurant.
- Persuasion: A salesperson exerts pressure to close a deal.
It’s not always a bad thing, though "exerting pressure" often gets a bad rap. Sometimes, you have to exert your rights. If a landlord isn't fixing a leak, you exert your legal standing to get it done. It’s about taking a static situation and making it dynamic through the sheer force of your will or position.
The Science of "Giving Up"
Why can’t we exert ourselves forever? Why do we hit a wall?
The "Central Governor" theory, popularized by exercise physiologist Tim Noakes, suggests that exhaustion is actually a brain-led defense mechanism. Your body isn't actually out of fuel; your brain just thinks you might run out soon, so it makes you feel like you’re exerting more than you are. It creates the sensation of fatigue to protect your organs.
It’s a safety valve. When you’re "exerting" at your limit, you’re actually fighting your own brain's desire to keep you safe and sedentary.
Common Misconceptions About Exerting
People often mix up exertion with "busy-ness." They aren't the same. Being busy is a state of having many things to do. Exerting is the act of doing them with focused intensity.
- Myth 1: More exertion always equals better results. Not true. In weightlifting, over-exertion leads to torn ligaments. In business, it leads to burnout and terrible decision-making.
- Myth 2: You can "force" exertion indefinitely. The law of diminishing returns is real. There is a point where more effort actually yields less output.
- Myth 3: Exertion is only for the "tough." Everyone exerts. Even a toddler throwing a tantrum is exerting their limited social influence to get a cookie.
How to Exert Yourself Better (Without Breaking)
If you want to get better at exerting—whether that’s in the gym or in the boardroom—you have to treat it like a muscle. You don't start by lifting 500 pounds. You start with what you can handle and slowly increase the "load."
1. Monitor Your RPE
Start labeling your efforts. On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard are you actually pushing during that work session? If you're always at a 10, you're going to crash. Aim for a "sweet spot" of 7 or 8 for deep work.
2. Manage the "Friction"
Exertion is the force used to overcome resistance. If you want to make exertion easier, reduce the resistance. If you find it hard to exert yourself to go running, put your shoes by the door. You’re lowering the "activation energy" required.
3. Use "Sprints"
The human brain and body are designed for intervals. Exert intensely, then recover completely. This is the basis of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and the Pomodoro Technique for productivity.
Exerting isn't a constant state. It’s a tool. It’s the difference between being a passenger in your life and being the driver. When you understand that you have a finite amount of "exertion capital" each day, you start to get real picky about where you spend it.
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Stop wasting your exertion on things that don't move the needle. Don't exert your energy arguing with strangers on the internet or stressing over things you can't control. Save that "thrust" for the stuff that actually changes your world.
Actionable Steps for Controlled Exertion
To turn this understanding into something useful, try these three things today:
- Identify your "Power Hours": Figure out when your natural energy peaks. For most, it’s about two hours after waking up. Save your heaviest mental exertion for this window. Don't waste it on emails.
- Practice "Selective Passivity": Intentionally choose one area of your life where you will not exert control. Let someone else pick the movie. Let the dishes sit for an hour. Save your willpower for the big stuff.
- Test Your Physical Limit: Once a week, engage in a physical activity where you consciously push to an RPE of 9. Feel what that "thrust" feels like. It builds a psychological baseline that makes mental exertion feel much more manageable.