Acharya Prashant explains that effort is always a mental phenomenon, not a physical one. He defines effort as a state where the mind is divided. This division occurs when one part of the mind says, "Don't do it," while another part says, "Do it," and the second part struggles against the first. This internal struggle is what constitutes effort. He illustrates this using the example of physical fatigue. When the body is tired, the part of the mind that is identified with the body says, "Don't do it." Simultaneously, another part of the mind, identified with knowledge, might insist, "Even if the body is tired, you must do it." The action that results from this internal conflict is called effort. He provides other examples, such as the hesitation in replying to a message or the nervousness during a public presentation, to emphasize that the strain is mental and not a result of physical exertion. The battle within the mind, whether to do something or not, is effort. Acharya Prashant clarifies that when the mind does not resist a situation, there is no effort. If the mind is integrated and knows what needs to be done, it accepts the body's state, like physical tiredness, simply as an input or information, without creating a conflict. Mental fatigue arises only when there is a conflict between different parts of the mind. Effort exists only when there are alternatives and the mind is split. Most of what we call fatigue or effort is mental. When the mind is not divided, it will simply take physical fatigue as an input, like knowing the body's battery is low, and there is no effort involved because the mind knows what to do. He concludes by explaining the implications of this understanding. While the consequences of past actions (karma) are unavoidable, this knowledge helps in two ways. Firstly, one stops creating new actions that lead to future suffering. Secondly, one can face the results of past actions with less inner turmoil, as there is less identification with the pain or struggle. One understands the nature of the experience without getting entangled in it.