Emerson argues that wisdom develops most fully through purposeful action rather than through thought alone. By putting one’s “total strength” into suitable actions, a person gains knowledge that comes from experience, judgement, consequences and reflection. Effort matters because active engagement tests ideas against the realities of the world.

In The American Scholar, this forms part of Emerson’s wider argument that action is essential to intellectual development. Books and contemplation can provide important knowledge, but they are incomplete without direct experience. Practical activity gives the scholar material for deeper understanding and helps turn abstract ideas into tested judgement. The phrase “richest return of wisdom” presents wisdom as something earned through committed participation in life. Emerson therefore links learning with effort, experience and the willingness to act, suggesting that understanding grows when thought is applied and examined through practice.