Emerson argues that worthwhile action carries its own reward. When something has been done well, the value lies first in the quality and completion of the act itself rather than in praise, payment or public recognition. The statement shifts attention from external rewards towards the standards by which a person judges their own conduct.

Within New England Reformers, the idea reflects Emerson’s emphasis on individual responsibility and moral independence. Reform or useful work should not depend entirely on applause or immediate results, because external approval can be uncertain or misleading. The quotation does not deny that recognition or material reward may have value. Rather, it suggests that they are secondary to the satisfaction and integrity involved in doing something properly. Emerson therefore presents good action as valuable in itself, with character strengthened through the act of carrying it out well.