What holds true for politicians, sports persons, and UPSC aspirants? In moments of doubt and unexpected or disheartening outcomes, the only anchor that keeps us moving in the direction of our aim is the purpose that brought us to our aim. This question holds true for a politician, sports person, and a UPSC aspirant.In politics, leaders rise and fall with every election. Yet the true success comes to those who are consistent in efforts, and believe in the purpose of their job rather than the immediate outcome.Similarly in sports, winning and losing are part of the game. But the ultimate inspiration comes from the athlete’s disciplined practice, conviction, and dedication to the game which defines the sportsmanship or sportswomanship.Whether it is a cricketer training before sunrise or a public leader standing firm in adversity, excellence comes from respecting the deeper purpose behind the struggle.What about UPSC aspirants? The UPSC CSE Mains result for 2025 was declared last week. Some succeeded, many did not. For every aspirant, results loom large—cut-offs, ranks, lists, and attempts—but what truly shapes an aspirant is not a single result, but the habits, choices, and values cultivated along the way. Ethics becomes more than a subject; it becomes a discipline of living. Easier to say than to convince: Do results matter? Or a better question: Do results matter alone?Ethics in action: Focusing on process and habitsResults matter, and so does consequentialist ethics. If an outcome brings the greatest good to the greatest number, it aligns with utilitarian ethics. However, the entire endeavour of a person behind that result also needs to be acknowledged. Yet we spend a lot of time ignoring or erasing the glory of hard work, and treating everything merely as a result has become a common mindset. Therefore, the moment failure or a setback appears, one finds oneself in a blind tunnel.Here comes the role of ethics, which asks the protagonist to choose the right habits—the habits of goodness, hard work, no shortcuts, and a belief in excellence. Focusing intensely on the process rather than solely on the result becomes the need of the hour. It highlights the relevance of value dispositions in human personality and deepens our understanding of ethics. As it is said, ethics is about choice, i.e., choosing the good, which then becomes habituated in actual conduct.Story continues below this adHowever, it is not easy to maintain motivation, discipline, hard work, perseverance, and consistency when results are not in one’s favour. But as the saying goes, one should not change horses midstream while the war is on; in other words, one should not abandon the basics simply because outcomes are not immediately encouraging. If there is one thing to learn from politicians, it is their unwavering attitude toward life, regardless of defeat or victory. And let us not forget that their timeline for the next chance is five years, and often much longer. Why not learn from that Kantian approach, where focused, consistent effort with a sense of duty becomes the essence of ethical principles?Could we ever have believed that cricket, the sport that unites India, would be played by women under a male coach, and celebrated nationwide, with spectators proudly wearing jerseys with the names of female cricketers? We would never have imagined that the richest sports body, the BCCI, would consider sharing equal or maybe more prize money with women cricketers than men after winning the World Cup. Did any of us ever think that the daughter of a carpenter, a vegetable seller, or parents with no cricketing background could find space within those 22 yards? No, not even in our dreams.In a society that still asks men to be more humane toward women, Amol Majumdar—the man, the coach, the human being—stood tall, leaving his personal disappointments behind, reassuring those girls that Simone de Beauvoir need not worry anymore, and that cricket is not only a game for sons but also for daughters. No lineage or gender is required to measure the talent of Harmanpreet, Jemimah, Deepti, Smriti, Amanjot, or Radha. And when a voice resonates with the deepest chord of self-awareness, when excellence finds equal space, we find ourselves aligned with ethical principles where consistent hard work and a never-say-die attitude illuminate our path.Aristotle and the Telos: Aligning purpose with meritAristotle believed that justice means giving each person their due—what they deserve. But how do we know what people deserve? And what goods and opportunities should go to which persons? Aristotle’s answer is to consider the telos—the end or purpose—of the good in question. Suppose we have some fine flutes. Who should get them? According to Aristotle, not the richest person, since flute-playing has nothing to do with wealth. Nor the person who will be made most happy, since making good music is different from being happy. The purpose of a flute is to be played—and to be played well. Therefore, the flutes should go to the best flute players. In this way, merit is respected, and fairness in distributing benefits is upheld.Story continues below this adAristotle’s method invites us to think about justice by considering the purpose of a good, an institution, or even a human being. Therefore, the telos of life must be honoured while assessing the utility of our efforts. It brings balance to decision-making and moves us closer to reason. So we need not merely an achievement mindset or an aggressive attitude toward success, but an ethical mindset grounded in consistent hard work, discipline, focus, and qualitative habits that enrich life. Remember, we have only one life. Know your purpose.Post Read Question for UPSC CSE Ethics paper:“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Discuss.(The writer is the author of ‘Being Good’, ‘Aaiye, Insaan Banaen’, ‘Kyon’ and ‘Ethikos: Stories Searching Happiness’. He teaches courses on and offers training in ethics, values and behaviour. He has been the expert/consultant to UPSC, SAARC countries, Civil services Academy, National Centre for Good Governance, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Competition Commission of India (CCI), etc. He has PhD in two disciplines and has been a Doctoral Fellow in Gandhian Studies from ICSSR. His second PhD is from IIT Delhi on Ethical Decision Making among Indian Bureaucrats. He writes for the UPSC Ethics Simplified (concepts and caselets) fortnightly.)Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.Story continues below this adStay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on UPSC section of The Indian Express on Instagram and X.For your queries and suggestions write at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com