The Gemara in Megila 6b says that if someone tells you that they understood a piece of Torah and they didn't work hard for it you shouldn't believe them.
The Ramha"l says in the Hakdama to his magnum opus Mesilat Yesharim about the Pasuk (Mishlei 2:4) "אם תבקשנה ככסף וכמטמונים תחפשנה, אז תבין יראת ה'"
He says:
אינו אומר אז תבין פילוסופיה, אז תבין תכונה, אז תבין רפואה, אז תבין דינים, אז תבין הלכות, אלא אז תבין יראת ה.
What is the difference between "Yagat Welo Masat" and "Im Tevakshena"?
The Targum on Mishlei 2:4 translates תחפשנה as sitzb'yah - desire, suggesting that the analogy in Mishlei emphasizes that you should be highly motivated and driven. By contrast, yaga'ti seems to by definition refer to the actual work that someone retrospectively put in to acquire Torah.
Note, however, that the Malbim (Mishlei, 2:4) distinguishes between bakashah and chipus; he writes that the former implies desire while the latter implies action.
There is a story printed in Rabbi Zevin's Sippurei Chassidim (translated by Artscroll as "A Treasury of Chassidic Tales"). I haven't read it in a while, so I don't remember all the details, but here's what I do remember:
The son of one of the Rebbeim (it might have been Ger or Belz) became Rebbe when his predecessor passed away. Some of the Chassidim were under the impression that the new Rebbe was not very learned, since they never saw him learn. They were therefore surprised when they saw the level of his Torah knowledge.
When questioned about it, the Rebbe asked, "What does the Talmud mean when it says, 'if someone says I've not toiled but I've found it, don't believe him'? Why is this an issue of belief? Open up a book and test him, and you'll see whether found it or not."
"Rather", the Rebbe continued, "If someone says 'I've found it without toiling for it', don't believe him when he says he hasn't toiled."
If you look at it this way, then there is no contradiction between the two statements.
