Lucas Digne says he was set on defying the assessment of medics in order to return from injury quicker than expected.
Digne required surgery after fracturing his ankle and tearing ligaments after a 'tackle from behind' in training in November.
The initial outlook said the France international could be out for up to three months but the 27-year-old was back in the side to face Rotherham in the FA Cup earlier this month - around six weeks after undergoing the knife.
And in an interview with Goal, Digne has explained how he refused to accept that the injury would keep him sidelined for as long as some had feared.
“In my mind I never accepted to be out for two or three months,” he said .
“I was tackled from behind in training and was very unfortunate. I know that a fractured ankle and torn ligaments are potentially a very bad injury, but in my mindset it was not.
“I always thought that this would not be a big mountain I had to climb - just a little hill, where I could run to the top. And when you set your mind to do something, then your body gets stronger - at least I believe that.
“I always want to be on the pitch, of course - to help my team and my club, to make the fans proud. So to be injured is hell."
Digne, who will miss tomorrow's fourth round tie with Sheffield Wednesday but is expected to face Leicester City on Wednesday, has reiterated his belief that he can return to European competition with Everton.
“I have always played in the Champions League - with Lille, PSG, Roma and Barca, so of course I hope that we will be able to qualify for that tournament," he added.
"It would be terrific for the club, the players, and especially for the fans.
“However, the competition for these spots is fierce. The Evertonians deserve this experience. There is no doubt that our ambition is to qualify for Europe, and right now we are in the right spot in the table to do that, and we must continue to develop as a team also to finish here.”
