Week 6 – Measuring Progress: Metrics that actually matter

Most people measure progress with a lack of detail.

We focus on numbers: weight that I can lift, salary that I can earn, or followers I can get.

We are missing the deeper metrics – how we feel.

We need to have a balance of qualitative and quantitative measurement.

Progress is not about how much you can do, but it is about how much better do you feel.

This week, we are going to be delving into the metrics that also matter when measuring progress.

Traditional metrics for progress often link to data-based analysis.

For example, every week, I try to see that I have lifted at least 2.5 kg more in the gym for most of my exercises.

Yet, there is a limitation to the use of data. It does not count for how happy I feel in the gym, or what I am learning there.

In the gym, the more times I go to failure on an exercise, the more likely I am to keep pushing with a hard task in the office.

I keep going. It’s a feeling we learn to love.

Rick Hanson spoke of a three-step process to learn from our positive experiences:

  1. Pause and Notice:
    1. Take a small moment that has brought you joy or signaled progress.
    2. Recognise that it gave you that feeling.
  2. Physical Awareness:
    1. Study your body’s response to this feeling
    2. Remember this.
  3. Mental Integration:
    1. Create a lasting effect from understanding this internal shift.

When we make progress, we are happier. If we can recognize the physical processes that take place, we have an extra way to measure progress.

Remember, data is helpful but it doesn’t give the full picture.

Alternative metrics available to measure progress are easily accessible:

  1. The quality of your daily experiences: Are you feeling better each day? Do you look forward to your next day?
  2. Emotional resilience to challenges: You face a challenge. Do you have the ability to respond? Not react, but respond.
  3. Decision-making confidence: When making decisions, are you confident in choosing an option?

These offer a contrasting view to pure data and so allow you to deeply reflect on your pathway.

So how do we do this?

  1. First, we need to identify what matters to us. What do we hold dearest? For it is our closest desires that often influence our goals.
  2. Then, let’s set some qualitative benchmarks. For example, I want to feel this sensation when I complete this task.
  3. Create your reflection routine. Hanson’s 5-minute challenge above is an easy technique to put in place.
  4. Now, track these moments.

I guarantee that if you take 5 minutes a day to do this, you will have a deeper analysis of measuring your progress.

So this week here is your challenge:

  1. Look at one goal
  2. Add one qualitative metric to measure it.
  3. Track it for one week.
  4. Reflect using the three-step process.

I hope that this will help you achieve a better understanding of how to achieve your goals.

Have a great week 🙂

Dylan