Are You Measuring Progress Wrong?
Don’t judge yourself on wrong metrics!
Measuring progress is a good thing! It allows us to accurately see our strong points, our failures, and the general trajectory of our efforts. While I believe keeping track of our work is always useful, I’ve found that many people (myself included) often find themselves measuring the wrong metrics!
More Than One Way
First, we need to acknowledge that there is more than one way to measure progress. As far as tangible data goes, there are two main forms of tracking that can be done on two different axis:
Starting Input
Lagging Output
Lagging Output is our default setting by which we track progress. It refers to, “The delayed results that measure progress.” What that means is the way by which we judge ourselves isn’t by anything we can control! From the moment you type the words, publish that blog post, or release that novel, everything is out of your hands. From then on, there is nothing the creator can do to “fix” the results.
Starting Input, on the other hand, is a far better ruler to use! This concept refers to what you put in to your work, not what you get out. Between the effort that goes in and the product that goes out, which can you better control? I believe the answer is obvious. While the success of our creative endeavors after we’re finished is largely up to the consumer, what goes in is all up to the creator.
The time you spend perfecting your craft, how effective practice was, the quality of the art, how much you learned to improve — these are all leading inputs — all things much easier to measure and control.
If you ever find yourself discouraged by results, take a step back. Remember not to judge your work based on the lagging output, but rather, by how much you learned and improved when providing the input! Maybe there are areas where you could have done better. That’s awesome! You’ve found a new way to give the very best effort you can! There’s always something to learn, and completing projects while working toward our goals will bring forward those areas we can grow!
If you have anything you’ve learned recently and want to share with others, leave a comment for us to read!
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