Measure it, manage it
You can’t manage what you don’t measure.
If you have goals – for weight, for cholesterol levels, for blood sugar levels, for number of pushups, for amount of weight you can bench press, for how fast you can run a mile, for how many hours you sleep, for how happy you feel – you need some way to know you’re on the right track.
What signs or measures of progress should you be looking out for and what are the best ways to measure them?
The number on your bathroom scale every morning, the way your jeans fit, the tests you have done at the doctor’s office every 3 or 6 or 12 months, your fitness log, your sleep log, …
Wait. That’s a lot of “logs” … but really it’s just a simple journal in a small notebook, or in your PDA/phone, or a spreadsheet you use every day. Record the numbers for quantifiable goals, and record a “1-10″ score (10 is high/excellent) for the things that seem unquantifiable.
Possible unquantifiables – your energy level, your ability to focus/mental clarity, how rested you felt on waking, how motivated you are to eat healthy foods, how you handled the stress or crisis of the day.
Make a Top Ten list of the things you want to measure that will help you with your personal goals. Create your journal, and keep track every day for 30 days. Celebrate your successes and break down your challenges into smaller goals for the next month.
Measure it, manage it. Become your best.
Photo by Diane Miller
