Almost every morning for the past few months I have weighed myself. The number on the scale has barely moved. If I were to use this one data point to measure my level of fitness I would reasonably conclude that I haven’t made any progress. But that’s only part of the story.
My watch gives me a lot more information – including heart rate, pace, and overall distance. I ran more miles in the month of June than I have in any single month in the past three years. This information tells a different story. One that I might not even know if I didn’t have the right device to measure my performance.
When we start something new it’s important that we choose the right metrics to gauge success. Pick the wrong ones and you could give up too early, or waste time on unproductive projects.
Feedback guides our actions. When we get relevant and accurate feedback we make better decisions.