Do you make plans, set goals and then just go straight in on taking action without planning on how to track, measure and analyze your actions and progress?
Imagine this: You've been working tirelessly on a project for months, pouring countless hours into it. But when you finally look back, you realize that your progress has been minimal. Why? Because you've been spinning your wheels, expending energy on tasks that aren't moving you closer to your goal.
But how can you be sure this is the case if you haven't implemented a strategy or plan for tracking and evaluating your efforts and progress?
This is a common scenario that many of us face. We often become so focused on putting in effort that we neglect to track, measure, and analyze our progress. Without this crucial step, we're essentially flying blind, hoping that our hard work will eventually lead to success.
Our inability to achieve our desired level of skill proficiency or personal growth is often rooted in our failure to monitor and evaluate our efforts and progress.
There is a popular saying: "What is not measured and analyzed cannot be improved".
How do you know you are channelling your efforts to the right thing and even if you are, how will you know you are using the right strategies?
I began making progress in my life when I started measuring and analyzing my efforts and strategies.
A quick story:
Before I decided to quit my job, I decided to save atleast 2 million naira which at that time was eqivalent to about $1.5k. I broke down the goal to monthly savings of 170k naira per month. After achieving my target for the first month, I discovered that I could do better if I track, measure and analyze my spendings.
I began tracking my daily income and expenses, then set a specific savings percentage goal based on my monthly income. This idea was inspired by reading 'Money Master the Game' by Tony Robbins and 'The Richest Man in Babylon' by George Clason.
As I started tracking, measuring and analyzing, I discovered my spending loop holes (I discovered I spent more on unnecessary snacks and ego spendings. So I cut those off). With that, I saw that I could even do more than three times better. So I increased my total monthly and weekly saving goal and also increased my saving percentage. Whenever I found it easy to achieve my monthly savings and saving percentage goal, I increased the goal and kept increasing until it was almost impossible to attain.
To make the saving, tracking and evaluation more effective, I used PiggyVest App (a popular savings app in Nigeria). With the App, I set a monthly savings target and when I top up my savings or see my progress, it gave me that instant reward and excitement. Before I slept each night I would check my progress (Visualization) as it motivated me to do better the next day and also showed me that my goal of quitting my job to focus on my personal development was getting closer to reality.
By following this tracking and evaluation system, I was able to save more than three times my original goal. This financial cushion enabled me to quit my job as planned, relocate, and even make small investments.
If I had not tracked, measured and analysed, I wouldn't have known where and how to improve and also enjoy the benefits of it today.
After that experience, I have continued to apply this strategy to every other aspects of my life and day.
Without tracking, measuring and analyzing our efforts we can never know when we are or not making progress. We cannot know what we should improve on or stop doing entirely. We cannot know when we have achieved our goals or when we are falling short.
It's easy to become discouraged and doubt our progress, especially when we don't see immediate results. We might even question the direction of our lives and wonder if our efforts are worthwhile. However, it's important to remember that progress can be subtle and often goes unnoticed without careful evaluation.
By tracking, measuring, and analyzing our efforts, we can gain a clearer understanding of our progress and identify areas where we may need to adjust our approach. This can help us determine if we're on the right track to achieve our goals, whether our goals are realistic, and if we're focusing our energy on the most effective strategies.
Just as setting clear goals is essential for success, so too is tracking, measuring, and analyzing your progress. Consider using a journal, a digital app, or a combination of both to keep a detailed record of your efforts. By regularly reviewing and analyzing this data, you'll gain valuable insights into your performance and identify areas for improvement.
So, take the first step today. Start tracking your efforts and unlock your full potential. Remember, the journey to success is often paved with data-driven insights.
Please share your thoughts in the comments on how measuring, tracking, and analyzing your efforts and progress has positively impacted your life. Additionally, discuss the areas of your life where you plan to apply this strategy in the future.
Cover photo credit: Joshua Sortino on Unsplash
Happy coding ❤️.
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