Are The Numbers In Your Life Adding UP?

he easiest way to ensure that you remain inspired and on track as you traverse the path to the success you desire, Is to constantly measure your performance against a number of predefined outcomes. These outcomes or measurement criterion must be defined and clearly stated, during the planning process. The more often you measure your performance the easier it is to ensure that the actions you are taking are aligned with the final result you are attempting to achieve.

What Drives the Outcomes you can Achieve?
The results or outcomes you are attempting to achieve are driven by three things, your philosophy, your attitude and the actions you consistently take or fail to take. If the results are not as expected, then look to refine your philosophy, strengthen your attitude , improve your level of skill or knowledge or commit to offer more discipline to your daily activities.

It is crucial that you measure your progress regularly, but measurement can become counter-productive if you attempt to measure progress too often. You must be reasonable with time, it is obviously not reasonable to expect an outcome within the first five minutes after someone starts along their path to success. It is also of no value to allow too much time to pass before you measure progress.

How often Should your Measure your Progress?I believe that progress should be measured at the end of every day. Review all the activities that you committed to complete that day and review how you did against your target. Secondly review what results or outcomes came from carrying out those activities. Are they delivering the desired results and are they aligned with the final outcome you are attempting to achieve?

The second time to review your progress is at the end of the week. After seven days has passed it is time to review how things went that week. This is a time to have greater expectations about the results you will be enjoying. If after seven days, your efforts are not delivering the kind of results you expect then it is time for inspection and examination. Ask yourself this question: “Are the activities aligned with the outcome I want to achieve”? If they are then keep taking these actions, if they are not, then it is time to re-evaluate your actions and to change or improve them.

Know your Numbers
Success is after all only a numbers game. If you want to succeed you must know what the numbers are that you want to achieve. You must break these back into reasonable, achievable chunks, against which you regularly measure your daily, weekly and monthly performance. This allows you to make measurable progress in a reasonable time and if your actions are not aligned with the desired outcome. It allows you to re-examine your activities, your philosophy or your attitude and to change them until you do begin to achieve the desired outcomes.

Stay committed to constantly account to the most important person in your life, namely yourself, about your own numbers. Keep asking yourself this simple question. “Are my efforts allowing me to make the kind of progress I want and is my philosophy and attitude taking me where I want to go now and in the future? Keep assessing your progress against your numbers, take daily action and you will eventually succeed.