Growth Metrics That Actually Matter
Track inputs over outputs and measure progress in ways that drive real change
Most people measure the wrong things. They track weight lost, money earned, followers gained—outcomes they can't directly control. Then they feel like failures when the numbers don't move, even though they did everything right.
The secret to sustainable progress is tracking inputs (what you can control) instead of outputs (what you hope happens). Your journal becomes a measurement system that shows whether you're doing the work, not just whether the results have appeared yet. This guide teaches you to measure what matters.
Why Traditional Metrics Fail
Problems with outcome-focused metrics:
- Delayed feedback: You won't see results for weeks or months
- External factors: Market crashes, algorithm changes, genetics—things you can't control
- Motivation killer: When the scale doesn't move despite effort, you quit
Benefits of input-focused metrics:
- Immediate feedback: You know instantly if you did the work
- Full control: You decide whether to show up
- Builds momentum: Consistency becomes its own reward
Designing Your Measurement System
1. Identify Your Inputs
What daily actions, if done consistently, would move you toward your goal? Those are your metrics.
Examples:
- Goal: Write a book → Input: Words written per day
- Goal: Get healthy → Input: Days I moved my body
- Goal: Grow business → Input: Customer conversations per week
2. Make It Binary
The best metrics are yes/no. Did you do the thing or not? No judgment, just data.
Journal tracking: Simple checkbox or X for each day
3. Track Leading Indicators
Leading indicators predict future success. Lagging indicators report what already happened. Track what you can influence now.
Leading: Outreach messages sent, practice hours logged
Lagging: Deals closed, performances given
Input vs. Output Examples
Fitness
- Output: Lose 20 pounds
- Input: Exercise 4x/week, track meals daily
Writing
- Output: Publish a book
- Input: Write 500 words daily
Career
- Output: Get promoted
- Input: Ship one high-impact project per quarter
Relationships
- Output: Have better relationships
- Input: One meaningful conversation per week
Daily Tracking in Your Journal
Create a simple tracker. Check off your inputs every day.
Simple Checkbox Method
- List your 3-5 key inputs
- Each night, mark which you completed
- At week's end, count your checkmarks
- Aim for 80%+ consistency, not perfection
Qualitative Metrics That Matter
Not everything meaningful can be counted. Some metrics are qualitative—you sense progress even if you can't graph it.
"Do I feel more capable this month than last?"
"Am I responding to challenges differently than before?"
"What skills have I developed that didn't exist 90 days ago?"
"Where am I showing up differently in my life?"
Monthly Metrics Review
- Consistency rate: What percentage of days did I hit my inputs?
- Pattern recognition: When did I succeed? When did I struggle? Why?
- Correlation check: Are my inputs creating the outputs I want?
- Adjustment: What metric needs to change to better reflect my goals?
When Metrics Stop Working
- If you're hitting your inputs but not seeing outputs, test a different input
- If the metric feels meaningless, it probably is—change what you're measuring
- If you're gaming the system (doing the minimum), the metric needs refinement