The Importance of Metrics by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

It’s that time of year! Everyone is back at the gym, and making all sorts of resolutions about how they’re going to change their life in 2017. Resolutions are great, and a new year does offer all of us the chance to hit the “reset” button by setting some new goals and making some much needed changes.

However, we’ve all seen resolutions broken and new plans abandoned sometime in February or March. One of the best ways to help ensure your goals for the year don’t get thrown by the wayside is to measure and track your forward movement. We often get discouraged about meeting our goals because we don’t see progress. Here are some ways setting up metrics can help you.

• Metrics let you know where you started. In order to track your progress on any goal, you must make note of your starting point. When you feel discouraged about your progress, look back at where you’ve started for reassurance.

• Metrics help you set intermittent goals. Small goals that add up to big goals can help you stay focused and prevent burnout. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, set milestones of 10 pounds, for example. When you reach each ten pound goal, you feel energized to keep going.

• Metrics pull you back on track. If you set goals and appropriate measurements to follow, you’ll see when your efforts are not where you expected them to be. By taking an honest look at the metrics, you can see how to get back on track.

• Metrics give you reason to celebrate. How can you know when you’ve done well if you don’t measure your efforts? Metrics let you know when you have reason to celebrate, helping you stay motivated and ensuring you feel good about your efforts.

So, as you’re busy setting goals for the New Year, remember to set up some ways to measure your progress against those goals. Don’t forget, as well, to set some reminders so that you remember to take regular measurements. Tracking your progress as you move toward your goals is the easiest and most effective way to keep yourself on track as you work to meet your 2017 goals.