Metrics that matter

As product leaders we often keep an eye on the metrics that matter for the success of our products.

The slogan that we believe in is -

“What gets measured, gets managed or improved.”

If you can’t measure something, how can you improve it.

Metrics are measurable data to gauge the performance of something. For example, a software product’s success metric could be, how many people downloaded the software, how many people are using the product every day, or how many hours do users spend on the product everyday. These metric give us a sense of the success of the product.

However, metrics apply in life too. People who live intentionally have metrics that matter. One such person is Rajesh Setty. Rajesh has a list of metrics that he calls metrics that matter. He uses this metrics to review the quality of his life every year end.

He has a list of parameters that he uses to gauge the effectiveness of his life. I asked him what are his metrics that matter and he was kind enough to share it with me. These are his metrics that matter to him:

1. Metric 1: Your capacity to make a significant contribution to the world at large.
2. Metric 2: Number of people whose capacity was enhanced to make a significant impact in their lives and in the lives of those around them (because of you)
3. Metric 3: Number of lifetime relationships (relationships that span beyond events, companies, causes, geographies etc.) you have invested in.
4. Metric 4: Number of high-quality help requests from people that matter ( Note: You get high-quality help requests only when people know you are capable of fulfilling them )
5. Metric 5: What it costs you to make someone’s day ( Note: As your power and influence grows, cost to make someone’s day is lower )
6. Metric 6: Number of days you were “working” in a year ( It better be only a few )
7. Metric 7: Number of days you were in a “flow” (passionately engaged in your craft) in a year. Flow state day is a day with a minimum of 6hours spent in deep work.
8. Metric 8: Number of memorable “moments” that you created for others in a year
9. Metric 9: Number of people who miss you in their past (True test of enrichment. If people miss you in their past, they are thinking their lives would have been better if they had met you earlier.)

Each of these metrics is a separate topic in itself. I will avoid explaining all of them for now, but the larger point is that having such a list of metrics for your life that you can measure and keep score increases the effectiveness of your life immensely.

I use a similar list of metrics that matter for my life too.

My metrics that matter for 2022 are:

1. Number of days I was in a flow state this year — my flow state is 4 hours a day.
2. Number of lifetime relationships (relationships that span beyond events, companies, causes, geographies etc.) I am investing in.
3. Number of high quality conversations I am having this year — a minimum of one hour. What does a high quality conversation mean?
4. Number of accomplished people I am meeting this year.
5. Number of memorable moments I am creating for others this year.
6. Number of hours I am meditating and journaling this year.
7. Number of days I have followed my daily rituals ie, the days I have been disciplined.

These were my metrics that matter.

What are your metrics that matter?

Do let me know in the comments!