What do you track?
I’ve stopped tracking how many people are reading these notes. It was taking up time, and more importantly too much head space - for not much gain.
It got me thinking about what else we track in our lives, at work, at home - and is it helping or hindering?
Data is, of course, important. It’s useful to understand trends, patterns, insights, stories. But it can become unhealthy, and distract us.
Like losing weight, weighing every day / every week - might help, might not.
Like tracking job applications forms - makes you feel good or drains your energy.
Like your party / wedding RSVP spreadsheet - actually that might be helpful!
I had a client who tracked all of the conversations with everyone, recruiters, connections on LinkedIn, people at network events. He wanted to see where the opportunities came from, and would follow up after 3 weeks. It gave him comfort that he was making progress. It gave me nausea thinking about it! (I obviously kept that to myself).
You got to do what works for you.
Sometimes its better just to imagine you are sowing seeds, sending out messages, but without attachment or expectation that anything might happen. Because the weight of expectation might be the thing that stops the seed from growing.
In 2020 / early 2021 I started to send my book, a letter and a brochure about Another Door out to 5 HR Directors every week. The first 3 weeks I kept a list, but as nothing came back I stopped making the list. I sent out over 60 books, I have little idea to who now, I know 3 sent me a kind email back. Maybe I should’ve followed up, that’s what a good business coach would recommend, even call them, check in, ask if they have any thoughts. Hustle.
I didn’t. Because I was also trying to manage my energy. I prioritised keeping ok. I accept that opportunities might’ve been lost but I also know that I didn’t once feel stressed during the book launch. (Again, just my goal, others would say you should feel a bit uncomfortable and under pressure to get results, also maybe that’s where I went wrong).
You need feel like you are owning the actions, every day. And check if tracking is helping, not hindering.
As someone who has a sales background I love a good goal with a target to work towards but the last few years I have recognised this isn’t always a good thing, and you have track what you are tracking constantly!
So, I’d love to know, do you Track?
eleanor
Not weighing regularly is definitely a good thing.
However, not tracking spend is a bad habit I fallen into