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I feel better knowing. Not knowing is scary.
Many people don’t like knowing and practice living “Ignorance is bliss.” I am a bit too neurotic and controlling to accept ignorance as my default lifestyle choice. I am uncomfortable with the unknown, and, if I am left to my own thoughts, I am good at conjuring up a slew of conspiracy theories around a multitude of good and terrible things that are “going” to happen.
Facts liberate me from these imaginations. Truth highlights the value in my actions. I am at peace with problems that I can see, and I feel empowered to fix those problems which I have identified and wish to change.
I would never feel comfortable managing a business without numbers. In my business, I track 10 KPIs (key performance indicators) each week, and I track 5 KPIs each month. Additionally, I review my financial statements in depth each month and build plans to improve, fix problems, enhance positive trends, and, most importantly, keep control.
When I am in control, I feel free. Free to choose, free to act, free to decide, free to be.
Personally, I track 52 things I do every day. Some of them are work related, some are personal, and some are about family and relationships. I also track my weight and blood work (which I have done every 6 months) to provide positive (or negative) feedback.
Here is a sample of some of the things I track:
Happy Tracking!
To learn more about how to manage by the numbers, join Matthew Garrett at the 25th Annual Gathering of Games, where he will present a pre-conference workshop on the topic. Note that you need not attend the entire conference if you just want to attend this session, as participants are permitted to register for a pre-conference workshop on its own.
The Gathering of Games takes place September 6-8, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. To learn more about the conference or to register, visit the Gathering of Games website at http://www.openbookconference.com.
