Only Track What Actually Matters
Ditch the pressure to measure everything and focus on the few metrics that actually move you forward.
We live in a measurement-obsessed world.
Everything has a stat. Productivity. Sleep. Calories. Time on task. Time off task. Followers. Emails. Streaks. Minutes meditated. Hours logged. Books read. Even your phone tells you how many times you picked it up today—and whether that’s “better” or “worse” than yesterday.
It’s easy to get the impression that more data means more control. That if you can track it, you can improve it. But at some point, all that tracking can start to backfire.
Because when you're measuring everything, you stop thinking clearly about why you're doing any of it.
At most of my old jobs in games, our team’s performance was tracked by how many bugs we fixed each week. Pretty standard practice. And on paper, it made sense—more bugs closed equals more productivity, right?
Except that’s not how it played out.
Nobody wanted to touch the complex bugs that actually needed time and focus. People cherry-picked the easy ones, rushed through the fixes, and gamed the system to make their numbers look good.
Worse, the pressure to crank out “results” led to more bugs being created. Corners got cut. Fixes got sloppy.
The charts looked great—but the product got worse. And that’s what bad metrics do.
They create pressure instead of clarity. They push you toward volume over value. And they make it really easy to mistake activity for progress—just because the chart is moving up and to the right.
Whether it’s work, fitness, learning, or life—tracking the wrong things doesn’t help you improve. It just makes you feel like you’re always behind.
"You don't know how to start if you can't define the inputs and outputs that will get you what you want." - Alex Hormozi
The Metrics Trap
We track everything now.
From how many steps we walk to how many emails we send—how well we slept, how long we focused, how many days in a row we did the “right” thing. At first, it feels empowering.
Like proof that we’re on track.
But just because you can measure something doesn’t mean you should.
Most of us start tracking because we want momentum. A way to stay accountable. A sense that we’re building something real. And early on, it helps—until it becomes the thing we’re chasing.
Helpful data turns into pressure.
Pressure to beat last week. Pressure to stay “on pace.” Pressure to keep the streak alive—even when your energy, schedule, or body says otherwise. And once you start tracking one thing, it’s easy to add more. If steps are good, why not calories? Why not hours slept, words written, minutes meditated?
Soon, you’re spending more time measuring your life than actually living it. And while you're focused on checking the boxes, the parts of your life you aren’t being mindful of start to suffer.
You’re snapping more. Sleeping less. Feeling stretched thin. You’re technically “on track,” but nothing feels better. You’re exhausted—but the numbers say you’re doing great.
That’s the trap: when metrics run the show, you stop asking if your effort feels meaningful—and just start trying to win the game you created.
Motion becomes a stand-in for progress. Achievement replaces purpose.
Progress vs. Proof
The wrong metrics don’t just distract you—they start to define you.
You wanted to feel more focused, but now you're glued to productivity trackers. You set out to reduce stress, but now you're stressed about your meditation streak. You started journaling to find clarity—but now it feels like a box to check instead of a moment to reflect.
That’s not progress. That’s pressure dressed up as proof.
When numbers take center stage, it’s easy to lose track of why you started. You shift from building a process that fits your life—to chasing an outcome that validates it.
You’re no longer asking, “Did I show up?” You’re asking, “Was it good enough to count?”
Even tools that are supposed to help can backfire. Sleep trackers, for example, have been shown to create “orthosomnia” in some—a sleep disorder caused by obsessing over sleep scores. You go to bed trying to rest… and wake up anxious your number isn’t high enough.
That’s the difference between using data and being ruled by it.
Good metrics support your priorities. Great ones keep you grounded in the process. Bad ones just add pressure and noise.
So pause and ask: What are you actually trying to build right now? Endurance? Energy? Confidence? Simplicity? Stability?
And are your current metrics helping you stay aligned—or just giving you something else to chase?
Because you’re not here to impress your app or spreadsheet. You’re here to build a life that actually feels better to live.
Pick Your Signals
You don’t need more data. You need to measure what actually matters.
Most people track results—pace, weight, revenue, reach. But results are lagging indicators. They show up after the work is done. And if you focus only on outcomes, you miss the inputs that actually drive them.
That’s what good metrics are for: not to chase perfection, but to give you a clearer picture of what’s working—and what’s not.
Start by picking 2–3 input-focused signals that reflect what matters most in this season. Not what’s flashy—what’s foundational.
Ask yourself:
What’s the action I’m trying to repeat?
What’s the effort I want to normalize?
What’s the practice that helps me move forward?
Then track that.
Trying to build consistency? Track how often you show up.
Trying to manage energy? Track how you feel after key efforts.
Trying to deepen focus? Track time spent on uninterrupted work or training.
Trying to improve quality? Track perceived effort—not just completion.
Good metrics don’t just describe your progress—they help you see it more clearly. They bring objectivity to the process, so you can adjust your inputs without second-guessing everything.
Because the goal isn’t to track everything, it’s to track the things that actually help you improve what matters most.
You don’t need to give up tracking altogether. You just need to be more intentional about what you’re tracking—and why.
Progress isn’t about hitting perfect numbers. It’s about staying connected to what matters, showing up for the process, and adjusting as you go.
So before you log another stat, ask yourself: Is this helping me build the life I actually want—or just keeping me busy?
That’s the difference between measuring for pressure and measuring for progress.