Once, I worked with a client.
He wanted to lose weight, and the only metric he accepted was the number on a scale which is fine if you're ready to patiently wait until the number changes. And this person wasn't the most patient one.
In every session, he repeated, "My weight is the same; we have to do something, Olga!"
And we did a lot to move his weight down, which resulted in improved sleep, eating habits, and overall energy level, but he was blind to this progress.
I was confident the weight would be next after all these improvements, but no change on the scale demotivated him, and he fell off the wagon every 2-3 weeks.
He was deaf to my efforts to explain that we should consider all kinds of improvements, as eventually, they accumulate and will affect the weight. Till then, he needed to be patient and consistent, and I was ready to support him.
Despite all my attempts, this client didn't achieve any sustainable progress.
And I am sharing this story so you can avoid making the same mistakes.
There are two types of progress - Subjective & Objective
Subjective progress is your own perception that something is improving -
you start feeling better, more energised, less moody, sleep better etc.
Yes, it also matters!
This change is challenging to notice, especially if you usually pay little attention to how you feel. But by becoming curious and start asking yourself, "What changed?" and "What shows me it changed?" more often, you'll start seeing the difference more clearly.
Subjective progress is a legit sign you're in the right direction. Don't underestimate it.
Objective progress is when you have external data that shows you're improving.
Numbers on a scale, hours of sleep, data from your health trackers, weights you lift, the pace you run etc.
Important takeaway
Regardless of which metrics, subjective or objective, you choose to track progress, document them regularly, and ideally do it long-term. Then you can see a pattern, understand what actions bring you closer to your goal or vice versa and so you can adjust accordingly.
He wanted to lose weight, and the only metric he accepted was the number on a scale which is fine if you're ready to patiently wait until the number changes. And this person wasn't the most patient one.
In every session, he repeated, "My weight is the same; we have to do something, Olga!"
And we did a lot to move his weight down, which resulted in improved sleep, eating habits, and overall energy level, but he was blind to this progress.
I was confident the weight would be next after all these improvements, but no change on the scale demotivated him, and he fell off the wagon every 2-3 weeks.
He was deaf to my efforts to explain that we should consider all kinds of improvements, as eventually, they accumulate and will affect the weight. Till then, he needed to be patient and consistent, and I was ready to support him.
Despite all my attempts, this client didn't achieve any sustainable progress.
And I am sharing this story so you can avoid making the same mistakes.
There are two types of progress - Subjective & Objective
Subjective progress is your own perception that something is improving -
you start feeling better, more energised, less moody, sleep better etc.
Yes, it also matters!
This change is challenging to notice, especially if you usually pay little attention to how you feel. But by becoming curious and start asking yourself, "What changed?" and "What shows me it changed?" more often, you'll start seeing the difference more clearly.
Subjective progress is a legit sign you're in the right direction. Don't underestimate it.
Objective progress is when you have external data that shows you're improving.
Numbers on a scale, hours of sleep, data from your health trackers, weights you lift, the pace you run etc.
Important takeaway
Regardless of which metrics, subjective or objective, you choose to track progress, document them regularly, and ideally do it long-term. Then you can see a pattern, understand what actions bring you closer to your goal or vice versa and so you can adjust accordingly.