3 things we learn from stepping on the scale
Measurement and business goals
Around the start of a new year, many of us set the goal to lose some of those holiday (or COVID) pounds. Chances are, if this is your goal, you pulled your scale out of mothballs and set it up in a prominent place in your bathroom. And there it sits, looming large and ready to judge you every morning. You take a deep breath and step on, and wait for the result – the pronouncement of how successful you were yesterday.
Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight has probably gone through this experience and knows about the ups and downs that come with regular weigh-ins. A good day means renewed energy and optimism about what you can accomplish. A bad day means frustration and a feeling of hopelessness.
Trying to lose weight is a lot like trying to accomplish a professional goal. You want to grow, so you set a target. You have regular practices that you put into play, with the hope that they will yield results in the end. But just as with losing weight, measurement can be overwhelming. But, here are 3 things we have learned about measurement:
- It’s a long-term game. If you chart your progress, you will see a lot of short-term ups and downs. But what we want to see is overall progress. And if you stick with it and step back to look at it, that’s exactly what you will see. Don’t get discouraged by the short-game gains and losses.
- The scale is your friend. You may hate it some days, but that scale, or the measuring tape, is a fantastic tool. Without it, you might feel like you are doing better or worse, but you really don’t know. Plus, with regular measurement you can adjust when you start to see trends going the opposite direction. Without the measurement tool, you are shooting at a target blindfolded. And if you continue to measure regularly, not only will you hit the target after time, but you will have knowledge. You will know exactly how you got there, and how to maintain.
- The more you do it, the easier it gets. It feels daunting at first, and even frustrating, to measure your progress. But as with anything, it gets easier the more you do it. And the more you face the information, the less afraid of it you are and the more empowered and confident you feel.
