Step 7: Recording Progress
Art Credit: Girl sitting at a writing table (circa 1919) Malcolm Drummond (English, 1880-1945)
Leading with Steady Action
Are you overthinking something, but not sure how to break that cycle?
Overthinking is simply an obstacle in your path. Once you’re aware of it, you can overcome it.
You are not alone in overthinking. Overthinking is a very common problem these days. I won’t get into all the reasons why we are experiencing it so much these days. But whatever your goal may be, there’s a simple act I'd encourage you to try. It's the act of recording your progress.
The move from overthinking to recording your progress is a move from stalling to action. It’s also a savvy way to trick yourself into taking action.
Would it help to have an example?
Back in August, I was advised to eat more fiber. Nearly six weeks passed without me making any real progress. It wasn't until I started to track it that I made actual progress. Why is that?
Here’s what happened: I was advised to eat more fiber. I mistakenly thought that just because I thought about eating more fiber, I would! So where did that lead me? To thinking about it in all sorts of different ways. It did not lead to action.
When you want to make a change, you'll need to take action in the real world. There are many ways to do this, but a very simple way is to record your progress.
How does one record progress?
Well, now, notice that you might be overthinking this, too. I know I did.
On one recent afternoon, I had some time after lunch. Knowing I was going to write to you about tracking, I felt motivated to start tracking my fiber intake. But I spent a lot of time deciding how to track it.
My first impulse was to look at what apps were out there. There were two that had been recommended to me. I spent a bunch of time comparing the two and went so far as to download one, create an account, and try it out. I've since decided not to use it.
I didn't like having to use my phone and especially having to search for every single food I'd eaten that day. So I turned back to paper and pencil. My most trusted, basic tool.
A few more details on recording your progress:
Know your goal: I did get a little stuck at this stage because I realized I didn't yet know the goal...how much fiber for my body type/age each day? Once I found this, I could create my own progress record.
Invest in the change you're making. Can you throw a few dollars toward making it more enjoyable? I would suggest doing so if it’s important to you. Maybe spend $5 on those fun little start stickers to make it feel more rewarding.
Track for a limited time. I'm planning to track for 3 weeks and see if I am where I want to be. Then I'll make myself a reminder to check in again in 3 months, then in 9 months. I anticipate I'll want to track my fiber intake maybe once a year for a few weeks just to make sure it's still going well.
Recording your progress is a powerful tool for turning intention into action. Now off you go to find your paper, pencils, and stickers and start sketching your tracker!
No time to create your own progress record?
There are plenty of ready-made charts to choose from online, but beware: you may spend more time evaluating those than you would designing your own basic one. Maybe put that "research" time toward creating a chart that actually tracks the specific thing you want to track.
A leadership tip
Leaders are creators. Leading is, by nature, about walking into the unknown. When we don't have a path forward, we create one. Humans are made to do this. It feels uncomfortable, but creating helps us feel alive and helps us stay alive.
So what am I talking about? Whatever stripe of leading you're doing (finding yourself new employment, making a move, learning to be a manager, leading a new initiative, raising children, organizing an event, raising money, building coalitions, etc.), you are creating something.
Let's make it more concrete. Leaders often need to create the template for others to fill in. That's the nature of delegating. You have to be very clear about what you want another person to do. Creating a template is a creative process. Play around with different iterations until you get to something that others can understand and use.
This can feel like a lonely pursuit, so don't hesitate to share about it with others. You know I'd love to hear about what you're building!
