We all chase goals. Fit body? Check. Stellar career? In progress. Awesome kids? Jury’s still out. But here’s the challenge: how do we measure „progress“ in these messy, wonderful aspects of life? Over time I developed my ABCD framework, a way to track progress that goes beyond the simple checkbox.
Activity: The Starting Line. This is the „doing“ part. Are you even playing the game? Are you logging those gym hours, scheduling quality time with the kids, putting in the extra effort at work? Activity is the foundation, but it’s not the finish line.
Better Results: Small Wins, Big Motivation. Here’s where things get interesting. Did those gym sessions translate into an extra pushup or two? Are your boss meetings leading to more responsibility? Track the mini-victories, the incremental improvements that show you’re on the right path. These are your mile markers, keeping you fueled and motivated.
Causal Results: Digging Deeper. Not all results are created equal. Sure, grip strength might not be at the top of your fitness goals list, but it’s a strong indicator of overall health. A causal result is one where we know that it is correlated with the actual destination. It could be grip strength, it could be VO2Max or a good review at work.
Destination: The Big Picture. This is the ultimate goal, the summit you’re striving to reach. Are you living a longer, healthier life? Are your kids thriving? Is your career flourishing? Usually we won’t be able to measure these ultimate goals but by concentrating on the „C“ part we can ensure we move in the right direction.
The truth is, reaching „D“ isn’t always guaranteed. Life throws curveballs. But far too often, we get stuck in Activity Land. We confuse busyness with progress. The ABCD framework is a compass, a way to navigate the messy middle, to celebrate the small wins, and ensure we’re measuring what truly matters.
So, track your activity, celebrate better results, dig into causal results, and keep your eye on the destination. Because meaningful progress isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about moving the needle in ways that matter most to you.
[…] Beyond the Checkbox: The ABCD Framework for Meaningful Progress […]