We live in the Age of Quantification. If you cannot measure it, the mantra goes, you cannot manage it. If it isn't a KPI, it doesn't exist.
If you are a recovering Numeric Gazer, you know these stages intimately: numeric gazer
Elias dipped his quill one last time. He looked at the child in the glass, a bright, unquantifiable spark. We live in the Age of Quantification
"What is the number?" Vance asked, stepping up to the mirror. "Is it a zero? Is it a one?" If you are a recovering Numeric Gazer, you
Lagom is the Swedish concept of "just the right amount." The Numeric Gazer is addicted to the all-time high. But the all-time high is a trap. Aim for "steady." Aim for "boring." A flat line is not a sign of death; sometimes, a flat line is a sign of mastery. The best pilots are not the ones who fly the fastest; they are the ones who land smoothly every time.
When you stare at your step count, you start shuffling your feet while brushing your teeth to cheat the algorithm. When you stare at your website traffic, you start writing clickbait headlines that you despise. When you stare at your stock portfolio, you sell low during a panic and buy high during a mania.