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How do you measure success without keeping score? (1 Viewer)

mr. furley

mr. furley

Footballguy
for those of you who "keep score" in your work life. whether it be by counting sales figures, arresting crooks, boxing widgets, etc. those that thrive on knowing where you stand in relation to others, who have to blowout their 5 year old nephew in Madden by 70 to teach him a lesson. 

how do you cope outside of those parameters when the situation is not zero sum? how do you handle a world that doesn't reward you for winning?

do you have a chore chart? a checklist of goals? do you do coke? drink? 

 
I ask myself two questions:

1. Am I alive?

2. Can I still drink a cold beer?

I've seen my wife on our wedding day, have seen all three of my kids smile at me and have heard them say "Hi daddy." 

If the answers to the top two questions are yes, I'm cool. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
mr. furley said:
for those of you who "keep score" in your work life. whether it be by counting sales figures, arresting crooks, boxing widgets, etc. those that thrive on knowing where you stand in relation to others, who have to blowout their 5 year old nephew in Madden by 70 to teach him a lesson. 

how do you cope outside of those parameters when the situation is not zero sum? how do you handle a world that doesn't reward you for winning?

do you have a chore chart? a checklist of goals? do you do coke? drink? 
Click to expand...
I have a hammock and work from home :winning:

 
I usually sink into depression, shut down mentally, self-sabotage through extreme procrastination and become consumed with meaningless things to cope with the daily grind of boredom and self-loathing.

That or pick myself up by the bootstraps.  Depends on the day.

 
I'm in a job where success can't be measured, as it's more a question of quality over quantity.

(1) Be responsive, even if it means you will need more time to get something done.

(2) Be thorough, and give the person more than they expected.

(3) Be personable and friendly, even to the most demanding jerks.

(4) Be honest and accountable for everything you do, especially when you screw up.

That has served me well in my 20 year professional life.  When I have been asked to measure my performance, I will politely explain that my job can't be measured for success.  I will then ask them in what areas I can improve.  Sometimes, it's just little modifications that satisfy the higher ups - and perhaps that's a control issue.  Whatever the reason, it stops them from asking for measurables. 

 
lod001 said:
How do you keep score?
Click to expand...
some people need to see a measurable that says "you are better at X than your peers".  whether that be bigger sales numbers, more positive emails from customers, etc.

sort of like athletes that live and die for the crowd reaction. the recognition of being "Superstar B. Athlete". but who can't cope with life once all that goes away.

how does one go from an office, where everything is quantified and success is measured by numbers... to home where that structure doesn't exist.. and still find happiness and a sense of accomplishment.

 
mr. furley said:
some people need to see a measurable that says "you are better at X than your peers".  whether that be bigger sales numbers, more positive emails from customers, etc.

sort of like athletes that live and die for the crowd reaction. the recognition of being "Superstar B. Athlete". but who can't cope with life once all that goes away.

how does one go from an office, where everything is quantified and success is measured by numbers... to home where that structure doesn't exist.. and still find happiness and a sense of accomplishment.
Click to expand...
Find other means to fuel your competitive nature....in other words, take up a hobby.

 
I can remember a handful of times in life where I was literally jumping out of bed, couldn't wait for the exciting challenges ahead of me that day/time. Perhaps it was a project that I was working on, some of it was in performance art/music and I wish every day could be like that. 

You can feel success when you are happy doing exactly what you enjoy doing. 

 
roadkill1292 said:
If you keep score, there's a much better chance of you losing than if you don't keep score.
Click to expand...
That's typical loser talk. Just don't try to begin with, that way you never participated. 

But the reality is life does keep score even if you don't. You simply lower the bar to what you are comfortable with. People who feel like they don't need(material things) too much in life don't need to become much, that's true. 

 
Ministry of Pain said:
That's typical loser talk. Just don't try to begin with, that way you never participated. 

But the reality is life does keep score even if you don't. You simply lower the bar to what you are comfortable with. People who feel like they don't need(material things) too much in life don't need to become much, that's true. 
Click to expand...
We non-Type A personalities think a little more esoterically about the Big Game. 

 
Ministry of Pain said:
I can remember a handful of times in life where I was literally jumping out of bed, couldn't wait for the exciting challenges ahead of me that day/time. Perhaps it was a project that I was working on, some of it was in performance art/music and I wish every day could be like that. 

You can feel success when you are happy doing exactly what you enjoy doing. 
Click to expand...
Probably the best thing MOP has ever contributed to the FFA, other than his thesis on pizza math.

 
Mookie said:
I'm in a job where success can't be measured, as it's more a question of quality over quantity.

(1) Be responsive, even if it means you will need more time to get something done.

(2) Be thorough, and give the person more than they expected.

(3) Be personable and friendly, even to the most demanding jerks.

(4) Be honest and accountable for everything you do, especially when you screw up.

That has served me well in my 20 year professional life.  When I have been asked to measure my performance, I will politely explain that my job can't be measured for success.  I will then ask them in what areas I can improve.  Sometimes, it's just little modifications that satisfy the higher ups - and perhaps that's a control issue.  Whatever the reason, it stops them from asking for measurables. 




 
Click to expand...
That's great, but who wants to work fast food for 20 years?  

 
Ministry of Pain said:
But the reality is life does keep score even if you don't. You simply lower the bar to what you are comfortable with. People who feel like they don't need(material things) too much in life don't need to become much, that's true. 
Click to expand...
I have to admit, I have no idea what you are trying to say here. Other than you think success is measure with stuff maybe? If that isn't it, then I'm lost.

 
Success is variable.  I focus on contentment - am I happy in the moment?

An amazing thing happens to you when your friends, family and acquaintances have good things, maybe better things than you have and you can be truly happy for them.  Be the best person you can be and stop measuring yourself to others.

 
I don't worry about the numbers. I just remind myself that if I screw something up it was due to circumstances beyond my control. While if my coworker does the same thing it's because they're an idiot.

 
Mookie said:
I'm in a job where success can't be measured, as it's more a question of quality over quantity.

(1) Be responsive, even if it means you will need more time to get something done.

(2) Be thorough, and give the person more than they expected.

(3) Be personable and friendly, even to the most demanding jerks.

(4) Be honest and accountable for everything you do, especially when you screw up.

That has served me well in my 20 year professional life.  When I have been asked to measure my performance, I will politely explain that my job can't be measured for success.  I will then ask them in what areas I can improve.  Sometimes, it's just little modifications that satisfy the higher ups - and perhaps that's a control issue.  Whatever the reason, it stops them from asking for measurables. 
Click to expand...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPgn4yNmLXI

 
mr. furley said:
for those of you who "keep score" in your work life. whether it be by counting sales figures, arresting crooks, boxing widgets, etc. those that thrive on knowing where you stand in relation to others, who have to blowout their 5 year old nephew in Madden by 70 to teach him a lesson. 

how do you cope outside of those parameters when the situation is not zero sum? how do you handle a world that doesn't reward you for winning?

do you have a chore chart? a checklist of goals? do you do coke? drink? 
Click to expand...
I'm in an industry that keep score if you care to find out. I don't give a crap.  

I have goals, and I keep lists of tasks I'd like to accomplish. I cross those things off as  I do them and I get satisfaction from that.  

Keeping up with the Joneses behavior is counter productive because there always someone better than you no matter what level you achieve.  Better to hang out with highly successful people and learn from them, listen to how they think, ask for advice at times. But celebrate their success and celebrate your own even if it's at a lower level. Envy is a troublesome thing.

 
mr. furley said:
some people need to see a measurable that says "you are better at X than your peers".  whether that be bigger sales numbers, more positive emails from customers, etc.

sort of like athletes that live and die for the crowd reaction. the recognition of being "Superstar B. Athlete". but who can't cope with life once all that goes away.

how does one go from an office, where everything is quantified and success is measured by numbers... to home where that structure doesn't exist.. and still find happiness and a sense of accomplishment.
Click to expand...
You always have "wins." They are just quantified differently.

 
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