Numbers

People love numbers. Well, people love good numbers! Numbers can mean so many things. The thing is most people work hard to create the data they want instead of looking at the data that they need.

As a runner, I've used a GPS watch for years to generate all kinds of data for each run. How fast, how far, how many steps per minute, and heart rate. So many numbers. The number I always look at first is the pace. It ruled my opinion on what a good run was and if this run had been a good one or not. My running was governed by numbers. It's no wonder I burned out and felt like I couldn't get anywhere while dealing with some setbacks. But then I stopped thinking with a fixed mindset and ditched the watch. No more data. I had to go by feel. How far did I want to run? What pace did I feel like running? It changed how I approached my runs and with my new growth mindset I started to realize there were other metrics to determine what a good run was.

Numbers are a daily part of my job. How did that social media post do yesterday? What kind of numbers? The thing that I've noticed is a lot of people put a lot of stock in good numbers when it comes to social media and marketing. Good numbers are always nice, but you know what, the numbers can't be good all of the time. It's impossible! Most people are so driven by having good numbers that they forget about their brand and mission. If you only post the things that do well you're in a fixed mindset. Everyone wants to grow. Grow their brand, grow their business, and grow their sales. If you limit the people who see your content by posting the same things all of the time, it's hard to grow. One of the first things I learned for myself about social marketing was that mixing things up is important. If you want to get better, you have to be willing to try new things. You need numbers! You also need to know which numbers are important. Don't be afraid to grow. Try something new. You might surprise yourself!