Day 620 - Vanity vs Valuable metrics - https://golifelog.com/posts/vanity-vs-valuable-metrics-1662949489781
Writing this to remind myself of what matters.
### Vanity metrics:
- Likes
- Impressions
- RTs
- Replies
- Page views
- Clicks
- Followers
- Email sign-ups/subscribers
- Mentions from press
- Praise from peers
- Free users
- Revenue π±
### Valuable metrics:
- **Positive testimonials** from customers that shows you're adding value to their lives.
- **Negative feedback** from customers who's invested enough to give feedback. Also shows that there's still room for improvement.
- **Paying customers** β Not to be mistaken with free users. When people open their wallets, they have skin in the game. It's the difference between heaven and earth.
- **Profit.** Note I didn't use "revenue". Because it's easy to earn $1M. Just spend $2M on ads. Profit is the what's sustainable. Profit is what makes your thing a real business.
- **Number of people you helped.** This group could be your paying customers yes, but it shouldn't be the entire group. Help other indies, other non-users, help grow your industry. Volunteer or do pro bono. Give without asking.
- **Your quality of life.** If your business isn't improving your life, why are you doing it? Sure, maybe we got to hunker down and hustle for a time to make it succeed. But always question ifβon your death bedβit's truly worth the trade-off. If I have to be a martyr and sacrifice my family life for decades, count me out.
- **Freedom.** This is personal to holder. To me. If my work isn't allowing me the autonomy and ownership to make my own decisions on time, effort, creativity, joy, people, impact and equity, then it's work that I should seriously start reconsidering.
*Did I miss anything?*
### Vanity metrics:
- Likes
- Impressions
- RTs
- Replies
- Page views
- Clicks
- Followers
- Email sign-ups/subscribers
- Mentions from press
- Praise from peers
- Free users
- Revenue π±
### Valuable metrics:
- **Positive testimonials** from customers that shows you're adding value to their lives.
- **Negative feedback** from customers who's invested enough to give feedback. Also shows that there's still room for improvement.
- **Paying customers** β Not to be mistaken with free users. When people open their wallets, they have skin in the game. It's the difference between heaven and earth.
- **Profit.** Note I didn't use "revenue". Because it's easy to earn $1M. Just spend $2M on ads. Profit is the what's sustainable. Profit is what makes your thing a real business.
- **Number of people you helped.** This group could be your paying customers yes, but it shouldn't be the entire group. Help other indies, other non-users, help grow your industry. Volunteer or do pro bono. Give without asking.
- **Your quality of life.** If your business isn't improving your life, why are you doing it? Sure, maybe we got to hunker down and hustle for a time to make it succeed. But always question ifβon your death bedβit's truly worth the trade-off. If I have to be a martyr and sacrifice my family life for decades, count me out.
- **Freedom.** This is personal to holder. To me. If my work isn't allowing me the autonomy and ownership to make my own decisions on time, effort, creativity, joy, people, impact and equity, then it's work that I should seriously start reconsidering.
*Did I miss anything?*