Good May Be Not Enough

When you can express what you do in numbers or repetitions, it becomes easy to track your progress. For example, you could keep count of how many pages you read every day.

Not everything can be quantified as a number, however. I would say that many important things can’t be.

For example, aside from the number of pages read, is your reading getting better over time? Have you become better at choosing what you are reading? What means “better” in this context? Maybe it’s about finding the information you were looking for. Or gaining new insights on a subject you know well.

Focusing on the number of repetitions helps build a habit, but is not enough for achieving exceptional performance. You need to narrow your focus to gain the specific skills that unlock the next level. This is what some authors call deliberate practice.