Measure What You Control—Why Input Metrics Drive Results

It’s common for teams—and people—to measure themselves by outcomes: sales made, grades earned, pounds lost, awards won. But focusing only on results can be discouraging and leaves you powerless when outside factors intervene. That’s why high-performing groups change the question to, 'What can I actually control day-to-day that will move me closer to my goals?'

When a team realizes that daily behaviors—calls made, features shipped, books read—are what they actually steer, they start tracking these so-called input metrics. Output metrics (like sales or grades) still matter, but they’re lagging indicators; inputs are where change happens. For example, lowering product prices (an input) boosts customer delight and sales (outputs)—but teams can directly manipulate prices, not customer happiness.

By tracking and reviewing controllable actions at regular intervals, teams spot problems early and can fix inputs before outputs tank. Behavioral science links this to locus of control: people who focus on actions within their influence see more improvement and less stress. If your efforts only feel rewarding when a big result lands, small wins go unnoticed. Rewire your focus, and you set up a more sustainable and motivating system.

Shift your spotlight from final scores to what fills the scorecard every day.

Figure out exactly what big results you care about—be it revenue, GPAs, customer happiness—and jot those outputs down. Now, for each, brainstorm the levers you actually touch: hours spent, emails sent, calls made, quality checks. Choose to measure those 'inputs' regularly with your team or for yourself—it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just consistent. Add check-ins to celebrate effort and identify friction, so you fix course early. It might feel like a small shift, but it’s how lasting gains are built and how teams stop blaming luck for their success—or lack thereof.