Isn’t measuring life one of the most challenging tasks? On one hand, we try to quantify our experiences, achievements, and progress through various metrics like time, goals, and success. On the other hand, life’s true essence, purpose and value often lie in the qualitative “immeasurable” aspects – love, joy, personal growth, meaningful connections and even social media.
The mystique of measuring life stems from the challenge of reconciling quantitative – money, assets etc. and qualitative perspectives of life against time. We strive to make sense of and give purpose to our existence, to give life meaning and purpose. While acknowledging that some of the most precious moments and experiences cannot be captured by numbers or metrics, we attempt to find a high-level aggregate measurement.
We can’t control the past, but we can learn from the past; future is unknown, but we can prepare for it. Measurement of life allows us to learn from the past and prepare for the unknown future of our life.
Taking stock of life is a personal and a challenging matter. It depends on beliefs, values, goals, aspirations and above all the purpose of life. Very little work is done to create a standard metric for life. Moreover, measurements change as values, goals, aspirations etc. change with the passage of time. It is dynamic. It is a journey of candid self-reflection and self-discovery. The following may give us some pointers:
- Beliefs, values and preferences of individuals
- Make measurements against the beliefs, values and preferences important to a person
- Personal growth
- Many people measure their lives by their personal development and growth – education, skills acquired, emotional maturity, and self-awareness quality of relationships
- The quality of their relationships with family and friends is a primary measure of life
- Accomplishments
- The milestones reached, awards received, or goals attained becomes a measurement – positive impact made on fellow citizens
- Impact on others
- This is a brutal metric for people who suffer from acute attachment to material things instead of making a positive impact on family, friends and colleagues
- Impact on environment
- What impact have you made on the environment?
- Legacy
Some may measure life based on “things” they leave behind. Others may value memories they leave behind. Some may even consider collectables like watches, cars, motorcycles etc. they leave behind as their legacy.
- Intergenerational wealth transfer
- In some societies intergenerational wealth transfer is a priority. Even if the next generation is self-reliant, they are obliged to gather as much as possible for the next generation.
Is there a universal measurement? Thus far, we haven’t come across any. Measuring life is an ongoing process. Whatever the measurement we derive should embrace individual’s lifecycle. Life changes. We must capture this change to understand our progress.
- Regularly review how you are progressing towards your goals and intentions, while celebrating your successes.
- Acknowledge the areas where you may need to improve.
- Beware of unnecessary comparisons. They add very little value for you and your unique self.
Measuring life is not about comparing yourself to others or striving to become a superhuman. It is about understanding yourself, living authentically, looking within and continually striving to grow, learn, and evolve as a person. Be gracious and compassionate towards yourself as you navigate complexities and turbulences of life. Work towards creating a meaningful and fulfilling existence. Focus on fulfilment.
More on the approaches to measuring life will be presented in a forthcoming book.