Measuring changes how we behave.
We recently got a cork world map – it’s now got dozens of colored pushpins charting our travels around the country and world. I love it!
I also noticed that almost immediately, I started imagining trips that would let me put some extra pins in the map. Next time I go to Massachusetts, for example, I’m planning a quick trip north into Vermont. What about a trip West to knock off a whole bunch of states none in our family have visited?
The act of charting our travels changed the way I think about traveling.
Measuring changes how we approach just about everything. Standardized testing changes how and what we teach. Apps like “MapMyRun” change how we think about physical fitness. The measurable daily streak here changed how I approached writing many years ago.
Those are obvious ones. What about less obvious effects?
Does the grocery store points app change what you buy? Do Spotify playlists and listen counts change how you listen to music?
Does the choral festival rubric change how you teach music and what you prioritize?
Measuring changes how we behave. So think twice before choosing to measure things.