The Hidden and Observable Metrics In Life
Ask these 10 questions to improve your happiness level.
In my previous post, I discussed the concept of the Arrival Fallacy. This theory suggests that constantly striving to achieve our dreams will not lead to long-term happiness, as our brains will always find new things to pursue. In other words, pursuing happiness is a never-ending journey rather than a final destination.
Many of us are unaware that pursuing our dreams often involves sacrificing other aspects of our lives, which can have negative consequences in the future. Every decision we make towards a certain direction in life incurs a cost, accumulating to a point where it can lead to a detrimental outcome.
Life is a trade. A trade happens when you exchange something for another to get something you want. Our ancestors who worked on farms used to trade their surplus crops for fish. They also traded animals for food or any goods or services.
The question is, in this modern time, what kind of trade are you willing to sacrifice?
The metrics
I want to explain the concept of observable and hidden metrics in life because most people trade for observable metrics by neglecting the hidden metrics.
Observable metrics include money in the bank, the value of your Mustang, prestigious jobs as a consultant, banker, or lawyer, fame, and houses that look like Disney's castle.
Hidden metrics include peace of mind, quality time with loved ones, time in nature, a good night's sleep, and, as George Mack says, "How much time can you lie down in a hammock doing nothing?"
It's common nowadays to shift our gears toward chasing observable metrics. The reason is simply that they're visible to people's naked eye. In a society where attention is becoming the new currency, it's so easy to prioritize and pursue observable metrics because the reward is real and instant. Your family, friends, and neighbors will see you as a successful person who has made it and got to the other side regardless of your internal feelings, whether you feel stressed, pressured, depressed, happy, sad, grateful, angry, etc.
As we continue to receive this constant positive feedback loop of respect and admiration from the people around us, we unwittingly join in this rat race of money and fame, leading us to hedonic treadmills and possibly a miserable life in the future when the cost starts to accumulate and explode.
We start to make decisions based on what people will see and perceive us as regarding the observable metrics, ignoring what we actually feel about it.
We trade for higher job titles for more time in the office and stress.
We trade for more money in the bank for being busy to the point we can't even enjoy the things we own.
We trade for more business deals for less time with family, the ability to live anywhere, or a good night's sleep.
We create more perfection on our IG posts to chase more likes and followers and become more famous, but we lose the ability to walk in the street peacefully and unbothered by the people who'd like to take some photos.
We hardly recognize the impact of pursuing observable metrics over hidden metrics because it is not easy. Prioritizing hidden metrics does not yield immediate external rewards and dopamine because it's something that we feel on the inside.
Only we know how we feel on the inside. We can't see a dashboard that shows our peace of mind, the quality of our relationships, and the value of overall well-being. So, it's not natural for people to go for hidden metrics where they can get instant rewards on observable metrics.
Interesting tweet on hidden metrics
This tweet is interesting. Shaan Puri asked what the signs are of people who are actually happy. It has many gems, but George Mack's answer hit me the most. Here is what he says:
1. How often they laugh at themselves.
2. How deeply present they are in conversations. If their mind wanders, they probably worry about the past or future.
3. How they treat people with little or no game theory benefit.
Number 3 might be the biggest one. Truly happy people I've met are an overflowing cup, and they can't help but be nice to people regardless.
Miserable people tend to only be nice to people they perceive as having higher status or who can give them resources. They are very cold to people they see as useless / beneath them from a success, money, status, or dating perspective.
Those answers make my mind wander because even though there's no dashboard for hidden metrics, we can see a glimpse of them in day-to-day patterns for people with high scores in hidden metrics. What makes me hooked on it is that people can't manipulate it like observable metrics can. We can't show how nice we are to people regardless of their status on Instagram because people might assume it is fake and manipulated; only through real-time interaction can we see patterns of those people, whether they have high scores on hidden metrics or not.
10 questions to optimize hidden metrics
Money and fame are the ultimate game that most people are optimizing for.
If you are not careful, you will play this game your whole life, where your hidden metrics will take their toll and suffer, and you will wonder why you are not happy.
I'm not saying you should leave all observable metrics completely off the table. But, it's essential to know, at any given time, how much hidden metrics we have sacrificed for a short-term gain on observable metrics.
Are we in the balance that we expect? Or should we tone observable metrics down to improve the hidden metrics? Or vice versa.
The answer lies within us to ask these questions:
What kind of life am I optimizing for right now?
Have I ever felt a moment of peace was worth more than a bonus?
When was the last time you measured your success by the quality of your relationships?
How do I define success in my own terms beyond social definitions?
Am I living in a way that aligns with my values?
What am I grateful for?
Do I feel like I am constantly rushing through life? What can I do to slow down?
How often do I engage in activities that enrich my soul or passion?
What steps can I take to cultivate more peace of mind?
How can I contribute to the well-being of others?
Understanding these questions will help us navigate the choices in our lives to find what truly brings us joy and fulfillment beyond the tangible rewards of life.
What about you?
What kind of life are you optimizing for right now?
Do you find joy in your daily life?
Share it in the comments.