The Power of Measuring Growth in Days

We often hear about setting long-term goals—where do you see yourself in a year, five years, or even a decade? While thinking big is important, I found that breaking it down into days made everything much clearer for me. Instead of measuring my progress in months or years, I started measuring it in days. And that changed everything.

From a very young age, I struggled with consistency. Deep down, I always wanted to improve and be disciplined, but consistency was always a major barrier. I would get a new football but not stick to the sport, join a class but end up with the least attendance, start going to the gym or running but never follow through. I could start things, but I couldn’t continue them—and believe me, that held me back from my own growth.

My Nanaji has been a constant example of consistency—he reads books and newspapers every single day without fail. One random day in December 2024, I decided to join him. I started reading books, and by January, I was also reading newspapers and articles. Now, I spend almost 1.5 hours a day reading.

Having Nanaji helped me stay consistent with reading, but I was still struggling with other things. Then, I came across Austin Kleon’s “Steal Like an Artist”, where he suggested tracking your work daily with a checklist. That idea intrigued me—I wanted to be consistent. So, I made a checklist where each checkbox represented a task for the day. I did miss a few times, but seeing an empty checkbox didn’t feel right. So, I scrapped that list and made a new one. Since then, I haven’t missed a single checkbox.

This approach taught me that growth isn’t about massive leaps overnight; it’s about small, intentional steps taken consistently. Improvement is a compounding effect. A little better each day turns into something remarkable over time. Even on the toughest days, if I just showed up and gave whatever I could, it counted. It wasn’t about perfection but about persistence. 

Instead of obsessing over outcomes, focus on the process. understanding about small, consistent efforts that add up over time. It builds up a mindset that tracks progress in a way that actually feels good. And trust me once you look back it’s all worth it.

Measuring my progress in days made everything tangible. Instead of being overwhelmed by the future, I focused on the present—on what I could do today to move forward. Whether it was learning something new, pushing through a challenge, or simply being mindful of my actions, it all added up.

I won’t say it’s been easy. Some days still feel heavier than others. But knowing that every tick, every effort, and every small win contributes to something bigger keeps me going.

Growth is not a destination; it’s a daily commitment. And for me, thinking about today makes the journey a lot clearer.

What about you? How do you measure your growth?

— Taher Murtaza Nasikwala