You know, that idea that “What you measure improves” is one of those simple but brutally effective truths. It’s the secret sauce for making real progress, whether you’re building a business or just building better habits.
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Meaning
At its core, this quote means that your focus determines your reality. The things you track and pay attention to will inevitably get better, while everything else will, well, kind of fall apart from neglect.
Explanation
Let me break it down for you. I’ve seen this play out so many times. The act of measuring something—be it your daily protein intake, your weekly sales calls, or even just the number of pages you read—forces a level of awareness that is transformative. It’s like turning on a spotlight. Suddenly, you see the details, the patterns, the tiny leaks. And because you’re looking at it, you’re naturally inclined to fix it, to optimize it. The flip side, “what you ignore decays,” is just as powerful. It’s the law of entropy in action. That side project, that client relationship, that fitness routine… if it’s not on your radar, it will inevitably start to deteriorate. It’s not malice, it’s just physics. Out of sight, truly out of mind.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | awareness (126), growth (413), measurement (9) |
| Literary Style | direct (414), structured (37) |
| Emotion / Mood | motivating (311), rational (68) |
| Overall Quote Score | 73 (94) |
Origin & Factcheck
This specific phrasing comes from Marc Perry’s 2011 fitness book, “Built Lean,” published in the United States. Now, here’s a fun fact—people often misattribute this idea to management guru Peter Drucker, who famously said, “What gets measured, gets managed.” Perry’s version is a more direct and personal take on that same timeless principle, applied to the world of physical transformation.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Marc Perry (57) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Built Lean: The Bodybuilding Guide for Men and Women Who Want to Lose Fat and Build Muscle (57) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Marc D. Perry studies how hip hop and performance shape Black identity, citizenship, and everyday life in the Caribbean and the Americas. An associate professor and author of Negro Soy Yo: Hip Hop and Raced Citizenship in Neoliberal Cuba, he engages anthropology and African American studies to analyze culture, politics, and belonging. The Marc Perry book list emphasizes ethnography and critical theory, and his teaching, writing, and public talks translate complex scholarship into accessible insights about race and culture.
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | What you measure improves, what you ignore decays |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2019; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781097511885; Last edition: 2019; Number of pages: 240 |
| Where is it? | Chapter 9: Time and Focus, page 186 / 240 |