We might be too obsessed with metrics

For a long time, I thought I needed to become "someone special" to matter in this world. I was always waiting—waiting to feel good enough and waiting to start really living.

But the truth is simple: I am already someone. I am me, right now.

In 2022, something happened that taught me an important lesson. After one year of careful content planning, consistent posting, and endless engagement, my Instagram account finally hit 100,000 followers. The moment I saw that number tick over, I felt a rush of excitement.

This was it - the milestone I'd been working toward for so long.

I remember staring at my phone, waiting for something to change. I expected my inbox to flood with collaboration offers. I thought brands would suddenly notice me. I imagined the ad revenue would start flowing in. I'm gonna be someone. My life will change.

But nothing happened.

The next day came and went just like any other. I still had the same job, my bank account looked the same, and my real-life relationships hadn't changed. A few friends sent congratulatory messages, but within days, life continued exactly as before.

By mid-2023, it finally hit me: I had over 100,000 followers on Instagram but only less than $100 left in my bank account.

Nothing happened.

We've become a society obsessed with metrics. Followers, likes, views, and subscribers numbers have become how we measure our worth. We track them, celebrate them, and let them determine our mood each day. But what are we really counting?

That number—100,000—which had seemed so important turned out to be just that: a number on a screen.

While I was busy growing my online presence, I missed life happening right in front of me. The significant aspects of my life—hours spent with loved ones, moments of genuine connection, days of feeling truly present–were dwindling.

I skipped hanging out with friends because I needed to finish editing my content to meet the "peak engagement times." I listened to my friend's heartfelt stories while thinking about how to make them into shareable content. I turned beautiful moments into content opportunities.

I had forgotten that life happens offline. The warmth of a friend's hug can't be quantified. The peace of watching a sunset without documenting it has no metric. The depth of a conversation where no one is checking their phone has no algorithm.

I don't need to be famous to matter. My relationships with friends and family create real meaning in my life. The small ways I help others are important, even if no one notices, even if they never become content. Even if I am the only audience.

When I focus too much on my online presence, I forget to tend to my real-life relationships. I forget that the most meaningful parts of being human can't be captured in a post or measured in engagement rates.

I'm learning to measure different things now: moments of genuine connection, times I felt fully present, and days I didn't check my follower count. These metrics actually reflect a life well-lived.

I am someone. I am me. And no number on a screen will ever capture the fullness of who I am or the life I'm meant to live.

So here's a reminder for us both: there's more to life beyond the screens.

Let's touch some grass.

I hope you find this insightful. Remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Your friend,
Brian.