Three Numbers That Tell the Truth

The Moment That Changes Everything

You stare at a dashboard packed with charts but feel stuck—none tell you what to do next. Then you spot three simple numbers that cut through the noise: Did you produce proof? Did you finish what you started? How fast did anyone respond? These three guide your next move, turning overwhelm into clear focus.

Opening Scene

You open an analytics dashboard and see a forest of charts. None tell you what to do today. Three small numbers will: did you produce proof, did you finish what you started, and how fast did anyone respond? That’s enough to steer a week.

Why These Numbers

Cutting Through Complexity

Dashboards can bury the signal you need. These three numbers map directly to your core levers—starts, finishes, feedback—and take under a minute to record. They reveal stalls quickly and suggest your next move without spreadsheets or setup.

Daily Proof

What Counts as Proof?

Proof is simple: did you ship something visible today? A link, demo clip, user reply, or signup counts. Planning and invisible cleanup don’t.

Your Daily Habit

Log one line per day with date, artifact, link, and a brief note. Aim for four to six proof days per week if you work most days. Small, real progress beats polished but private.

Finish Rate

Measuring Progress

Finish Rate is slices shipped divided by sessions. Think one screen, one task, one call to action. Track daily; compute the ratio weekly. Healthy rates fall between 60-80%. Lower means your slices are too big.

Keep It Small

Cut scope until you can ship in under 40 minutes. This keeps momentum flowing.

Feedback Latency

Why Speed Matters

Feedback Latency measures hours from ship to first human response. Under a day is ideal; under three is acceptable.

How to Improve

Ask one person directly in a channel they watch and make replying easy. If feedback takes a week, change your approach.

Tiny Tracker in Practice

• One row per day: date, proof (Y/N + note), slices, sessions, finish rate, ask sent (Y/N), first reply, latency.
• Add a weekly summary row.
• The goal: quick updates that keep you honest and focused.

Reading The Story: Quick Checks

• Low proof days? Focus on starting smaller, priming your work.
• Low finish rate? Slice thinner and set hard stops.
• High latency? Make asks direct and improve channels.
• Combine signals to diagnose deeper issues and adjust.

What’s Next

These three numbers become your compass, guiding small ships, sharper slices, and clearer asks. Next, we’ll connect these metrics to the TenK loops, giving your work a simple, powerful spine.