“Success is more than numbers; it’s the lives we touch.“
Chasing Numbers, Forgetting Meaning
AS we step into 2026, the familiar routine begins. New targets. New resolutions. New KPIs to chase. Many of us have already opened fresh spreadsheets, drafted new work plans, and listed goals for the year ahead. In workplaces, schools, and universities, achievements are commonly shown through numbers – how many papers published, grants approved, students supervised, events organised.
Numbers are useful. They help us evaluate progress, justify resources, and plan our direction. But sometimes, in the rush to tick boxes and meet deadlines, we forget something important:
Not everything that matters can be measured.
How do we capture the patience of guiding a struggling student until they finally understand? How do we record the courage of a young researcher who tries again after failure? Which form measures the joy of returning a book to a village – a gesture that honours their stories and heritage?
These moments don’t appear in annual reports, yet they carry meaningful weight in the real world.
The Success We Don’t Record
Last year reminded me that success is not always found in KPIs alone. In community programmes, we often report participant numbers, duration, budget, outputs.
But real success is deeper – it is the trust that slowly grows, the knowledge exchanged, the pride when communities see their traditions documented and valued. Sometimes success is simply going back to them with updates, not taking knowledge and disappearing. That small act builds dignity and respect.
In teaching, KPIs say “syllabus delivered and grades submitted”. But what stays in our memory is when a student quietly says, “Thank you, I almost gave up, but your words helped.” No metric can capture that.
In research, the world looks at impact factor, quartile rankings, citation counts, and grant amounts. Yet, there are victories outside the system: a student’s excitement over a new discovery, a plant sample collected before its knowledge is lost, a conversation with indigenous elders that opens our eyes to wisdom no textbook teaches.
There is success in the unseen – the emotional, human side of our work.
2026: Measuring Success Differently
So maybe in 2026, we can ask ourselves different questions:
- Who benefited from what I did?
- Did my work inspire or empower someone?
- Did I share knowledge with sincerity?
- Did I grow not only in skills, but also in character?
Progress is not just about reaching targets. Sometimes it is about beginning. Sometimes it is about failing and trying again. Sometimes it is the courage to keep going when things are slow and quiet.
KPIs can count achievements, but they cannot count passion. They can list outputs but not values. They can record results, but not kindness, honesty, resilience, or heart.
And often, these unseen elements shape the world more than we realise.
Success With Heart
As we move further into the new year, may we continue to achieve great things – write papers, win grants, complete projects, train students, and serve communities.
But let us also learn to pause and appreciate the smaller victories that don’t show up in reports: the student who grows more confident, the colleague who feels supported, the village elder who smiles knowing their knowledge is treasured.
One day, when we look back, we may not remember how many KPIs we met. But we will remember the people we helped, the communities we served, the knowledge we saved, and the values we stood for.
Success is not just about numbers. Success is the difference we make in someone’s life.
Here’s to 2026 – a year of meaningful work, good values, and growth that extends far beyond the score sheet. May we measure success not only with data, but with heart.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at ab_fauziah@upm.edu.my.
