NPS of my life

“On a scale of 1-10 (10 being most likely), how likely would you be to recommend your life to a friend or colleague?”

(Answer for yourself before reading further…)

The NPS score is a staple in the world of business. The metric, which legend says was created by some all-star consultants at Bain, measures a consumer’s sentiment. Often asked in the context of gathering product review data:

“On a scale of 1-10 (10 being most likely) how likely would you be to recommend this product to a friend or colleague?”

• 9’s & 10’s are golden. These earn you the status of being a “Promoter”, signaling that you’re very pleased with the product and would be inclined to recommend it to a friend who might find it relevant.

• 7’s & 8’s are considered general indifference. This is the “satisfied, but not excited” category. Gets the job done but doesn’t go above & beyond.

• Then, if you answer anything 6 or below you’re in the “Detractor” zone. Would not recommend. Tread carefully. Best to seek out an alternative solution.

(“Why aren’t the cutoffs just above & below 5?” you might ask… Well, the consultants who created this are far smarter & paid a much higher salary than me, so you’ll have to ask them. But my best guess is social capital. The survey director doesn’t believe that you’d actually go out of your way to recommend a product to your friend, if you’re only hovering at a 7. You’d be risking too much reputational damage if the vacuum cleaner you recommend to your a fellow homeowner doesn’t suck up to their expectations.)

Now, how to interpret the results when applied to a life?!? Using the consultant’s scale:

• 9-10: “Thriving.” Waking up ready to live the Best Day Ever.

• 7-8: “Nothing to complain about.” Living the good life with a general sense of contentment.

• 1-6: ranging from “OK” to “A total bummer”. This range suggests that I might even wish to trade my life for another.

A classic follow-up question to the survey participant’s NPS answer is:

“What changes would the product need to make in order to get you to a 9 or a 10?”

This is where the magic happens…

The reviewer starts to open up about where the product’s bugs are buggin’ ‘em. But, even more exciting, they often begin to share new feature ideas that they’ve ideated on their own. Getting these answers can help inform the next stage of innovation for the product’s creation, as the product review turns into a no-wrong-answers-here brainstorming session.

7’s & 8’s might only be looking for a tweak or two to get them up to Promoter Land. So, that can be quite easy for the product’s designers to implement. Meanwhile, if I’m sitting at a 2, then it might take a full pivot to get me to recommend the tool. Either way, the answer to the follow-up is extremely useful.

Sometimes, the reviewer shares a preposterous idea that’s completely outside the realm of possibility:

“I’d be at a 10 if it could teleport me to Mars.”

“Sir, you do know that we’re asking you about the latest AirPods?”

“Yes, I do. And I won’t be recommending them to any friends until they’re capable of space travel.”

(Feel free to use the idea, Apple.)

Other times, the reviewer is asking for a feature that’s outside of the product company’s control:

“I was going to give it a 10, but the product didn’t fix my marriage.”

“Ma’am, we sell luxury handbags. Where did you generate the expectation that we would fix the habitual bickering with your husband?”

“Well, my friend recommended this bag to me and she & her husband seem very happy.”

(Sigh. But understandable correlation - handbags do solve a lot of problems, amiright ladies?!?)

“What changes would you need to make in order to get you to a 9 or a 10?”

Your answer to this question is where all the secrets to transformation are hiding! List out the changes that would bump you up to a 9 or 10.

(If you’re already there, then props to you. Keep doin’ your thing! If you’re at a 2, then do you need to make a full life pivot instead of a couple minor changes?)

Now, take a look at your list of “requested features” and “bug fixes.”

Which of these do you believe would be the biggest driver of a score increase?

Which of these new features are within your control to create?

Which of these bugs do you own the ability to fix?

For the changes that are outside of your control, can you cross them off & let them go?

If you’re not currently at a 10, then do your circumstances need to change or do you just need a lil perspective shift?

Obviously, the situations that I face in my daily life won’t always (or ever) be easy, but can I meet them with a sense of gratitude anyway?

What do I need to change or embrace in order to start my day enthusiastically?

P.S. - this is meant to be a solo reflection. If you’re at a 9 or 10, you don’t have to actually go around recommending your life to your friends and telling them how great it is. That’s what Instagram is for.