Counting is great, and I'm sure lots of people have had success with it. But it's not for me.
First off, everything about counting calories is a guess. Even if you are putting literally everything on a scale, there is a large margin of error. Determining exactly how much you need is really a guess. Sure their are formulas, we try and use our weight and our body fat and activity level to determine how much to eat, but in the end, it's just a guess.
I don't count anything, but I do watch what I'm eating, I know if I've had a high protein day, a high carb day, or a day with lots of fats, I time my macros according to the time of day and how active I was or plan on being.
I listen to my body, and depending on my goals, eat accordingly.
If I feel like I'm adding some fat, I scale it back, if I feel like I'm low on carbs, I carb up.
When it's getting to the end of the day, I think about what I've eaten, and then pick something to eat that fits in well.