Three Key Mistakes in My Data Analytics Journey

Looking at my data analytic journey, there are some things I truly wish I did for the benefit of others as well as my own growth. In this post I will go over the three things I would have done differently given the chance to go back in time. The good news is that I can correct course and act based on my new acquired knowledge moving forward.

At the top of the list is my decision to not document and post my journey online. I am only just now recently seeing how valuable my lessons and experiences would have been for someone that is going through the same process I went through. It also would have been nice to be able and see visually my progress from previous post & videos.  Looking at my very early days in the journey, I remember not even knowing what SQL was.  I remember doing the easy level exercises on w3schools to get an idea of how SELECT statements works. I remember trying to distinguish what was the difference between a right and a left join. Now SQL is one of my biggest assets and favorite tools to use in my role.

Looking at the current rise in Data Analytics, I am not at all surprised to see how much it has blown up. One of my favorite things about is that the skills are more valuable than credentials such as degrees & certifications. This puts the odds in the favor of those who have the desire & ambition to make their way into the field. There are of course barriers, but none that can’t be torn down. Speaking to business in general, we are collection and storing more data than we have ever have previously.  With this increase, there is also an increased need for professionals to draw insights and turn it into something actionable.

This is where me and you come in. I didn’t go to school specifically for data analytics nor had plans to be in the field just a couple years ago, but still was able to find myself here today. I went to school for Business with 0 idea of what I was going to with it in the real world. What aided me in my transition and newfound interest in data, was the infinite number of resources available online. The bulk of my learning came from DataCamp and YouTube tutorials that were for specific cases of me being stuck on a problem. Once I decided my route, it was no going back for me.

I have never been the type of person who loves to document or post what’s going on in my life. I am more on the introverted side of the spectrum and rather just keep a lower profile. For some, it’s not easy to put themselves out there to the world to be judged or fail. I went through a phase of contemplation if I should make the transition to putting my experiences and learning lessons out to the world.

I began asking questions such as “Who would benefit from this””, “Would I have benefit if I had someone else doing the same exact thing?”, “What’s more valuable?” giving others the chance to increase their probability of success or the opinions of others. When putting it that way, I knew what my answer was. This is what ultimately led to me deciding to write and put my experiences out.

Moving on to my second regret, it would be not surrounding myself with people on the same mission as me. As primates we learned to survive and thrive in tribes. We lifted each other up and put together our energy and resources for the benefit of the everyone. This is still relevant today. We wouldn’t have the great luxuries we have today if we didn’t come together and continually evolve as a society. It is easy to sit back and take for granted the labor that others before us have done to get us where we are today. We owe it to our peers to be a part of this continual improvement to society by offering our unique perspective and skills. I find it more fulfilling to prosper with other compared to doing things that result in only a benefit for myself. My life-long sport endeavors have given me first-hand experience as to how rewarding it is to be on a mission with others.

Being a part of something bigger than yourself is what truly drives a human being. Having other inspiring analysts or people that were already analyst would have made the beginning of my journey more fruitful. While being self-reliant is a valuable and essential skill to succeed, why not make it easier on us by growing with others. I have always performed my best when my actions were going to have a direct impact on others. This external pull to want to be better for the next person is a part of or human nature.

Moving on, the third and final regret is a common one for good reasons. I wish I started sooner. It took me a while to fully decide this was going to be the path I would walk. I suffered from lots of procrastination, fear, self-doubt, and uncertainty. With very little knowledge to the field, I felt overwhelmed with how much with how much I needed to learn. I was seeing where others who had already settled into their positions while ignoring what it took for them to get there. Comparison will always be the thief of joy. I had to slowly build confidence by showing up every day and putting my best foot forward regardless of how I felt.

After a certain point I had built up enough evidence that showed I was cut out for it. This evidence may look different for you. I was still getting rejection emails no responses after first round interviews, but my progress was undeniable. I was building my understanding of the field and skills necessary to thrive in it. Things I previously didn’t understand was all sudden starting to make sense to me. This building blocks of progress mixed with understanding is what kept me moving forward despite the circumstances.

These are my regrets and a takeaway from each one.

Regret 1. Not documenting and sharing my journey online. Takeaway: Sharing experiences and lessons learned can provide value to others on a similar path. Even a beginner has value to provide.

Regret 2. Not surrounding myself with like-minded individuals. Takeaway: Don’t estimate how powerful it is to be in an environment where everyone is on a similar mission.  We evolved in communities, and it is in our human nature to do so.

Regret 3. Delaying my decision to fully commit to the journey. Takeaway: The time and energy I spent procrastinating I could have been used to move me farther along and get closer to my goal.