Background

In this story, I tried to condense 10 years of work and Tableau experience into 5 minutes. I was not able to do that, so it took me 10 minutes in total. One day I might write the proper story that includes the important details of my analytics journey.

Obviously, this article title was heavily influenced by the book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”.  As I mention in the video, I’ve now got analytics covered from A – Z (Ace-Zen).

Some of these analytic abilities are partly mine, but I owe most of what I can do to Alteryx and Tableau. Without these fantastic software packages, I would be plodding along at the speed of sound, still writing custom codes that serve only the job they were intended to do. Instead, I get to fly at the speed of thought, which makes my job and life so much more enjoyable and interesting.

Here is a short version of my story that includes failure, persistence, stubbornness, and doing the dirty work that nobody sees as you progress through your career. I believe that you have to have this type of dogged determination coupled with a strong work ethic if you want to achieve mastery in your field of study. For more on these thoughts, please read the opening quote in this article.

Final Thoughts

The most humbling aspect of receiving this honor is this: the absolute greatness of the other Zen Masters. If you are a student of Tableau like I am, the names and faces of the other honorees are well-known. Their accomplishments are outstanding. Everyone has different talents, but yet they all understand and practice the same things. Everyone that has been given this honor has shared their love and passion for this company and their products. In today’s world where so many people are takers, this annual assemblage of givers is a very nice thing to see. I offer my congratulations to all other honorees.