Mike McKee Writes

Here are three things to know about me:

I’ve been a data analyst for one year
I spent eight months, starting in May 2023, writing on my data blog
I stopped it all exactly 275 days ago

But now I’m back. After many months off, I’ve decided to start writing about data again. I’ll share why in this post.

Some Background Info

As I said, I last wrote a data blog post 275 days ago. And I did so on my blog Dorky Data.

Dorky Data started in May 2023 when I chose to enter the data world. Or as I like to call it, “the Dorky World of Data.” Having never been in a data role or worked intimately with data at the time, this new chapter of my life excited me.

I created Dorky Data for seven reasons:

Build credibility
Network with data dorks
Write and create content
Show off and boast my data skills
Build authority in the field
Have accountability for learning
Stay up to date with data trends

For the following eight months, I had fun writing about data.

Then one day, I woke up and thought “Ehh I’ve had enough.”

Just like that I gave up on the data content. I decided “no more for me” and moved on with life. Honestly, there were four main factors behind why I quit:

I spent too much time around data
I wanted to explore other hobbies/passions
I didn’t obsess over data as much as I used to
Most importantly, I stopped having fun writing about data

I could go more in depth on these factors, but that’s not the point of this post. Perhaps, I’l expand on those ideas in the future.

But for now, let me share why I’ve decided to write about data again…

3 Reasons I’m Writing About Data Again

1. I’m Going All-In With Data

After quitting data content in January, I started to explore hobbies and passions I wish I had. While doing this, I doubted if the data field was right for me. I considered giving up data altogether.

It felt ironic because I had spent the previous eight to nine months obsessing over data and revolving over 80% of my time around it. Yet, there I was, debating whether or not a future in data was the right path for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the work I did at the time. There were plenty of days where my work engrossed me. Where I stared at my screen for three plus hours straight trying to solve a problem. That sounds terrible to most people. But I loved it. I felt as if I were in the right place, doing the right thing.

There were also days I didn’t feel excited to work, however. Days where I wanted to turn off my laptop and not do a single thing. Those days were the worst. They made me fall out of love with data.

This was me from March to June of this year. I hopped back and forth between loving and hating data.

Then something clicked for me over the summer.

I don’t know exactly what changed my mind. But something changed. I enjoyed my work more and felt excited to show up. Perhaps it was the fact I had more projects of the style I preferred. I don’t like projects where I’m given a roadmap or step-by-step instructions on what to do. That’s not fun. It doesn’t allow for my critical thinking skills or creativity to thrive.

That type of work makes me feel like an implementer only.

I like work where I get to be the problem-solver, the solution maker, and the implementer.

Having more work like this made me happy. And now, I’m more interested in data than ever before. I look forward to analyzing new problems and learning new things every day at work.

That’s why I’ve decided to go all-in with data.

I’m still young in the field—only have one year of experience. But I’m a quick learner and have done a lot during my first year. Reflecting on the progress I have made so far excites me for what I can do in the next 2-3 years in this field. I know I have the power to make a big impact with data.

So, I’m looking forward to that.

2. I Want to Learn More About Data

There will always be something new for me to learn. It can be a new data tool or a new problem solving framework or a new industry trend or something else. I’ll never know enough. There will always be more to learn.

When I started Dorky Data, my goal was to share everything I learned about data.

Writing about ideas helps me understand them at a deeper level.

I like to think that, during my first few months writing on Dorky Data, I absorbed and retained more information than I would have without my blog. I’m no scientist or brain expert. But I believe that one’s learning ability accelerates when they write about the ideas they consume.

So, if I want to learn more about data, I should write more about data. It’s that simple.

3. Network With Data Dorks Again

Building a website is different from social media. You don’t have a natural flow of traffic visiting your site and enjoying the great content you put out. You have to be your site’s salesperson. You have to find ways to direct people to your site.

That’s why I shared data content on LinkedIn alongside posting on Dorky Data.

I had an easy time growing a LinkedIn following and connecting with fellow data dorks in the data space. This changed my life. The traffic to Dorky Data was never exceptional; it only had a few hundred visitors per month, in fact. But the people I met through it made the journey feel exceptional.

I had countless conversations every week with people trying to make it in the data industry and those already in the industry.

That was fun. I chatted with them through DMs, emails, one-on-one calls, and even some group calls.

But once I stopped writing about data, I stopped engaging with people on LinkedIn.

So, I lost contact with all of those incredible connections I had previously made.

This is the only regret I have from quitting Dorky Data.

But regrets don’t have to live long. A big reason I’m writing about data again is because I want to strengthen and grow my network. There are thousands, maybe millions, of data professionals in the world who have valuable insights to share.

I want to meet those people and befriend them.

Why I’m Writing Here Instead of at Dorky Data

When I decided to write again, my first instinct was to do so under the dorkydata.com domain. I built that site for the sole purpose of creating data content, so it made sense to return there.

But after careful thought, I opted to use my personal website instead.

Why?

Well, there are a few reasons.

For starters, I don’t plan on selling the intellectual property created from my writing. Yes, I want to build a data brand, but it will be a personal data brand. You know, one that revolves around me and my experiences. So, I’m not in the business of turning my writing into a brand I could one day sell to someone.

Another reason is that I want people to know who is writing these posts. Who knows how big my writing will get? Maybe no one will read it. Or maybe thousands of people will read it each month.

Either way, if I want to make a name for myself in the data space, I want people to know who is writing what they read. Having my name in the url makes it easier for people to know.

I’m trying not to overthink this decision. What matters most isn’t the platform or domain name I choose to write under. What matters is that I am writing, that I am sharing my stories, and that I am building a name for myself in the dorky world of data.

Enough on that.

What to Expect Moving Forward

I’m a bit in no man’s land right now.

There is no strict roadmap or guide I will follow from here. I’m setting no restrictions on how often I post or how long my posts are. Ideally, I’ld like to post 1-2 times per week. And that will include a mix of short posts (a few hundred words) and long posts (5,000+ word reflections).

But the truth is, there’s no telling what will happen.

The only way to find out is to take action and see what happens.

Luckily, I have a backlog of 20+ post ideas. So, I better get busy.

(editing update: I started writing this post on 2024-10-03 and now it’s 2024-10-10. So I’m already slacking. Now I really have to get busy with the 20+ post backlog I have.)