Taking the Harder Path

For reasons ununderstandable to me, there’s much overt and covert discussion about whether online analytics is hard or not, or even if it should be.

It seems an odd discussion to me. I regularly receive analytics reports on my various blogs and such. Interesting to look at and nothing I recognize as actionable. Guessable, yes, obviously actionable, no. I also receive NextStageish reports on my various blogs and such. Those let me know what my readers are thinking and responding internally. Much more valuable (to me) than “clicks on a page” because now I know why they clicked or didn’t.

For example, today I was sent Fascinating and frightening, but real magic! a customer review of Reading Virtual Minds V1: Science and History on Amazon.com. The review took me by surprise:

“What started as an exploration into how I might provide a better user experience to website visitors quickly turned into a journey of self exploration. Joseph Carrabis is able to explain complex subjects in simple and easy to understand text. This book solidified so many connections for me that on more than one occasion I thought to myself “WOW, so that’s why people do that!”
“As you get to the end of the book it becomes clear that ET in the wrong hands could be a bad thing. Yet, it’s exciting to think of all the positive and good uses for this sophisticated technology. The book really sparked my imagination and I can’t wait for volume II!”

I thanked Ms. Flatt via Twitter. Her comments are, to me, sweeter than wine, finer than gold, bluer than the most midnight sky and truer than my heart with my lovely Susan beside me.

Ms. Flatt’s review is an example of someone getting it. No study, no work, nothing is going to be as fulfilling as the work, study, play, whatever, you do that helps you discover yourself, helps you learn how to be a better being, a better you.

But the person getting it needs to be ready, willing and able to do the work involved in getting it.

And although I’ve been talking, teaching and presenting on such topics for over 20 years now, there is still no greater thrill for me than knowing someone has peeled that onion back just a little bit, has peered into the face of their own internal gods, has learned who, what, when, where, why and how they are and has started down the path of getting it.

Because to truly be of service to another you must first learn to be the other. One way to do that is to learn more about yourself, the peeling of the onion, and in most cases be prepared to cry.

My opinion, that.

The work is often challenging, the path often difficult, the rewards always wonderful and worth it.

My opinion, that, as well.

So although I don’t recognize online analytics as “hard”, I do recognize harder paths, such as the one of self-discovery.

I’m about to take such a harder path, this time volunteering for Web Analytics Without Borders (WAWB). This is the harder path (in my opinion) because rolling up one’s proverbial sleeves and offering to help is inherently more challenging than complaining about a problem, pointing out the errors others are making in working towards solutions and not getting involved oneself. The resources outside of oneself when volunteering are minimal if they exist at all therefore the resources must come from within, which means one must discover them, hence it is a path of self-discovery and inherently harder than otherwise.

So you, Dear Reader…are you willing to challenge yourself to make life less challenging for others? Contact Stephane Hamel or Adam Laughlin at WAWB.

And thanks.