"Why You’re Absolutely a Data Person (No Matter How Much Spreadsheets Horrify You)"
Let me set the scene: you’re sitting in a meeting, and someone flashes a PowerPoint slide filled with more numbers than a phone book. You shrink a little in your chair, start wondering if it’s too early for lunch, and quietly hope nobody calls on you to interpret whatever grim tale these decimals are trying to tell.
They say “as you can see” and start rambling. You can’t see. You tell yourself they are talking to someone else. To the numbers people.
Then, later that day, you get an email you’ve been waiting for. Spotify Wrapped is here! You gleefully share yours, pointing out to anyone who will listen that yes, you did, in fact, spend 47 hours listening to early 2000s emo rock. You compare how many minutes you listen to with others. You’d have more, you say, if you didn’t share an account with your partner. In fact, you are in the top 0.5% of listeners — a fact you share with a pride that resembles a bumper sticker on a minivan that reads I have an honor roll student at… .
Or you proudly check your Apple Watch, proudly noting you closed all three rings (even if you had to pace the living room to do it).
Maybe it’s neither of those things, but instead, you’re refreshing your weather tracker every hour to see just how bad the snowstorm is going to be this week. You scroll through hourly forecasts, wind speeds, and snowfall projections with the intensity of someone analyzing stock trends, muttering, “Three inches by morning? Better find the shovel.”
Let’s face it: whether it’s Spotify stats, fitness goals, or storm preparedness, you’re not just using data—you’re living it. And loving it.
Do you see where I’m going with this?
You are a “numbers person”. Take a deep breath. It’s a good thing.
The Quiet Truth About Data
Here’s the thing: data isn’t some foreign, impenetrable language reserved for mathematicians and people who genuinely understand blockchain. It’s everywhere. It’s the lifeblood of your daily life, quietly powering your decisions, from which route to take to work (thank you, traffic data) to whether or not you’re hitting your step goals (bad news: you’re not).
The real issue isn’t data itself—it’s that it’s often delivered in a way that’s about as exciting as watching paint dry. And not even an interesting paint color, like Tuscan Sun or Mountain Fjord. We’re talking Beige 101.
Why Spreadsheets Make Us All Want to Lie Down
The disconnect, I suspect, comes down to presentation. Most data isn’t shared in vibrant, easy-to-digest ways like Spotify Wrapped or Apple’s cheerful activity rings. Instead, it’s dumped into endless spreadsheets with all the charisma of a wet sock. And unless you’re someone who genuinely enjoys sorting columns (in which case, you are a rare and glorious unicorn), this can make even the most intriguing insights feel like a chore.
Making Data Delightful
Here’s the good news: the solution is simple. The key to making everyone embrace their inner data nerd lies in how we present it.
Turn Numbers Into Pictures: Humans are visual creatures. Give us a pie chart, a bar graph, or even a quirky doodle over a table of numbers any day. Show, don’t swamp.
Tell a Story: Data on its own is like a random pile of Lego bricks. But connect the pieces into a narrative, and suddenly you’ve got a Death Star. (“Last quarter, our team’s productivity soared 25%, which means fewer late nights for all of us. Cheers to that!”)
Keep It Relevant: Nobody cares about obscure KPIs, but tell them how a specific trend will make their life easier, and you’ve got their attention. (E.g., “These sales numbers mean we’re getting a bigger coffee budget next year.”)
Trim the Fat: Let’s face it: no one has the patience to sift through 14 tabs of data. Focus on the key takeaways, and let the rest live peacefully in the land of “just in case.”
You’re A Numbers Person Just Like Everyone - It’s Going To Be OK
Here’s the kicker: being a “data person” doesn’t mean you have to love spreadsheets or understand how to build a formula without accidentally creating a vortex. It simply means recognizing the ways data can improve your life—and, when presented well, it always does.
So, the next time someone tells you they’re “not a numbers person,” just smile, wait a beat, and casually ask them how many times they listened to their favorite artist last year. Because nothing says “data nerd” quite like knowing exactly how many hours you’ve spent crying to Phoebe Bridgers or air drumming to AC/DC or picking Kendrick Lamar over Drake.
There you go. You’re a data person. Always have been. Welcome to the club. It’s nice to have you here.