My own Excel learning journey has been full of Googling, reading, and self-experimenting.

During my undergraduate years, I started learning Microsoft Excel when I realized how important Excel is in the real working world. I wanted to reach a level of comfort with Excel so that I can say I’m “proficient in Microsoft Excel” on my resume.

When I finally joined the workforce, I find that the truth is shocking…

Employers heard of the prowess of Microsoft Excel, and assume that we know just about everything Excel. They forgot that Excel never found its way into our 10+ years of formal education, and most of us picked up Excel on our own.

Almost every job demands for Excel know-how, but few spend time to learn how to use this program better. Excel becomes the fearful monster that eats up our time at work.

We either waste a lot of time trying to (1) do repetitive things manually, or (2) Google for “how to do X in Excel”. Late nights were common especially when bosses want us to make changes to business rules and assumptions on our spreadsheets.

Fueled by a desire to get out of this situation, I started to get my hands (and eyes) on any Excel blogs, videos, books and online courses. However this learning process was tremendously painful.

Firstly, I don’t even know how to Google my Excel problems properly to seek help. Often I don’t even know what I’m trying to do in Excel.

Secondly, most books and online courses take a bottom-up approach to learning. They contain a whopping comprehensive content of knowledge such as a 1000+ Excel formulas and keyboard shortcuts, which are so rare that I don’t get to use them at all. A baby doesn’t learn how to walk by understanding how muscles work in tandem to produce movement. The baby just mastered walking through deliberate practice.

With so much information overloading everywhere, I had to put in a lot of time to go through these materials and experiment on my own to see what works.

After much concentrated effort, I was finally armed with my newfound Excel magic. I got Excel to perform many of the work I was doing previously instead. I became more productive at work. News spread quickly, and soon I became the “go-to” Excel expert from people around me. I also received multiple successive promotions in a couple of years, and along, a fatter paycheck.

In 2016, encouraged by my friends and colleagues, I started to share what I’ve learnt on my journey. DefeatExcel aims to spread Excel literacy and empowers everyone to use Excel efficiently.

I’ll share the most common and essential knowledge you need to unlock your Excel potential. And only the essence from my decade long of Excel experimentation, so that you can benefit by learning faster.

Start your Excel learning journey today, so that you can have a better future tomorrow!