Numbers are everywhere.

But that doesn’t mean numbers are everything.

Rethinking Metrics is a collection of previously published essays (2023-24) interrogating our perceptions of metrics and data. They’ve been lightly revised and adapted to present a more or less cohesive framework for questioning our relationship with the numbers that seem inescapable today. It’s not an argument for or against the use of metrics and data. Instead, it’s a call for thoughtfulness, rigor, and a bit of healthy skepticism in how they influence our lives.

About Tara McMullin

I’m a writer, podcaster, and critic who studies emerging forms of work in the 21st-century economy. I’m especially interested in the spirit of entrepreneurialism as it pertains to the stories we tell about work, success, and personal growth. I’ve been at this in various forms for over 16 years now—blogging, teaching, coaching, and leading communities.

Today, I marry conceptual curiosity with practical application—helping people reevaluate their assumptions about how they work, what they’re working for, and how their work creates value in the wider world. I drew on feminist analysis, critical theory, sociology, media studies, and philosophy, as well as my extensive experience working with small business owners.

I’m the creator of the What Works podcast and newsletter, as well as the author of What Works: A Comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal-Setting (Wiley 2022). My work has been featured on numerous podcasts, various stages, and in Fast Company, The Muse, and Quartz.