Getting better at understanding customers from analytics data

Data analysis, in particular drawing conclusions from Google Analytics data, is a weakness for me that I would like to fill in.

These are the sort of things I have in mind:

• Determining the paths users takes through my website
• Getting insights into why a user is converting or not converting
• Using data from Analytics to help build buyer profiles

I have a decent understanding of Analytics but using it to answer questions about customers is something I just haven't got to grips with yet.

Are there any tutorials or resources you can recommend to help me get started? Or any tips/thoughts on this topic? How do you all use Analytics to understand your users?

Sorry if my question is a bit vague, it is something I'm still trying to get clear on in my own head. All comments appreciated.