Goal Setting

03
May
2023
Reframing the Obstacles in our lives

Reframing the Obstacles in our lives

Anyone who has ever attempted to accomplish an important goal has faced obstacles. It is the way of the world that when you set out to accomplish something big, everything will go wrong, and various speedbumps arise between you and your goal. It may feel like the world is conspiring against you and forcing you to make a choice. At this point, you have two choices: give up or power through. Too many of us choose to give up at the first obstacle, so we never live up to our full potential.

What causes us to give up so easily? It could be a lack of belief in the importance of our goal, or a lack of self-discipline. Maybe it is a desire for instant gratification or being sold a false dream of quick riches. It really could be that we are just lazy and do not want to put in the work needed to accomplish important goals, or that we are weak and unable to manage the trials of life. Whatever the reason, I believe that reframing the problem can help us overcome these obstacles and work our way towards our eventual goals.

Obstacles are really opportunities for growth

Think of your obstacles as opportunities. You wanted to build a successful business overnight, but multiple obstacles are in your way. These are not your enemies. These are simply opportunities to learn how business works, how to excel in your field, and how to solve major problems. The best life lessons are learned on the field when facing challenges and overcoming them.

An important life skill for anyone to develop is problem solving. The obstacles we face in life give us a chance to learn, demonstrate and refine our critical thinking skills. It is through these trials that we grow and evolve into better versions of ourselves. Simply put, without obstacles we will stagnate and never truly upgrade our skillsets.

Obstacles are actually just tests of will power

How willing are you to accomplish your goal? Do you really know yourself and the limits of your will power? Well good news for you, an obstacle is here to assess your will power for you. All you have to do is power through it and you will know that you have more will power than you ever realized before.

Be excited to face the next obstacle. It is a chance to prove to yourself that you have the willpower to beat the odds, overcome any setbacks, and work through every obstacle. Face it head on and take it as a challenge to prove that you are a model of true will power.

Obstacles are, in fact, necessary to accomplish our goals

An obstacle may have popped up because you lack something key to accomplishing your goal. And that key lies in learning from this obstacle and overcoming it. It may be that you need certain knowledge to succeed in life, but you can only gain that knowledge or experience from working through this obstacle. So, the obstacle has popped up at the right time to give you what you need to grow.

Sometimes what seems like an obstacle is, in fact, the way forward. The path you had chosen for yourself was going to lead to ruin or failure, but this obstacle may redirect you to a better path, one that is more likely to succeed. Stop looking at obstacles as signs to give up, start looking at them as part of the process of success.

Obstacles are what make success so much sweeter

When you narrate your success story to your descendants and students many decades from now, which part of the story do you think they will find most interesting? It will not be all those happy smooth days when everything was going your way. No, what they will really be interested in is what obstacles you faced and how you overcame those obstacles. It is that part of the story that makes it gripping and makes the happy ending so much sweeter.

You are living that part of the story right now. The pain, stress, anxiety, and fear you feel as you chase your goals are all part of the process. You too will find the taste of success so much sweeter if you must struggle to get it. Anything that we gain too easily we fail to appreciate. It is the goals we struggled for, and the obstacles that we overcame in the process, which make success so satisfying. Your story is not over yet, you are just in the most exciting chapter. Keep moving forward and finish your story.

Think Positive and reframe your obstacles accordingly.

Life is not meant to be easy. This is especially true if you want to accomplish remarkable things in your life. Let go of the defeatist attitude. Stop with the negative thinking. Prepare yourself to face a variety of challenges on the path to achieving your goals. Success does not come easily, but when it comes, it is so sweet. It was worth all the pain and all the hard work.

Everybody faces obstacles in their lives. But with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, firm trust in Allah, and a never-give-up attitude, you should be able to work through most obstacles and achieve amazing things with your life. If you want to accomplish something big, be ready to work for it, and to face various challenges on the way to accomplishing it. Success never comes easily, and it should not come easily.

Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. Recognize and acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity. And know that what has passed you by [and you have failed to attain] was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.

Nawawi’s 40 Hadith, no: 19
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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Goal Setting, Positive Thinking
13
May
2022
8 Tips for Producing High Quality Islamic Content

8 Tips for Producing High Quality Islamic Content

1. Plan it out carefully. Take the time to map out a full plan regarding what you are producing, why you need to produce it, how it benefits the ummah, how long it will take to produce, and what you need to do each step of the way.

2. Take your time. Do not rush it. Good work takes time and meticulous effort. If you need to research for two years before you even start writing, then do that! Do not rush the process, because this often destroys the quality of the end product.

3. Do it for Allah. Even if your books or courses are a source of income, ensure your primary intention is the pleasure of Allah. This will lead to barakah in whatever you earn through those projects.

4. Hire experts. Nobody is an expert at everything. You will need to outsource some aspects to others, be it cover design, video editing, or marketing. Know your areas of weakness and outsource those to experts.

5. Set deadlines and stick to them. If you say you will write a book some day, that day will never come. If you commit to completing your book by December 5th, you may actually do so.

6. Listen to constructive feedback from your sincerely well-wishers and even from your critics. We all are a work in progress, and in order to grow into the best versions of ourselves, we must be open to criticism and feedback.

7. Dedicate time daily to your craft. Block out time to focus on your product. Even if you spend an hour a day over three years working on one book, it will be worth it. Just block out time, work hard, keep improving, and take your time.

8. Block out the noise. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by the latest trend and controversy. Utilize social media for beneficial means only, and completely shut it down during your work time. Your craft deserves for full attention.

Alhamdulillah, hard work pays off in the long run. I spend years researching the History of Islam, and 18 months working on the course (https://islamicselfhelp.gumroad.com/l/history1). I ask Allah to accept my efforts, and make it a means of khayr for the ummah.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Goal Setting
11
Jun
2020
The Sunnah of Long-Term Thinking

The Sunnah of Long-Term Thinking

The life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is full of amazing lessons in leadership and growth. One lesson that can be extracted from multiple incidents in his life is the importance of long-term thinking. There are many incidents in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) sacrificed short-term gains for long-term goals. In each of these, history bears witness that he made the right decision.

The Case of Suhail Ibn ʿAmr

An interesting example from the early portion of Madinan history is the case of Suhail Ibn ʿAmr. Suhail was one of the leaders of the Quraysh and among the most outspoken enemies of Islam. When he was captured during the Battle of Badr, ʿUmar (RA) wanted to punish him for his venomous words against Islam by removing his front two teeth.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not allow this, stating that perhaps one day Suhail would use that same mouth to defend Islam. Fast forward ten years, after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the people of Makkah disputed with each other over whether they should apostate or not. Suhail, now a recent convert, stood up by the Kabah and delivered a moving sermon that encouraged the people to remain firm on their faith. In this case, the foresight of the Prophet (peace be upon him) saved a lot of people from potential apostasy.

The People of Ta’if

A few years earlier, before migrating to Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) tried to seek the support of the people of Ta’if instead. However, these people not only turned him away, but they also ridiculed him and threw stones at him, causing him both emotional and physical harm. The Prophet (peace be upon him) describes it as the most difficult day of his life.

In response to their aggression, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was offered a chance to allow Divine Punishment to fall upon them. He declined stating that perhaps someone from among their descendants might embrace Islam. Once again, the long-term thinking of the Prophet (peace be upon him) saved the souls of many people, as Ta’if eventually became a community of believers.

The Treaty of Ḥudaibiya

The best example of sacrificing short-term gains for long-term goals is the treaty of Ḥudaibiya. In this incident, the Prophet (peace be upon him) set out from Madinah for Makkah with the intention of pilgrimage. He was stopped outside Makkah in an area called Ḥudaibiya to negotiate. The result of the negotiation was a ten-year peace treaty between the Muslims and pagans.

However, the terms of the treaty were unfairly against the Muslims. They were not allowed to continue with the pilgrimage and would have to return a full year later to complete it. They were not allowed to accept into Madinah anyone who fled from Makkah, but the opposite was allowed. The terms of the treaty seemed very unjust but the Prophet (peace be upon him) signed it anyway.

Shortly thereafter, a verse of the Quran was revealed declaring the treaty a clear victory. The new peace between the pagans and Muslims allowed the Arabs to interact with the Muslims without seeing them as their wartime enemies. As a result, thousands of Arabs converted to Islam including many of the leaders of Makkah. The terms of the treaty caused Islam to spread rapidly across Arabia, accelerating the completion of the Prophetic mission. The treaty of Ḥudaibiya is a clear example of sacrificing short-term gains for long-term goals.

Conclusion

In each of these cases, we see how long-term thinking benefits society more, and leads to greater results. We can learn from this the importance of thinking ahead and planning long-term. If a sacrifice is needed today to accomplish something great tomorrow, we should be willing to sacrifice short-term benefits for long-term goals, especially when those goals are pleasing to Allah and beneficial for the community.

For more Productivity Lessons from Islamic History, check out my ebook Productivity Principles of Umar II, available here.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Goal Setting
14
Feb
2020
The ONE THING needed to accomplish any goal

The ONE THING needed to accomplish any goal

This article isn’t a pep talk. It isn’t a fluffy motivational article about willing what you want into existence or the power of positive thinking. This is real talk.

I have spent a lot of time analyzing the lives of successful people (in both religion and worldly affairs) and even wrote a book about such a person recently. In all this research, I noticed a lot of common trends, but ONE THING stood out in ALL of them. This article is about that ONE THING.

The ONE THING is NOT

It is not positive thinking. It is true that every successful person I know is an optimist and thinks positively, but that is just a part of what makes them successful.

I also know a lot of people who think positively and accomplish nothing. Because all they do is think. These people think that they will attract good things into their lives just by thinking, without any action or effort. This is a ridiculous approach to success and it just doesn’t work.

So what then is the ONE THING.

Well the ONE THING is definitely NOT

You may then assume that the ONE THING is taking action. Again, this is a common trait in every successful person I know. They all take action and work until their ideas become realities. They do NOT stop until they accomplish their goals, and never hold back from trying their best.

However, I also know a lot of unsuccessful people who took action. They took action, failed and gave up. Or they may have tried multiple times, multiple different things, yet all failed so they gave up eventually. Their actions led to nothing because positive thinking + action does NOT equal success.

So what is it then?

No, the ONE THING is not

You may then assume it is NOT giving up on your goal. Once again, this is a common trait in successful people. Successful people are unwavering in their desire to succeed and do not give up easily. They will push through every hurdle and overcome every barrier to achieve their goals. This is definitely a common trait in them.

But it isn’t the ONE THING. Because there are many people who never give up, yet never achieve their goals. The terrible singer who dreams of being famous, the poor writer who tries desperately to gain readers, the boring teacher who keeps seeking new students. They never give up, and waste their lives pursuing something they just aren’t good at.

So does that mean the ONE THING is…

Nope! The ONE THING is not that either

Does that mean the ONE THING is working on your strengths and mastering them? Well, this is a common trait in most successful people. They figure out what they are good at, put in the hours, and eventually master it. But mastery alone is not enough for success.

Many great authors go unread, many great actors unrecognized, and many amazing products lost in the dusty aisles at the back of the store. Mastery is needed, but there is ONE THING that every successful person has that combines all of the above and eventually leads to success, and it is not easy at all.

SUCCESS = Positive thinking + Taking Action + Never Giving Up + Mastery +

The ONE THING many people miss

The missing ingredient that most people don’t see and recognize, but is clear in every success story; unreasonable effort. To go above and beyond what others are willing to do to achieve your goal. This is the missing ingredient. The difference between the successful entrepreneur and the average one, the key that opens the iron-locked door, the golden principle.

If you truly want to succeed at a ridiculously high goal, then you the following formula: Positive thinking + Taking Action + Never Giving Up + Mastery + Unreasonable Effort = SUCCESS.

It is this last part that most people overlook. It is this step that scares the average person away. Yet it is this very step that is most crucial for achieving what others think is not even possible.

The author who spends countless hours honing his skill, and the rest of his time marketing his books, establishing networks and growing his reader list. That is the author that is going to eventually breakthrough and succeed. The entrepreneur who works abnormally long hours, tries ideas that nobody thought of before, pushes himself way out of his comfort zone, and works on projects that seem impossible to realize, that is the entrepreneur that rises above all.

Even in religion, it isn’t the average Muslim that we all look up to. It is the people of Ihsan, the ones who put in unbelievable effort into worshipping Allah, doing good deeds that the rest of us don’t even think of or are too lazy to do. Those are the ones who reach the highest levels of faith.

So there you have it, the recipe for success; Positive thinking + Taking Action + Never Giving Up + Mastery + Unreasonable Effort.

So what are you going to do with this knowledge?

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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Goal Setting
17
Feb
2018

5 Mental Blocks in the way of your goals

5 Mental Blocks in the way of your goals

It can be very frustrating. You’ve read every book, watched every video, and tried every tactic. But you still have mental blocks preventing you from taking control of your time.

I understand. You are not alone.

Below are five common mental blocks that get in people’s way of managing their time. Remember: understanding the root cause is the first step to eliminating the problem.

So read on!

1. You are not serious about your goal

Some goals seem nice. They look fun. It may be something you think you want, but you are really not sure. It just sounded nice at the time.

Mental Blocks To Time Management

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Well if this is the type of goal you have, then procrastination will become a lifestyle. If you want to achieve goals, take them seriously. Or at least set goals that you can take seriously.

Example of not serious goal: It would be nice to own my own home.
Example of serious goal: I will sell X amount of my product to earn X amount of money, so I can purchase my dream home. And I will try to do get this done within five years.

Think about it, which of the above two goals are more likely to lead to action and achievement?

2. Your goal is too materialistic

As a Muslim, it is hard to focus on goals that are purely materialistic. This is because we are spiritual beings, and we know that we have obligations to our Creator and His Creation. Because of this, purely materialistic goals cause cognitive dissonance which leads to lack of motivation to achieve them.

The fix: edit your goals to contain a spiritual element. This will make it purer, more beneficial in both worlds, and easier to achieve with Allah’s Help.

Example of materialistic goal: I want to be a millionaire.
Example of spiritual, yet worldly, goal: I will work to become financially free, so that I will have the time and resources necessary to complete my Dawah projects.

Both of the above want money, but one wants it for purer reasons, and so will be more motivated to get it the right way.

3. Your goal is too individualistic

Individualism is such a normal part of Western culture that many Muslims are unaware they have become individualistic. And they are unaware of how unislamic this lifestyle can be.

As Muslims, our fellow humans all have rights over us. We are meant to be contributors to the ummah, not focused entirely on our own desires. This is why our goals need to beneficial for the ummah. If your goals are selfish, then this too may lead to cognitive dissonance.

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The fix: Set goals that benefit yourself and others, and you will find deeper motivation to achieve them.

Example of individualistic goal: I want to write a book, so that it can sell millions of copies and I can become a bestselling author.
Example of ummah-centric goal: I want to write books that will benefit the ummah, and I hope that these books will reach and benefit millions of Muslims.

The second goal is purer, and more likely to lead to Allah’s Divine Assistance in achieving it.

4. You lack a strong why

If you have goals that lack a strong reason, then you will never gather enough strength to do what is necessary to achieve them. Goals are by their nature challenging. And only people who have a strong reason to achieve that goal will put in the necessary work to get it done.

If you find yourself not really interested in your goals, ask yourself why? Why is this my goal? And if you can’t find a deep enough reason, then replace it with a better goal. You owe it to yourself to only chase goals that are worth the chase.

Example of goal without a why: I want to write a book.
An Example of goal with a weak why: I want to write a book, so I can become famous.
Example of a goal with a strong why: I want to write a book about X topic, so that I can benefit millions of people with my experience in that field.

Only a strong why will lead to the necessary action needed to get it done!

5. You depend on mood and emotion

If you only work on your goals when you are in the mood, or pumped up, then chances are that you aren’t making progress. Goals should never depend on your emotional state. Goals worth achieving should be fixed parts of your daily life.

They should be at the top of your to-do list. And they should get worked on regardless of how you are feeling. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to stop depending on mood, and need to put your head down and work, whether you are in the mood to or not. Only then will you truly make progress.

Example of goal dependent on mood: I might write an article this week, depending on how I feel.
Example of serious goal: I will write and publish an article by Saturday, regardless of what happens or what my mood is.

You have to separate mood and emotions from your goals if you want to get them done.

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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Goal Setting