Boats Are Created To Sail On Water
Image Credit: Rob Greenbon
Thomas Edison – “ If we did everything we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”
As popular saying goes ‘a boat is safest when it is docked at the harbor’. This may in fact be true, but choosing safety is denying its purpose. Boats are created to sail on water for a myriad of reasons, of which I am sure you are aware. Thinking about this saying reminds of something in reference to people. ALLAH meticulously created each one of us with a specific purpose in mind. This purpose is identified and fueled by dreams and visions, yet most of us fail to fulfill the purpose. Why? Undoubtedly it is because we ‘harbor’ the visions and dreams in our hearts in an effort to protect them, instead of speaking them into the universe and then acting on them.
Just like the boat that is created for innumerous purposes, the visions and dreams you see about yourself are meant to help you fulfill your ultimate purpose – worshipping ALLAH (God). According to the sacred text I follow, the Holy Qur’an, in Surah 51:56 ‘I created…humankind only that they might worship Me.’ Worshipping our Creator is directly related to living out our fullest potential and that is what the visions of the heart details.
A piece of advice from biblical text says “write the vision and make it plain…” Habakkuk 2:2. In the world of business this is an exercise known as charting goals. Random polling on goal setting by a Professor at Virginia Tech revealed that only 1% of those polled said they write and review their vision/dreams regularly and all of this 1% are among the elite and most successful business persons of their generations and (at least) millionaires. Without going too far off point, I will say that I personally do not believe that success is ONLY manifested in high dollar bottom line, but I do believe that financial security is a big part of SUCCESS. According to the poll, writing your vision in the form of a goal that can be visually pursued and charted is the way to success. So I encourage you to do that today. Take a clean sheet of paper and write the vision you have been daydreaming about. Take baby steps if you need to. For now write it in general terms, but when you go back to that piece of paper tomorrow, correct something about the vision that is somewhat vague and determine to turn it into a crystal clear point. For instance, if today write “I am going to start a business”, tomorrow change that by either adding a specific date you intend to ‘launch’ your business or by including what type of business activity you will start. The next day focus on another element, i.e. the how-to part of it – online, popup, etc., and do something like this every day. As you do this the motivation will build itself in compelling you to take some action in building your business or actualizing your legacy-building activity and move towards fulfilling your purpose, God willing.
Becoming That Person – No Holds Barred
Take time to dream, then go about filling the gaps. Start your journey today.
Image Credit: Erica Dolnackova
Everyday we see examples of what we would like to do, be or have. These examples are so close we could reach out and touch them. They drive by us on the road in their flashy vehicles. They sit next to us on the train dressed to the nines, iced down, looking ‘rich’. We take part in the projects and programs they introduce and wonder why them and not me! Ironically enough, the only person who can truthfully answer this question is you.
Why them and not you? What are you doing or not doing that is prohibiting you from ‘becoming that person’ – the person you want to be and have the things you want to have?I can’t answer because I am not there with you during the private, non-public moments of your life. The private you is who or what makes the public you. Even if you have a family or co-habitate with others, there are still those private moments, actions and habits that combine to make you the person you are. What kind of person are you? What is done in the dark, will be brought to light – to refer to the old proverb. And, this doesn’t only apply to negative things. The things you do in private & secrecy are the elements that, combined with your public self, create your nature, habits, your actions and influence the kind of decisions you make. All of these combined ingredients working together are what make you the person you are! Having an idea of some of the elements, or determinate factors, that produce personality – or the make the person, so to speak, – you can now take this information and use it to ‘become the kind of person you want to be’.
My suggested first step. Spend a little time dreaming about the ideal you. Next step, make it happen, inshaa ALLAH (God willing).
