This post was kindly submitted by Vakil.Org
Here’s a question for you: Of all the productivity tips, tricks, habits that you’ve read in the last one year, how much have you consistently implemented? Some of it? Not Much? None at all? Here is stuff that’s going to make you into a leaner, faster and an overall better you, what could be the reason that you have not put into practice? And if you are not implementing the stuff that you are reading, then how productive is it reading the stuff in the first place?
It’s one of the Devil’s favourite tricks. He gets the pious into activities that makes them think that they’re doing something useful, meaningful and fulfilling. When instead all that they are doing is just the opposite, wasting their time, while feeling good about it.
This trick of the Devil comes in various forms:
- It’s much more fun to discuss your goals in life, than to do go out there and make them a reality.
- Buying New Running Shoes is much more fun that Running.
- It’s so liberating to whine and complain about your current job than to have the difficult conversation with your Boss on improving your working conditions.
- It’s feels so noble to discuss on freeing the world from poverty and oppression (or blog about it over a mug of latte) than sacrificing your time and resources to actually make a difference.
You guys can probably add more to this list, and please do so…
The common thread the runs across all the above listed activities is that, one of them is really fun and relaxing while the other requires a lot of hard work, diligence, and sacrifice.
So what’s to be done about it? How does one get over one’s dependance to these feel-good pursuits and instead get addicted to results instead:
1. Discipline
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” – Jim Rohn
One has the impression that when one practices Discipline, one has to delay his gratification. You’ll have to go through a whole lot of pain now, for which you will get the rewards only eons later. What a totally false notion. When you are disciplined, you get your payoff immediately. The biggest Payoff is the “The High” that you get on doing the right thing. The strength on forging that Will of Iron, one hammer at a time. You stride the rest of the day with your head held up high. You were tested today, yet you stood victorious!
I recommend listening to, The Miracle of Self Discipline by Brian Tracy.
2. Persistence
“A Big shot is nothing but a little shot, who keeps on shooting.”~Anonymous
Persistence. It’s an amazing gift of God. Giving that little extra. Going the extra Mile. The final oomph. The last degree that makes water into Steam. One teeny weeny, itty bitty degree of temperature, but the combined effect is to produce High Charged Steam. Steam so powerful that it can plow a locomotive.
Recommend watching the below video on giving your best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpJQqzJj534&hd=1
3. Turning Pro
The phrase “Turning Pro” is something that I came across in Steven Pressfield’s, fabulous book, the War of Art. And the solution he gives is so all-encompassing. He says, that any time you feel lazy, lethargic or find yourself giving into drama or the devil, turn Pro.
What’s a Pro? Well, we’re all Pro at our jobs. We show up day after day, week after week, year after year, regardless whether we are well or we are sick, even if we just don’t feel like it. That’ the attitude of Pro. And that’s the attitude we should inculcate on our Life Purpose, on our Higher calling. That’s the attitude we should have on anything that makes us into a better us. So if we are to be Productive Muslims, we’ve got be a Pro at it. So we work at it (not just read about it) day in and day out, no matter what.
In conclusion, a quote from Steven Pressfield’s War of Art on the attitude of a Pro:
“- We show up every day. We might do it only because we have to, to keep from getting fired. But we do it. We show up every day.
- We show up no matter what. In sickness and in health, come hell or high water, we stagger in to the factory. We might do it only so as not to let down our co-workers, or for other, less noble reasons. But we do it. We show up no matter what.
- We stay on the job all day. Our minds may wander, but our bodies remain at the wheel. We pick up the phone when it rings, we assist the customer when he seeks our help. We don’t go home till the whistle blows.
- We receive praise or blame in the real world…”
So Let’s be Disciplined, Highly Persistent and a Total Pro thereby giving the Devil a good solid kick, where he deserves it the most.
Here’s a question for you: Of all the productivity tips, tricks, habits that you’ve read in the last one year, how much have you consistently implemented? Some of it? Not Much? None at all? Here is stuff that’s going to make you into a leaner, faster and an overall better you, what could be the reason that you have not put into practice? And if you are not implementing the stuff that you are reading, then how productive is it reading the stuff in the first place?
It’s one of the Devil’s favourite tricks. He gets the pious into activities that makes them think that they’re doing something useful, meaningful and fulfilling. When instead all that they are doing is just the opposite, wasting their time, while feeling good about it.
This trick of the Devil comes in various forms:
- It’s much more fun to discuss your goals in life, than to do go out there and make them a reality.
- Buying New Running Shoes is much more fun that Running.
- It’s so liberating to whine and complain about your current job than to have the difficult conversation with your Boss on improving your working conditions.
- It’s feels so noble to discuss on freeing the world from poverty and oppression (or blog about it over a mug of latte) than sacrificing your time and resources to actually make a difference.
You guys can probably add more to this list, and please do so…
The common thread the runs across all the above listed activities is that, one of them is really fun and relaxing while the other requires a lot of hard work, diligence, and sacrifice.
So what’s to be done about it? How does one get over one’s dependance to these feel-good pursuits and instead get addicted to results instead:
1. Discipline
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” – Jim Rohn
One has the impression that when one practices Discipline, one has to delay his gratification. You’ll have to go through a whole lot of pain now, for which you will get the rewards only eons later. What a totally false notion. When you are disciplined, you get your payoff immediately. The biggest Payoff is the “The High” that you get on doing the right thing. The strength on forging that Will of Iron, one hammer at a time. You stride the rest of the day with your head held up high. You were tested today, yet you stood victorious!
I recommend listening to, The Miracle of Self Discipline by Brian Tracy.
2. Persistence
“A Big shot is nothing but a little shot, who keeps on shooting.”~Anonymous
Persistence. It’s an amazing gift of God. Giving that little extra. Going the extra Mile. The final oomph. The last degree that makes water into Steam. One teeny weeny, itty bitty degree of temperature, but the combined effect is to produce High Charged Steam. Steam so powerful that it can plow a locomotive.
Recommend watching the below video on giving your best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpJQqzJj534&hd=1
3. Turning Pro
The phrase “Turning Pro” is something that I came across in Steven Pressfield’s, fabulous book, the War of Art. And the solution he gives is so all-encompassing. He says, that any time you feel lazy, lethargic or find yourself giving into drama or the devil, turn Pro.
What’s a Pro? Well, we’re all Pro at our jobs. We show up day after day, week after week, year after year, regardless whether we are well or we are sick, even if we just don’t feel like it. That’ the attitude of Pro. And that’s the attitude we should inculcate on our Life Purpose, on our Higher calling. That’s the attitude we should have on anything that makes us into a better us. So if we are to be Productive Muslims, we’ve got be a Pro at it. So we work at it (not just read about it) day in and day out, no matter what.
In conclusion, a quote from Steven Pressfield’s War of Art on the attitude of a Pro:
“- We show up every day. We might do it only because we have to, to keep from getting fired. But we do it. We show up every day.
- We show up no matter what. In sickness and in health, come hell or high water, we stagger in to the factory. We might do it only so as not to let down our co-workers, or for other, less noble reasons. But we do it. We show up no matter what.
- We stay on the job all day. Our minds may wander, but our bodies remain at the wheel. We pick up the phone when it rings, we assist the customer when he seeks our help. We don’t go home till the whistle blows.
- We receive praise or blame in the real world…”
So Let’s be Disciplined, Highly Persistent and a Total Pro thereby giving the Devil a good solid kick, where he deserves it the most.
