You Are Capable of More than you Think

“Whenever I have a project that I need to have done, I give it to someone who is very busy already. I know this person has unique system of getting things accomplished. “ Hasan Al-Banna

One thing about the mind, once is gets used to offering up excuses it becomes difficult to stop. When you get into this pattern it’s like a ship that becomes difficult to turn around once it has set sail on a particular course. I know people that offer up excuses, even before they listen completely to a proposal. These are the people that you will see trying to wiggle their way out of every Dawah project, team assignment at work or university, or work around the house. You see; once the mind gets addicted to making excuses it becomes harder to break the habit. At the back of our mind we fear that something may be too hard for us to accomplish or maybe it will require too much time. In reality we are capable of accomplishing much more than we think. People who are addicted to offering excuses are in reality saying to themselves; “I am not mentally capable of accomplishing this, I love staying in my comfort zone so therefore I will shirk as much responsibility as I can. I will not take the lead on anything I am offered. ” The issue of excuse making can be resolved with a shift in attitude.

At all times we must have an “ I CAN DO” attitude and trust that Allah will align everything in our favor. At work today, I was just given a new opportunity. The opportunity would give me more responsibility and more exposure to showcase my talents. I did not receive any more compensation in pay. However there is bonus potential at the end of the year. I could have easily stayed in my comfort zone and shirked any additional responsibility. What the Vice President told me was that she really likes my attitude. According to her, I really have a “take charge, can do” mindset. Masha Allah I agree with her. This attitude has allowed me to accomplish much in a short period of time. This attitude helps me to get much more work done and in a faster time period. Try carrying your “can do” attitude with you everywhere. Pounce on top of those projects with “attitude” and don’t even think about trying to make excuses. When you get into the habit of taking on more projects with the right attitude, you are able to program your mind to knock out excuses when they start to rear their ugly heads.

Think about this; when you say the word I CAN, there is different energy or feeling that you feel in your body than when you say I CANT. The word CAN’T actually produces negative emotions and can actually depress your immune system. I remember reading that The Messenger of Allah (SAW) never said NO, in other words he always said YES. If you need to decline a project or doing someone a favor, you need to reword it. Here is an example; “ I cant do it at this time because of such and such, however if you give me a day or so to follow up with you I might have a resolution.” The resolution may be pointing that person in the direction of someone who may be able to help or giving the individual the resources they need to get what they want insha Allah.

Benefits of the “can do” attitude….
• Less stress when undertaking projects
• Get projects from zero to done in less time
• Accolades and compliments from family, friends, and co-workers
• Increased self-confidence
• More Assertiveness
• More enjoyment while doing tasks
• Sense of accomplishment