Focus on what’s essential and eliminate everything else -Greg Mckeown, Essentialism
When I was in my early twenties and “discovered” the internet, a world of possibilities opened up to me. I taught myself how to create a WordPress website, I learned how to design flyers, I even learned a bit of code. I blogged, created a magazine, two online stores, taught online, drop shipped through Amazon, started a Youtube channel and a Podcast. But, I could not do all these things well at once. When I started the Podcast, I couldn’t keep up with YouTube, when I started Youtube again I couldn’t keep up with the Podcast, and so it went for everything else. I kept telling myself I could do it all if only I tried hard enough, I still believe that to some degree, but whether I’m not trying enough or it is all too much, it’s time to let go.
Though it feels as if I just made this decision in the last few days, I’ve contemplated over this decision for years. It’s hard to let go of dreams, what once was and what you thought it could be, but it’s necessary. Two projects I’ve had an incredibly hard time letting go of; is my online learning platform and my online magazine. These two projects are of my earliest internet adventures and they both have deep meaning to me in that they represent a part of who I am and the impact I wish to have on the world (even if that amounts to a few readers and a few students) but to do either project justice needs more time, attention and people than I can currently supply. There are times when I gave primary focus to one or the other, worked with fellow writers and teachers and got to see both projects thrive. But I simply can’t anymore because I have to decide what’s important, I cannot fully give either project the money, time and attention it deserves, I have to let it go.
One could fully dedicate themselves to an education initiative and one can fully dedicate themselves to being a magazine editor, they are both full time jobs, it’s impossible (for me) to do both. My Podcast was also crucially important to me, though not as much as the former two, it too must go, I cannot do it justice. I’ve decided to focus primarily on writing (publishing books and this blog) and secondarily on public speaking including monthly Facebook/Youtube lives (which I feel naturally flows from writing). Even with writing I had to stop myself from expanding to freelance writing, while I’m open to accepting opportunities, I won’t look for them. It’s tough to say no, but it’s necessary.
I’ve been reading Greg Mckeown’s book Essentialism where he emphasizes the value of focusing of what’s most important, giving one’s all to one thing instead of giving one’s everything to all. I had to ask myself Where can I make the most contribution? Where is my heart leading me? And where is my Lord leading me? And after years of contemplation, this is where I’ve landed. This is the end of an era, it is now time to focus on what’s most essential.
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Consider picking up a copy of my book, 40 Hadith of ‘Aisha, An English collection of 40 Hadith narrated by the beloved wife, scholar, and sage ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, available here. Also, consider signing up for our monthly newsletter here: bythefigandtheolive.com/newsletter. For speaking engagement visit Nuriddeenknight.com
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[To any dear supporter of the YouTube channel, this will be a slow exit. Alhumdulilah I have videos scheduled until the end of summer 2019, as for those who benefitted from our courses at Noor Al Shadhili, our current course –not in fact taught by us but another beloved teacher, will be the last course taught on that platform. Thank you all for your support for my many projects over the years. While the quantity of our projects decrease, we look forward to the quality increasing, bitTawfiq]
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