Steps to Success in Achieving Goals I

Musa Kâzım GÜLÇÜR

29 Mart/2020

Introduction

In this article, we will try to mark some issues that will be beneficial for “steps to success in achieving goals.” However, it should not be forgotten that it is a necessity to know that “steps to success in achieving goals” will come after completely obeying the reasons is entirely from Allah (God). Besides that success should not be attributed to personal talents and features. Because, as stated in verse 88 of Surah Hud, our “success” is entirely from Allah Almighty.

Do you say that “my sense of success is improved” and “being successful is among my most important goals?” Or do you think, “I always following successful people’s lead, I am also diligent to continue the success as well as being successful?” Or does the idea of ​​ “this is not the case anyway” like others make your thoughts foggy and blurry from time to time? Otherwise, do you keep saying “There is always a path to success after every failure”, and you believe that success will not occur without failures? Do you also think that excessive perfectionism is an important obstacle to success?

1. Steps to Success in Achieving Goals

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Ability is what you can do. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. Set priorities for yourself. A major part of successful living lies in the ability to put first things first. Indeed, the reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.

Below, we would like to present some points that we think are important for success and we think that they will be beneficial if they are applied:

1. Connect with your dreams. Just imagine a few or two you hope you can do.

2. Decide to make your dream come true. This may seem simple in the first place. But many people do not decide to fully realize their dream. They just dreamed or thought. After all, what is imagined is not realized.

3. Tell others about your desire to make your dream come true.

4. Develop a step-by-step plan. Sit down and write a few items about your plan.

5. Prepare a timetable. Try to determine when your dream will come true.

6. Try to reveal the steps of what to do and when.

7. Prepare the list of resources you will need. Determine who you will need for help or advice.

8. See if you are progressing with the checks you will make from time to time.

9. Be full of gratitude and praise. Keep your benevolence high in the direction of the truth and think big with His permission and grace.

The first thing is to determine which item on your list has priority.

Maybe you once wanted to work on all of them. But now, just focus on one thing.

Second, look at the first two items on your list. Which one is more important to you? Label the important item that you set as “Valid Choice” in your mind.

Third, switch to the other item on your list and compare it with your “Valid Choice”. Which one is more important to you? The item you prefer becomes your “Valid Choice” again.

Fourth, switch to another item and compare it with your “Valid Choice”. Which one is more important to you? The item you prefer becomes your “Valid Choice”. Repeat this process for each item on your list and by comparing it with your “Valid Choice”. If you make a new item “Valid Choice”, it becomes your “Valid Choice”. When you reach the end of your list, your “Valid Choice” remains your single most important choice and becomes the first choice. We can also call this the “olive oil method”. Because every time, it ensures that your preference that you care most is on top.

If we want to make this issue a bit more concrete, we can think of an example as follows:

“What are your expectations in terms of the material and moral possibilities that Allah (cc) offers you? What do you want?”

Spending more time with your family?

To be healthier?

A more stress-free life?

Is inner peace?

You may want one or all of these or something else that we haven’t mentioned here. So it’s time to start working. Because:

Starting to work will change your attitude.

The movement will change your emotions.

Your efforts will erase some false biases.

2. The Effects of Presuppositions

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Allah, (Great is His Majesty) says like that:

“So do not become weak, nor be sad, and you will be superior if you are indeed (true) believers.” (Quran, The Family of Imran, 2/139)

When we think broadly in light of this verse, it can easily be seen that the issues that shape us are not the events in our life, but the “thoughts” that we accept what these events mean.

Therefore, it should not be forgotten that the “false acceptance and generalizations” which we call “presupposition” are directly related to the phenomenon of “believing”. The challenges posed by presupposition are several-fold:

1. In presuppositions, we do not consciously decide what to accept.

2. Sometimes these presuppositions are based on the misinterpretation of past experiences.

3. Once we have adopted the presupposition, we forget that it is only a ‘comment’ or ‘misunderstanding’.

It should not be forgotten that there is a productive and destructive power in the presuppositions. As it is known, a branch of science called Psycho-neuro-immunology has developed completely in this field. This branch of science can be said with a simple definition ‘investigating mind and body relationships’. For example, the medications we have taken for the purpose of treatment and the fact that we believe in the healing effect of that drug (mental acceptance) has been revealed by recent tests that have positive effects on the behalf of our body. This is also called the placebo effect. According to the researches, it is the belief that the drug which the patient takes will cause to cure. So ‘faith’ is briefly; the state of being “sure about something” and the unbelief can be described as “being unsure”. The effect of this mechanism on our daily lives is much greater than we think. For example, some ideas become acceptance over time and can damage one’s belief in himself/herself. “I am not skilled …”, “I am unsuccessful …” etc.

If we resemble the ideas and thoughts to the upside of a table, the “references and information” that supports our ideas and thoughts are like the feet of that table. References and sources of information can be personal experiences, books, movies, and the knowledge that we have obtained from others. We can exemplify this situation as follows: Until 1954, it was believed that 1600 meters would not run under 4 minutes. After this record was broken by a runner that year, 37 more runners managed to do the same before a year passed. The next year, 300 runners were able to do the same. Because they saw that they could run in a shorter time, they learned and applied them to their lives.

We generally accept them as “absolute truths” wherever our information references come from and usually we do not question them again. Here, if you can develop such an unshakable feeling of “being sure” brought by strong beliefs, you can do positive activities for yourself, and even accomplish what the others call impossible – with the permission and grace of God.

Some people do not think of making efforts to make sense of their lives, they tend to accept that from the beginning, human beings are a helpless, worthless being, whatever they try, somehow, they will fail. If we want to achieve success in our lives, we should never fall into such negative emotions. In psychology, this is called “learned helplessness.” With enough feeling intensity and repetitions, our nervous system may begin to perceive a subject or issue as real, even if it has not yet occurred. The most effective way to get rid of the wrong ideas and thoughts is to delete those ideas which stop you.

3. Knowing that What You Want

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People who cannot find what they expect from life are generally the people who do not know what they want from life. Maybe they try to imagine a beautiful life in the time that they were bored, but they cannot have a clear idea of ​​how this “beautiful life” can be realized. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of human beings is that if they have talent, they find and reveal an area that they can use. In this respect, after deciding whether we really want something, the rest comes easily and quickly. Every morning, you get up from your bed for a meaningful reason. Because you are filling your life with activities that you consider useful. You try to use your skills, time and facilities in the best way of achieving your purposes. If you do not have such a goal, your magnificent power to fulfill your dreams will remain idle and will look like a vehicle without a driver.

Here are some key steps to a good understanding and reveal what you want:

1. First, develop your basic beliefs about what you want and to achieve.

2. Strengthen your faith with new and powerful information references. For example, if you want to develop a belief and behaviour towards non-smoking, talk to non-smokers and be willing to seek their advice.

3. After that, find an event that activates the mechanism. If we mention again the example of the quit smoking, read articles and watch movies about it.

4. Then take action, do what you want or want to leave.

5. Finally, destroy their reference feet so that you can destroy your debilitating ideas. For example, try to erase your limiting beliefs such as “things will never be okay” or “I never succeed”, or find their opposite ideas. Develop a belief such as “I can use the resources now that I did not use to achieve success”, or “I do not believe that things will not be okay. Even if the situation does not seem very bright now, it will not continue forever”.

The potential of wishes has a huge capacity both in the direction to build and destroy. Choose the wishes that will empower you. Walk towards the future and destiny which will address the highest qualities within you, with the permission and grace of Allah. Do not forget that you need to set yourself high standards for this.

If we want the change to be long-term or permanent, once the change occurred, we must immediately reinforce it, then adjust our mindset for ensuring continuity and permanence. If we want a rapid change, the first belief we should get is the belief that we can change ourselves now.

4. The Long-Term Change

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If we want to bring about a long-term change with the permission and grace of Allah, there must be three beliefs about change:

1. To believe that something has to change.

2. To understand that what has to change is has to be changed by us.

3. To develop a belief that “I can change this.”

The brain can process 30 million pieces of information per second. There are approximately 28 billion neurons in the human nervous system. Each of these neurons works like a computer independently, but they also have contact with each other. Now that this huge power is at our hands, why can’t we always make ourselves happy, why can’t we get rid of depression, can’t help us to make our everyday life perfect?

We can do it! Because our behaviour relies on neural bonds and physical bonds to our nervous systems. Neuron scientists have discovered that neurons constantly send electro-chemical messages through neural pathways. This task is very similar to traffic in rush hours. This neural arrangement is like opening a highway in the brain for every memory or idea, from the memory of the scent of a pine forest after rain to the rhythm of beloved music.

If we look to the structure of our brains, as we have just mentioned, we can compare it to the functioning of a computer, even if it is not complete. Science shows that the brain has a lot of control over the human body. Health, wellness, longevity, youthfulness, success, learning, and so many other matters are only the visible part of the iceberg in terms of the control of the brain over the person. The steps of success and happiness occur as a result of the actions we have decided to do. But these movements are the movements that occur as a result of the subjects that we pursue persistently and resolutely, rather than the ordinary movements we have done every day. Therefore, we can easily say that most of our behaviour is the product of habits rather than the result of conscious thought and logical results. In this case, if habits are negative, more negative behaviours will occur.

However, it is also useful to know that we never have to be slaves to our past habits. The best way to take control of our behaviours and thus guide our own lifeline is to be highly motivated by our actions. Our sense of success must surely be more than our sense of failure. For this, we can list some of the issues that we find useful in doing as follows:

4.1. Set Certain and Luminous Goals

Your goals in life are the elements that give meaning to your life. Your determination to reach these goals is the most important stimulus for you. This means that you have to design your life with these achievements and goals. To do this, write down your goals one after the other and read them at least twice a day.

There is no doubt intellectual capability and reason guide us about what and how we should do. But the real strength that will make us do something is the emotion itself. Because human behaviour is generally emotion controlled. The two most basic emotions are fear and desire. A strong sense of desire will urge you to take some action. On the other hand, fear will cause the exact opposite. Make the habit of embracing positive wishes for yourself. This will give you positive behaviour. You should know that nobody is directly responsible for making your life more meaningful. This is good if there is someone who helps you. But you are the main responsible person.

4.2. Work

Remember that you need a movement and action plan that will bring you closer to your positive goals every day. What is going to reach the goal and fulfill your dreams is the movement and the work itself. Do something every day. Habit is just a repetition of movements. You just keep doing and working. One day, you will see that you are acting and working in a productive way without thinking anymore. Then this situation will have become a habit for you.

5. Reaching the Highest Peaks of Success

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Success depends on deciding, planning and sticking on it. This may seem simple at first, but you must devote yourself to your goal and work hard. What is significant and beautiful here is that success has become almost noticeable after the beginning. In addition, one of the important aspects of trying to be successful is that the small steps that we have taken or the small success we have achieved underpin the ground for greater success. Here are a few points that we deem necessary for you to reach the high points of success:

Remember that you are the only one who is responsible for success or failure. Successful people are the people who can take full responsibility for their own actions.

Smile at other people around you. Successful people are generally cheerful, optimistic and focused on the future. Even if there is no reason, don’t forget to smile at the other people around you. Since positive thoughts will remove negative ones, you will not be able to have negative thoughts while smiling. Also, do not forget that the smile is a reflection of mercy.

Love and respect yourself. Our helplessness and poverty are our features before the Vâhid and Ehad Allah, who created us from nothing and made us into the realm of existence. However, when we look at the situation in terms of the world order, it is clearly indicated in the Qur’an that we are world workers who were sent by Almighty Creator to do work on behalf of Him. In this manner, care about your abilities, potential, and achievements bestowed by Allah and ask from him for strength and inspiration for new achievements. Praise Allah, which allows you to take steps for a more successful life.

Believe in yourself. You are here for a purpose given by Allah. Find out what your task is to perform your role in the best way and strive to complete it.

Take successful and decent people as a model. Investigate what they did. When you are faced with options, make similar choices about what those people did.

Stay away from unsuccessful and immoral people.

Be willing and eager for success, do the best and the best you can.

Try to create a perspective on how you want to live. But while doing this, try to be very detailed and clear. Try to see yourself as the Creator desires almost every day.

Determine your biggest dream and write it down. In doing so, use sentences of the present time. Share your goals and dreams with your friends.

Read useful books, watch life stories of successful people. Fill your mind with positive thoughts.

Every day take steps to get you closer to your goal. Never let it go. If you stop trying, you will lose. When you keep trying, you will succeed.

Almost everyone is a bit afraid of failure, blur, low confidence, and indecision. Successful people, on the other hand, know that they have to distinguish themselves from these temporary and negative situations by their positive attitudes, well-planning, focusing on the future promised by Allah.

Conclusion

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From time to time, wrong ideas about success can restrict a person’s mobility and may have a negative effect on their behaviour. However, it is important that almost everyone knows that they can be successful by asking Allah, know the outcomes related to His will and believe that they have occurred with His permission and grace. Because success is primarily a tripartite orientation (heart, spiritual and rational) to Allah, and then to do what is necessary for the outcome of Allah’s will.

Successful people, like all of us, can make mistakes. What is remarkable here is that the error has not been deliberately repeated. A believer cannot make the same mistake twice. Success does not occur by chance or without help. So, try to get to know and find people who help you succeed. You will find that there are many of them around you.

On the other hand, it is useful to know that the factor called “chance” does not affect being successful. On the contrary, important achievements can be achieved only by working hard, trying hard, resorting to knowledge and resorting to all causes, and after applying them, to trust Allah.

I wish everyone from Allah Almighty to be successful, happy and accomplishing their goals…