Success is a state of being, not a state to be reached. Keep a set of rules and know that as long as you follow them, you can call yourself successful. I often forget mine, so I share them here in case they're useful.
Quit enjoying obstacles and complete the objective. Stress comes from open loops, so close them. Finish the last 10% of the task and clean up afterwards. Every time you open a new task, close it as soon as possible. If you can't complete it in one sitting, put it away so you can come back to it later.
Internet content is low-value; books are high-value. News and ChatGPT is low-value; analyses, biographies, and industry reports are high-value. Reading Quran and prayer at the masjid are both high-value. Assign a high-value to doing the right thing at the right time, but assign a lower value to doing the right thing at the wrong time. Activities either align with your values or detract from them.
Make good choices easy and make every alternative hard. Make it easy to grab a book. Have a pull up bar in your room. Put a weight rack at your desk. Use friction to make things annoying. Power off devices after use. Use a dumb phone. Don't block out distractions; remove them. Clear your workspace. Hide your toys when it's not playtime. Make it easy to stay locked in. Gather what you need before you start.
Wait in line. Call customer support. Ask others for help. Study how everyone else studies. Humble yourself and trust the process. Nobody is successful because they are smart. Allah only increases what you were already doing.
It doesn't have to be huge, but something.
Assign high value to sticking to the plan. Keep decisions simple.
Progress is incremental. Work is intensity x time. Work at high intensity. Increase time on task. Put in an honest day's worth of work. Incremental builds over time. Big things are completed over many sittings as long as you understand the deliverable.
Answer the phone. Keep a calendar. Respond to emails. Promptly handle administrative tasks. Save people's contacts. Maintain a predictable office schedule. Don't make people guess what you're doing. Keep your commitments. Arrive on time. Underpromise and overdeliver. Make fewer promises and keep all of them.
It's not about volume or impact. It's about sincerity. We're here for a short time and many things will be left undone.
It's the sunnah. Be a good guest. It doesn't mean you have to stay the whole time. Attend only the important part. You can be the first or second to leave. Just don't be the last to leave.
Speak carefully with people you don't know well. Avoid giving unsolicited advice. You don't need to entertain people. Do what everyone else is doing. Silence is safer than speech. Pay attention and read the room. Give people their rights.
You're not as good as you think you are.
Recognize what it took for you to have what you have.
You don't need to buy extra. You don't need to stockpile. You can sell things when you're done using them.
There will never be enough money for those who are chasing this world. If you wake up in safety and have enough food for the day, you have everything. The two rakah before fajr is beyond wealth.
Keep your space clean. Keep your body clean. Smell good and wear clean clothes. Sit up straight. Eat healthy. Don't blame others. Recognize your own role in sabotaging yourself. You don't need to defend yourself unless it's an actual fight. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone.
Recognize the role of Shaytaan in reality. This is a force beyond your control.