7 Habits for Success and Happiness

⏱ 5 minute read

What an interesting word ‘Habit’ is! Take away the ‘H’ you have ‘abit’. Take away the ‘a’, you have ‘bit’.  Take away the ‘b’, and you still have ‘it’. Know dear reader that you are a product of your habits that can take anywhere from 21 to 30 days to develop. What follows are seven habits for you to consider as you aim for success in this life and the next.

1. Allah First

The shortest path to a goodly life is through righteous actions and having the correct belief, for after all, it is He Who is the turner of hearts. Allah says,

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life…” [Qur’an, 16: 97]

Know for surety that any loss can be compensated except losing Allah and that the more you do of that which Allah loves, the more He gives you that of which you love.

2. Beneficial Knowledge

Just as the saying goes, “Knowledge is power.” It’s important to have knowledge and a deep understanding of all the important aspects of your life, starting with knowledge of Allah. Part of being successful is having specialised knowledge and that you ensure you are learning about matters that bring you happiness. Learn about the things that will lead to a career that will make you feel that you have never worked a day in your life. And remember, the more you learn, the more you earn, and that the roots of knowledge are bitter but the fruits are very sweet.

3. Hard Work

Successful people have become successful because they did what a lot of others were not willing to do.  To be successful, be prepared for short term pain in order to avoid long term pain and in order to achieve long term gain. Don’t procrastinate and be fooled into thinking there is going to be the perfect condition before you start to work hard, for if this is your attitude you will learn the hard way that you will be waiting for a long time.  The major contributor to happiness is ‘progress’.  The more you are progressing with regards to your Iman (faith), your studies, your career, and your social relationships, the happier you will become.  It is imperative that you replace an ‘I should’ attitude with an ‘I must’ one, for much of your success will come about when you repeatedly tell yourself, “I must do such and such.’  Remember that behind every success is a painful story and that every painful story has a successful ending inshaa-Allah.

4. Place Yourself Amongst the Best of the Best

Bear in mind that you are shaped primarily by three factors.  Firstly, your environments; so make sure you are consistently in environments that nurture your physical, spiritual and emotional self.  The second factor is your influences, and this is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.” (Abu Dawud) The third factor is your experiences, so do ensure you expose yourself to as many healthy and positive experiences throughout your life.

5. Respect Time

Successful people have tremendous respect for time.  Allah, in many places in the Qur’an makes oaths by time, to highlight the importance of it. For example he said, “By time.” [Qur’an, 103: 1].  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“There are two blessings in which people are cheated: health and spare time.” (Bukhari)

This prophetic tradition implies how people are unaware of the real value of health and spare time; they are not properly invested in what is good for them in this world or the Hereafter. Ensure you live a balanced lifestyle where you are dedicating time to Allah, to your self (mind, body and spirit) and to all those whom have rights over you.

6. Accept What has been Ordained for You

In order to prosper you must not allow negativity, failures and challenges to get the better of you.  Accept what Allah has decreed for you and know that when you fail, you increase your chances of success. Accept what comes your way and have no doubt that it was never meant to miss you and that you were the specific target, for the Prophet (peace be upon him said,

“And know that what has befallen you was not going to miss you, and that which missed you was not meant to befall you.” (Abu Dawud)

Know that dwelling over the past and its tragedies creates a form of insanity, a kind of sickness that destroys love for the present moment.  Accept that episodes of the past bare finished with and that no amount of sadness or depression can retrieve them.

7. Be Patient

Don’t be hasty on the path to success.  Keep in mind that plucking the fruit before it ripens will give you a bitter taste. Likewise hastening things before their time will reap bitter results. Patience is such an important attribute to have that it is mentioned some 90 times in the Qur’an.  Patience is required towards our obligations to Allah.  It is required towards prohibitions and keeping away from all that leads to transgressing the limits set by Allah.  Patience is also required at the first instance of the shock when it comes to calamities and misfortunes.

I ask Allah to decree for you ultimate success and happiness in this life and the next –Aameen.