I recently read an article by Mohammed Faris of The Productive Muslim Company on self-actualization, and I mostly agree with what he stated.

As a Muslim, it is very important to realign our goals with what Allah has commanded. However, when it comes to execution, it doesn’t hurt to take a page or two from self-help books. You can definitely find similar, if not better, ways of reaching your goals by studying the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or the Salaf. The main challenge is that these resources are not as readily available in English as they are in Arabic.

In my own experience, when I was writing my Master’s dissertation, I aimed to complete it from scratch within six months. At the same time, I decided to focus on improving myself as a Muslim, making it a priority in my daily life. Alhamdulillah, I have never felt more liberated and calm—which was unexpected, as I thought I would be more anxious than ever. I completed my thesis in just 3.5 months, far surpassing my expectations. Oddly enough, it was not the first time I had found success in my endeavors after putting Allah first.

Therefore, I was inspired by the article as a whole. Here is the quote that struck me the most:

When you stop trying to pursue your own desires and align your goals/intentions to be the best ‘Abd of Allah, you’ll find peace and Barakah in your life.