Husain Journal

For the past several days, I haven’t allowed myself the luxury of writing freely. Today, before diving into anything else, I’ve decided to hit the keys and reach at least 500 words. If I manage to cross 1,000 words, that’ll be a delightful bonus — but I’m not setting my sights on that just yet. Why? Because aiming too high can often feel discouraging. Instead, I strive to find a balance between setting a challenging goal and keeping it within reach. This balanced approach is something I’ve honed over time. Tasks that are overly ambitious can drain motivation because they feel insurmountable, while tasks that are too easy fail to provide the thrill of accomplishment. Striking a middle ground helps me stay motivated and ensures that I don’t fall into the traps of burnout or complacency. The Power of Balance in Goal-Setting 1. Confidence in Consisten...

"To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future." Plutarch There’s something sacred in the quiet moments that follow a brisk morning walk: the sharp air, the gentle hum of the world coming to life, and the soothing warmth of a cup in hand. It’s a time when the soul feels at ease, preparing for the day ahead. This morning, I found peace in the early prayers at the mosque. It set a serene tone for my day, grounding me in the present moment. As I walked back home, the cold air nipped at my face, but I welcomed it. I found solace in the simple act of holding a steaming cup of tea, my hands warmed by its embrace. But today, my thoughts went deeper than the routine comfort of tea and silence. I couldn’t help but reflect on my time in Delhi — those formative years when my journey of learning and self-discovery was stil...

You know what’s good for your growth, and you know what’s holding you back. Yet, you often look the other way. Sure, you’ve made some progress and achieved a few milestones, but most of those accomplishments came from the progressive steps you’ve taken. And deep down, you probably know that if you’d taken even more of those steps, you’d be in a much better place today. Sound familiar? If so, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get real with yourself. Ask yourself these tough questions—your answers could ignite the change you need: What foolish habits or behaviours am I engaging in that are holding me back? How can I eliminate them? What obstacles are in the way of eliminating these barriers? What small action can I take today to start moving in the right direction? Take some time to sit down in a quiet space, away from distractions. Switch off your phone and let those around you know you n...

It’s weird, isn’t it? You’ve got all the time in the world. You’ve got exciting projects lined up, just waiting to be tackled. But… You can’t seem to fire up your engines. You can’t even get the car rolling. You tell yourself that if you push through and get to work, you’ll feel fulfilled, make money, and even take a step closer to the dreams that stir your soul. But that pep talk? It falls flat. It fizzles out like a dud firecracker, despite all the right words. And what do you do next? You start thinking you’re lazy. Unmotivated. Maybe you’re just not cut out for it. Your passion’s drained, and your enthusiasm feels like it’s vanished into thin air. But then, you remember—you’ve been here before. You’ve faced tough spots like this, some even worse. That thought gives you a little comfort, but it doesn’t quite ignite the spark—the one where the words flow effortlessly,...

Admit it. You terribly crave to get successful. And to keep yourself motivated and on track, sometimes you tell yourself that you deserve it. While this thought could be a powerful motivator – the only problem? Many times it fails to provoke you to leap up and do the hard labour which you require to grab it. And sometimes you also feel you possess the capability of getting that successful, of putting forth that level of labour, of doing all what it takes to get on the top. Yet… You ruefully catch yourself lagging behind, making a cover of those sheets of weak, even non-existent excuses. Is there anything more daring that could provoke us to cross our limits? That could defy our fears and drag us by our necks in open? More than all these things, the thought that can inspire and provoke us to work hard – as we should be working – can be another realisation. What if we shift the focus from ‘us’ to ‘them’? Yes, what if we feel that our success matters more to peopl...

“Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious.” Rumi It would be just the right thing to bravely put up my writing on the blog, and let people judge. Certainly, some folks aren’t going to find my posts useful, but for their sake I can’t hold myself back in the trenches. It’s said that a tiny minority of likers of a product make it super popular. Therefore I need to keep this truth in mind that only a tiny minority will appreciate my posts; not everyone is going to get bewitched. In truth, it’s not even practical. If I’m honestly and thoroughly honing my craft of writing, it’s appreciable because I’m doing something worthwhile. But amid this hustle and bustle of burnishing my craft, I must see to it that my passion to amass more money and power doesn’t go overboard. The desire for money and power has to be in proper limits because it’s the pomp and glitter of this desire which blindfold people. Yes, it makes us careerists, ambi...

Ever felt your role models were supermen? That heavens have showered upon them powers you’re deprived of? Those high-flying humans would have had invisible wings which you don’t have, right? Wrong. No one's perfect. But, for years this shitty idea clouded my worldview, and it incrementally curbed my onward speed. Oh that I had the belief in the blissful truth that people who I look up to also had their portion of imperfections – you would have been seeing a much more updated version of me. Because believe it or not, it’s true as hell that our beliefs to our destiny are what frames are to clay. But if this looks wishy-washy then reading this will sweep off your doubts: This guy’s belief tore all scientific data – It’s 1954. experts everywhere are citing a mountain of empirical data to tell you that it’s impossible for a human body to run a 4-minute mile. Any questions or arguments countering this fact is foolery. What’s decreed is decreed. But then an un...

Does this describe you? You’re so overfilled with stuff that before you know it, scores of highly important tasks slip through the cracks and vanish. After all, state of things earlier were not as jumbled up as they’re now, right? And no matter how terribly you try to mute it, that same question scratches the core of your heart – Will I ever be able to organise and clear up the traffic of my affairs? Read on, I’m going to mention a bunch of attention-chewing habits that could be contributing in messing up your life. The hot metric to instantly ment away your crutch activities This piercing truth might sting you right on your face, but let me tell you a dirty secret about us. We invent clever, fox-cunning excuses to dodge the tough – the results-fetching stuff so to embrace the easy and mundane. But if easy tasks would have made our audacious, soul-stirring dreams true, every second person had cut it. So success lies in challenging and blood-squeezing work. For e...

And here’s the reason behind it: As a general rule, we fear what improves us. Admit it, you fear public speaking. You fear asking questions in conferences. But you know it deep down in your heart that if you go forth to do it, you’ll get closer to success. We resist what’s tough for us, but the amazing truth is that all improvement takes place beyond the boundaries of our comfort zone. So, if we’re resisting public speaking, it’s a clear sign that it would bring improvement in us, and eventually we must do that particular thing. If you’re resisting physical workouts, you know that it’s the thing you want to go after. If you’re resisting to post regularly on your blog because you feel they’ll laugh at you, you know you need to chase that very thing. We resist what’s tough and risky for us. A student will invent excuses to avoid studying deeply, in a distraction-free climate. He might keep his phone within his reach, he might not turn off the notifications, he might study at ...

When Alexander the Great conquered almost the entire world, he headed back to meet his teacher with his full pomp and glory. Accompanied with an entourage of elite generals and guards, his caravan came to a stop right before his teacher. He came forward and asked his teacher that what he wants from him . The teacher was sunning himself beside a tree. He didn’t demand any post or treasure or kingdom, though Alexander might have gratefully offered anything to him. You know what he asked? It will take you with surprise. He told the powerful king that before he arrived with his elite men and well-bred horses, he was enjoying the warmth of the sunshine on his bones, but their shadows covered the sun. So he asked the king to move to one side so that he can continue to enjoy the sunshine. Surprising, isn’t it? In this story it comes to light that the king was needier than the teacher. Because he needed to give something to his teacher maybe for contentment’s sake, but the teache...