1.     Sleep less. This is one of the best investments you can make to make your life more productive and rewarding. Try getting up one hour earlier for 40 days and it will develop into a powerful habit. Start by praying Salatut Tahajjud at least once a week. You will feel alive and invigorated.

2.     Set aside one hour every morning for personal development matters. Meditate, visualize your day, read the Qur’an to set the tone of your day, listen to it. Watch the sun rise once a week or be with nature.

3.     Always remember the key principle that the quality of your life is the quality of your communication. This means the way you communicate with others and, more importantly, the way you communicate with yourself. What you focus on is what you get. If you look for the positive this is what you get.

4.     Learn to be still. Develop the skill of sitting quietly, enjoying the powerful silence for at least ten minutes a day. Simply think about what is important to you in your life. Reflect on your mission. Silence indeed is golden. . Rasulullah (SAW) has said that an hours thinking is better than seventy years worship.

5.     Associate only with positive, focused people who you can learn from and who will not drain your valuable energy with complaining and uninspiring attitudes

6.     You must have a mission statement in life. This is simply a set of guiding principles which clearly state where you are going and where you want to be at the end of your life.

7.     No one can insult or hurt you without your permission.. There are no negative experiences only experiences which aid in your development and toughen you

8.     Be soft as butter when it comes to kindness but tough as thunder when it comes to principle.

9.     Try fasting at least one day a one day a week. It has an amazing effect. If not that them the middle three days of the month – 13, 14, 15 of the lunar month.

10.   Remember that forgiveness is a virtue that few develop, but one that is most important to maintaining peace of mind. Practice forgiveness especially in those situations where it is seemingly difficult.

11.   Ask not what this world can do for you but, rather, what you can do for this world. Make service an important goal in your life. It is the best investment of time. The quality of your life boils down to the quality of your contribution to others. Leave a legacy for those around you.

12.   Finally never forget the power of Dua.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

• Acknowledging that you are solely responsible for the choices in your life.
• Accepting that you are responsible for what you choose to feel or think.
• Accepting that you cannot blame others for the choices you have made.
• Pointing the finger of responsibility back to yourself and away from others when you are discussing the consequences of your actions.
• Not feeling sorry for yourself but taking hold of your life and giving it direction and reason.
• Protecting and nurturing your health and emotional well being.
• Taking an honest inventory of your strengths, abilities, talents, virtues, and positive points.
• Letting go of blame and anger toward those in your past who did the best they could, given the limitations of their knowledge, background, and awareness.

NOT ACCEPTING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TRAITS

ý  Overly dependent on others for recognition, approval, and acceptance.

ý  Always angry, or depressed over how unfairly you are being treated.

ý  Fearful about ever taking a risk or making a decision.

ý  Addicted to unhealthy substances  or unhealthy behaviour.

ý  Over responsible and guilt  in your need to rescue and enable others in your life.

ý  Unable to develop trust or to feel secure with others.
EVERYDAY LANGUAGE

ý  It's not my fault I am the way I am.

ý  Why go on; I see no use in it.

ý  When do the troubles and problems cease? I'm tired of all this.

ý  How can you say I am responsible for what happens to me in the future? There is fate, luck, politics, greed, envy, wicked and jealous people, and other negative influences that have a greater bearing on my future than I have.

ý  No matter how hard I work, I will never get ahead.