Turning Feelings of Motivation Into Action
Bridging the Gap: From Inspiration to Implementation
Still Watching From the Sidelines?
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, or any social media platform and found yourself inspired and amazed by the success of others? Or perhaps it’s a coworker or friend who impresses you with their daily routines, entrepreneurial journeys, educational achievements, or personal habits. Do you find yourself struggling in turning those feelings of motivation into action?
Seeing such content or people may cause a mix of emotions. You feel happy for their success, yet it might also trigger frustration or sadness within yourself, highlighting your own unmet goals. Additionally, it might lead to feelings of inadequacy or pressure. Let us shed light on the unspoken culture of living through others and not showing up for our lives. It has to stop.
This post shows you how to turn admiration for others into motivation for your own actions, moving from being an observer to the main character.
Personal Example:
I’d watch others thrive online, feeling inspired but rarely taking action. This cycle of motivation and inaction left me feeling stuck. I found myself trapped in this unhealthy cycle, constantly seeking this motivational ‘high.’ I realized I was spending too much time consumed by the lives of others, which became a distraction from pursuing my goals. Reflecting on this now, it might have been a defense mechanism to avoid confronting the fear of failure. I understood this due to being able to meet others’ goals that were more in my “comfort zone.” Stay tuned for future posts that uncover the hidden barriers preventing you from achieving your goals.
It was common for me to lie in bed simultaneously, feeling motivated and paralyzed. After being stuck in this cycle for too long, I became sick of it. This wasn’t healthy, and I wanted to change. I wanted to follow my dreams of building a creative space safe for women so badly. It was up to me to take responsibility for my part by taking action while trusting and relying on Allah for the outcome.
Remember this Hadith:
Statistics on Social Media Usage
Balancing Inspiration and Personal Action
There is nothing wrong with watching others and being inspired; it can be a great source of ideas and help. However, when you live through others, neglecting your own life and goals, that becomes a problem. Consuming motivational content should be an intentional act, not a substitute for living your own life.
Avoiding Being of Those Who Regret
Discussing this topic is deep for me because I often recall my mom saying, ‘Don’t be one of those people who reach their deathbed and say, “I wish I would’ve done this and that.” As Muslims, we do not open the door to the”if and if only” kind of thoughts as it opens the door to the devil. It makes us vulnerable to grief and fear, which is harmful to us and is of no benefit. What has passed has passed. At the same time, as Muslims, we should advantage of the here and now. Our Prophet ﷺ taught us:
Our goals don’t have to be big or small; whatever excites us is valid as long as it is within the boundaries of our faith. For me, that was starting this blog! What is it for you?
Strategies to Turn Feelings of Motivation into Action:
1.Turning to Allah: Before anything else, we seek the blessing, success, and assistance of Allah SWT. We ask for His guidance and support; our journey to our goals would be like blindly driving a car without His aid. Performing istikhara when we have decided on a goal can bring peace to our hearts, knowing we have consulted Allah, who knows the unseen and the seen and what is best for us. We can also strive to purify our intentions for His sake, making our goals a form of worship. This way, we can achieve both worldly and religious benefits, inshaAllah. Let us always use our worldly affairs as an investment for the hereafter.
2.Time Setting: Let’s break the cycle of mindless scrolling! Set a dedicated time for watching beneficial content and set time limits to maintain a healthy balance. Spending 2 hours watching others could prevent us from making small but meaningful steps towards our dreams.
3. Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on what specifically inspired you about the content or person. Is it the person’s work ethic, creativity, lifestyle, or something else? We may ask ourselves: What’s truly important? Are we content with our lives? Can we make a small change today?
4. Set Intentions and Create an Action Plan: Create an action plan to work towards your goals. This might involve setting a deadline to get started, creating a realistic schedule (start small and be consistent), setting accountability measures in place, such as a friend who is aware of your goal and can check in with your progress, and identifying resources or support you may need in the journey. If you miss deadlines or start falling off your plan, try again and keep going. It only took me almost 1.5 years to start this blog, lol, so do not give up and take action. Imperfections are a part of the process. Stay committed to your intentions and practice self-compassion.
5. Self-Assessment: Continuously monitor your progress and be prepared to modify your approach as needed.
6. Sharing and Connecting: Share your inspiration and goals with supportive friends and family. This can lead to valuable feedback, support, and even collaboration.
7. Maintaining Perspective: Remember that social media only represents a fraction of people’s lives. While it’s great to be inspired, it’s also essential to focus on our journey and not compare ourselves too harshly. You need to compare yourself to yourself. For example, what did we accomplish regarding our religious and worldly affairs last year? What would we like to achieve this year?
Here is how I have applied the above strategies to the making of this blog:
Through intentional engagement with social media inspiration and others, we can, with the will of Allah, transform admiration into actionable steps that contribute to personal and professional development. Ready to turn your social media scrolls into real-world progress?
Recommended Read:
The Productive Muslim Book: Where Faith Meets Productivity
This book has been a valuable resource on my journey to self-improvement. May Allah reward the author.
What are your thoughts on the trend of living vicariously through others? What are some ways you turn feelings of motivation into action? Leave a comment below.
Day
Great post! Doom scrolling is what is considered normal these days. Since deleting my social media accounts I have time to devote my energy to hobbies & things that actually make a difference( ex volunteering). Comparison is the thief of joy.
edelynm2017
Wow sis, doom scrolling I like it, lol. Yes, deleting social media is a great step towards reallocating your time towards something more beneficial. I think intentional use can be beneficial but we have to be honest with ourselves and do what works best.
Umm Souleymane
Allahumma baarik, this post is going to be the catalyst for so many people in shaa Allah. Jazaaki Allahu khairan for not only providing encouragement through this post, but also practical steps and resources. Merci!!
edelynm2017
Aww,inshaAllah khair. Waiyyakum inshaAllah this space continues to be of benefit for everyone involved.
Yaridis L Garcia
Wow, very impressive. Proud mother🥰
edelynm2017
Thank you best mom in the world.
AISSATA
JazakAllah Khairan for sharing! And congratulations on taking action may Allah ease the rest of your journey.
edelynm2017
Waiyyakum, JazakAllah khair for reading and commenting. May Allah make what I post a means of benefit for myself and others. Ameen
Rand
Thank you, this was an interesting topic. It’s time we show up for our own lives InshaAllah.