Never Give up…or should you?
The old saying in Self Help “Never give up!” isn’t always true. While it is true that attaining noble goals requires sacrifice, hard work, persistence, and a long period of time. It is also true that there are certain times when you should consider giving up on your goals. Here are four situations when giving up on your goal is the right thing to do:
When the goal is Haram
You may have set the goal when you were ignorant and unaware that it was prohibited in Islam, or harmful to others. If that is the case, as soon as you gain knowledge and realize that it is Haram, you must give up that goal for the sake of Allah, even if your Nafs desires it.
Any goal given up for the sake of Allah will be replaced by that which is better than it, as Allah does not allow any sacrifice to go unrewarded.
When it isn’t worth the sacrifice
We all know that attaining goals require sacrifice. However, we must approach our goals with balance and realism. If attaining a goal requires sacrifice, it needs to be worthy of that sacrifice. Too often, we sacrifice that which is better for goals which are lesser. Take a look at your current goals and the sacrifices needed to attain them. Are they proportionate? Is it worth it?
There are some things you shouldn’t sacrifice for worldly goals. You should never sacrifice your religion/relationship with Allah for a worldly goal. You should never allow your goals to break up your marriage or destroy your relationship with your children, and you should never chase goals that will compromise your integrity.
Life is about balance. We need lofty goals, but we also need to fulfill the rights of those in our lives. If a goal interferes with those rights, it may be time to consider letting go of that goal.
When it takes you away from your vision
Sometimes a goal starts of as a good idea, but ends up taking you down paths very different from what you envisioned. When working on your goals, it is crucial to analyze your goals within the framework of your life vision.
If your goals are moving you towards your vision, then continue pursuing them. But if they are taking you away from your vision, then it is time to let them go.
When something better comes along
Sometimes we set our goals when our resources are low and our opportunities few. As a result, the goals are not ideal or optimal. Some people become so obsessed with such goals that they end up missing better opportunities that present themselves along the way. This is why it is crucial to put your vision before your goal.
While working towards a goal, if something better comes along. If some opportunity that can move you towards your vision faster comes along. If something comes along that would be an even better goal. Then it is time to give up your goal in order to make time for the better one.
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JazakAllah Khairan for the informative post.
I had experienced the second point…once I realised that I am losing my quality time with my family I had to let go of what I have been doing even though everything else in terms of worldly gains remained rosy on the other side.
Interesting article which am sure many of us face but decisions vary according to ones circumstances or stage in life. Sometimes its more the method of reaching the goal then the goal itself that needs to be given up.