Staying in The Game

Zaid Khan

1. Set Goals | 2. Stay Motivated | 3. Be Organized

About Me

me3-piecesuit

At this point, you have probably read many introductory web pages; nothing special about this one, right? Wrong. Hello everyone my name is Zaid Khan, and today I want to show all of you how I stay in the game and try to be focused and productive. As a dual enrollment tenth grader, my workload is considerable, so I need to have a game plan. I’ve broken my ongoing learning journey into 3 main steps for success:

  1. Set Goals
  2. Stay Motivated
  3. Be Organized

I want to share some of my accomplishments and would love to hear about you as well. Onward!

1. Set Goals

Agreed, step one is a prehistoric cliche. However, the fact that it’s so overstated reaffirms its importance. It’s essential to start by breaking apart your goals. I always start with 1 main goal. For example, getting a Ph.D. in the next 7 years. (Pro tip: Make sure to set a deadline.) The main goals must be long-term. Then, bit by bit, I break down the steps required to reach the main goal. What do I need to achieve in a year? In a month? A week? Today? Now the daunting, painful thought of a Ph.D. (they say Ph.D. stands for piled higher and deeper LOL) is multiple, manageable tasks.
For me, one of my main goals has been to stay active in my community and inspire others. Sounds difficult? I agree. It is my passion, but I still feel overwhelmed. I realized that inspiring others requires time and patience, and in order to do so, I need to show that I am qualified and give back to the community. I began participating in Islamic competitions, and co-organizing community events. Here are a few pictures Years later, I hope I am a role model for others, but the journey continues. Can I do better? Absolutely. Can you? I have no doubt.

2. Stay Motivated

Qur'an

Still here? I appreciate your engagement & hope to hear some advice from you. Having a motivation is easy; it can be the unfaltering will to prove yourself or the unwavering motivation to change the world. The real difficulty is keeping your inspirations at the forefront of your mind. I struggle with it all the time. I do not claim to be a focused guru with a plethora of wisdom. I know many of you who are reading are role models for productivity.
For me, my family, friends, and the wisdom of Islam fuel me to leave a positive impact on the world. I aim for success but always remember, effort does not equate to success. One quote that resonates with me is, “And those who strive in Our (cause), – We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah (God) is with those who do right.” It keeps me focused and inspired. If you want to be productive and stay motivated, make sure to have a strong moral compass and keep your loved ones close.

3. Be Organized

Todoist Application

There are so many more steps to achieving your goal. But honestly, each person shapes his journey. The one main point while working toward your goal will be to stay organized. I remember how lazy, distracted, and unproductive I was before brainstorming ways to stay organized. Organization means you keep everything convenient and close to you, so when you need something, you are not wasting hours looking for it. But how do you stay organized?
Take advantage of the internet. There are numerous software out there with the purpose of helping you to be efficient. One of my favorites is called Todoist (see picture). Every night I list the tasks I need to do for the next day, and crossing each task is so satisfying that it encourages me to work faster and harder. In the span of a few hours I can complete an entire day’s worth of work. One more tip I have is to align your todo list to a schedule. I personally love google calendar as I can plan my day and find time to do work, chores, and spend time with myself and my family. It’s probably my favorite productivity hack.
Now, enough about me. Tell me about you!

Tell Me About You!

Now that I have explained my favorite productivity hacks, I would love to hear from you!

Name:

What are some interesting things about you?

Feedback:

Your favorite productivity hack:

Time for you to give me tip(s) to stay in the game:

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