Things I have Learnt the Hard Way

By Fareeha Qayoom

1. There is God’s plan, and there is your plan. It only works when you are aligned with God’s plan.
2. Learn to appreciate what you have, don’t hanker for what’s missing.
3. Knowledge is free. You can teach yourself anything.
4. Trust your instincts. Experts don’t know everything.
5. Keep learning new things. Challenge yourself.
6. You don’t work for a company, you work for a boss.
7. Don’t work for long for insecure, envious, jealous or incompetent people. Get out of the situation ASAP.
8. Destructive, dysfunctional boss-subordinate relationships only get worse, never better.
9. If you want to succeed at work, don’t offer suggestions, opinions, or better strategies, you are not there to think, you are there to carry out orders – agree with your immediate boss hundred percent at all times or stay silent. Learn to become a better drone, or a foot soldier or a doormat or an android. Opposition in any form will raise red flags and make you a target.
10. Don’t gossip, back bite or complain.
11. Get a life outside of work.
12. Keep your emotions under control at all times.
13. Smile.
14. Accept your limitations but don’t limit yourself.
15. Blend in. Don’t stand out. Learn to assimilate in the office culture or learn the art of camouflage.
16. (Office) Politics is not about fair-play, it’s about power-play. Understand the difference.
17. Don’t abuse your power(s).
18. No experience is trivial. And it’s never wasted.
19. Learn to work with your hands – learn a craft.
20. Work for yourself if you get an opportunity. Self-employment is better. Look at all the successful people. They all turned entrepreneurs early in their careers.
21. Try to express, not impress.
22. With every difficulty, there is ease, indeed. (Quran 94- verse 5 and 6).
23. A good team can’t be led by a bad boss, however, a good boss can lead a bad team.
24. Prioritize. Do what’s important to you first.
25. Put family before work. You can always find a new job but you can’t ever replace a family.
26. When someone tells you they believe in team work, they expect you to carry their weight.
27. Figure out your (personal) values early in your career. Don’t compromise on them. Otherwise, you will lose your self-respect.
28. Self-respect is more important than money or position.
29. Be true to yourself. You are unique. Don’t hide your light. But don’t invite trouble.
30. Build momentum – do the easy stuff first.
31. Beware of the motivations behind people’s words and actions, don’t believe everything you are told at face value.
32. Focus. Do one thing at a time. Finish tasks.
33. Don’t get impressed by the packaging, look inside. (In other words, the message is more important than how it’s presented, the gift is more important than the wrapping paper, the book is more than its cover).
34. Delegate completely. Hands off.
35. Let people grow. Give them responsibilities. Trust them to do a good job.
36. Don’t micro-manage.
37. Be grateful. Count your blessings.
38. Ask questions. Be curious.
39. Simplify. Don’t complicate.
40. Make it look easy.
41. Listen.
42. All relationships are based on the basic principle of give and take. Understand the delicate balance.
43. Under-promise. Over deliver.
44. Concentrate on what you can do. Don’t worry about the things that are out of your control.
45. Write down your plans. Be as detailed as possible. It always helps with the implementation.
46. Understand – Murphy was a genius. Anything which can go wrong will go wrong. Have a contingency plan, an exit strategy. Always.
47. Don’t let criticism get you down. Ignore it if it’s not based on honest or sincere feedback.
48. Don’t be petty.
49. Always consider the big picture.
50. Be detail oriented.
51. Do a good job regardless.
52. Respect people – not their position, power or money. Those come and go.
53. Regret is a waste of time. Keep moving forward.
54. Live in the moment. Past is gone and future has not arrived yet. You only have now.
55. Do the right thing always. Regardless.
56. Keep it simple.
57. Be accurate – Say what you mean and mean what you say.
58. Persist.
59. Travel light. Carry only what you need. Accumulation of stuff can slow you down and impact your speed.
60. Time is relative. Deadlines are always nearer than you think!
61. Write down good ideas immediately.
62. Learn to tolerate stupidity, evil, inconvenience, inconsideration, selfishness, unfairness.
63. Lose your ego.
64. Expect your boss to take credit for your work, steal your ideas and pass on your good suggestions as theirs.
65. Find yourself.
66. Stay in your budget. Don’t get into debt.
67. Pay your bills first.
68. Move with the times. Adapt. Stay versatile.
69. Be open to possibilities.
70. Observe. Learn from others.
71. Don’t compare. Set your own standards.
72. Don’t get bored. Do something productive.
73. Read.
74. Find humor. Learn to laugh.
75. Find a way. Learn to be creative.