Focus | Death | Mountains | Prayer
INsights 084, Friday 18th July 2025
Focus | Death | Mountains | Prayer
INsights 084, Friday 18th July 2025
Four brief thoughts came to mind for this week's edition:
1. Focus!
Since Monday I've hosted 13 one-to-one calls with leaders running various social impact projects across the UK to help them refine their vision and mission.
The key observation: the vast majority of them are trying to do too many things for too many different types of beneficiary or service user, especially given their very limited human and financial resources.
This is a classic problem faced by the well-intentioned.
So I challenged those I spoke with to narrow their focus down to a single most impactful service for a single most important profile of beneficiary and then to allow themselves to say no to everything else - even though it may be good or noble work - and focus intensely on improving service quality and scale for that main service and service user.
Basically: dig one hole deep rather than many holes shallow.
I think this is such a key make-or-break issue that will determine whether these organisations will achieve significance in the coming years or not.
Perhaps you'd like to have a think about where you too can make gains in your own life and projects by applying more focus and having the courage to drop things that might well be good but which might also carry the cost of achieving greatness elsewhere.
2. Dying
One of the most powerful sources of reflection is of course pondering the end of our days in this realm.
So take a moment to finish off this sentence: "If I were to die today..."
What would you feel? What would you fear? What would you regret? What would bring you comfort?
Notice what's top of mind for you. Perhaps write it down. Then perhaps write down what - if anything - you'd like to do about it.
Even better, get a close family member or friend to do the same. Then exchange your reflections.
I did this today. I'll keep the details to myself. But it was very good for me.
3. Mountains
Last week I climbed Mount Snowdon for the second time.
I loved it and hope to go again soon.
Challenging hikes in beautiful landscapes have to be one of the best things you can do for your faith, fitness and fun simultaneously.
Perhaps you'd like to block off a day in the coming weeks to leave everything behind and head for the hills.
If you're looking for a group experience, you can check out Active Inclusion Network. or Muslim Family Adventures.
4. Transform My Prayer Lite
I feel the urge to deliver a condensed, live online version of my popular prayer programme next month.
I'm thinking four, 60-minute sessions on Sunday evenings UK time from 3rd to 24th August, to go over the fundamental principles that can help you achieve a radical shift in your experience of prayer.
I'll include practical exercises for you to focus on improving particular elements in between the live sessions.
It will be free of charge.
If you're interested, hit reply and say so.
Enough replies and we go live...
That's all from me.
Until next time.
Peace to you and your loved ones.
Iqbal
~~~
Before you go...
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