Unquestionably, being highly motivated is one of the favors that Allah The Almighty bestows upon whomever He wills from His slaves. Being the Ever-Wise, He has created people in varying physical and mental capabilities. However, He has made strength of mind attainable through adopting certain actions and means. Here, we shall briefly enumerate some motivation boosters, hoping that Allah The Almighty will grant it to us:
1. Sincerity
Forgetting the creation by taking into consideration only their Creator urges a person to do noble things because one realizes that Allah The Almighty is indeed, of all things, Seeing. Ibn Al-Qayyim may Allah have mercy upon him said, "The righteous intention is like a booster shot for high motivation; when they fuse, one can attain his [or her] sublime objectives."
2. Truthfulness
The person who is honest in his or her determination and actions is a highly motivated person; this quality entitles him or her to enjoy happiness in both worlds. In determination, truthfulness denotes decisiveness without hesitation; and, in actions, it means exerting one’s utmost efforts to achieve a set target. While the first protects an individual from weakness of motivation and will, the second shields him or her from lethargy and slackness.
3. Knowledge
The one who believes that knowledge and ignorance are equal or who is content with his or her status does not have any motivation. There can be no doubt that knowledge boosts a person's drive, removing him or her from the disgrace of ignorance and blind imitation, and purifies his or her intention.
Shaykh Muhammad Ismaa‘eel says in ‘Uluww Al-Himmah, "Knowledge makes one aware of the levels of deeds. Hence, he [or she] avoids excessive indulgence in enjoying permissible things, which detract him [or her] from worship, such as overeating or oversleeping, and observes a balance between, and moderation in, rights and duties, regarding which the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Give each [thing or individual] its due right." Furthermore, knowledge makes one aware of Satan’s plots and tactics of confusing him [or her] as a way to prevent him [or her] from doing acts that are greater in reward."
Ibn Al-Qayyim may Allah have mercy upon him said, "The degree of the person who pursues knowledge of the levels of deeds and noble acts, determines the extent of his [or her] knowledge of the increase and decrease in status and faith."
4. Attentiveness
This quality separates a man from the heedless, makes him avoid the deeds of the ignorant, protects him from slackness and boosts his motivation to the extent that he is restless until he comes to inhabit Paradise, whose width is equivalent to the heavens and earth. A person who wants to be ambitious must completely avoid the company of the reckless, which he or she would only come to regret. It was narrated that after the battle of Badr, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) invited Thul-Jawshan Adh-Dhabaabi to Islam, and said: "Do you not want to be one of the early Muslims?" When the man replied in the negative, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) asked: "What is the reason behind your refusal?" Thul-Jawshan answered, "I saw that your people disbelieved in you, expelled and fought you. If you managed to defeat them, I would believe in you and follow you; otherwise I would not." Later, Thul-Jawshan regretted that he did not convert to Islam when the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) invited him.
5. Decisiveness
Hesitation causes the slave of Allah The Almighty to miss out on many blessings, stunting him or her while others move on. Only a resolute person can attain his or her goal; therefore, do not be uncertain and worried, and destroy yourself with doubts, which only lead to further qualms. Instead, contemplate the verses where Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {And when you have resolved, then rely upon Allah.} [Quran 3:159]
• {And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them.} [Quran 47:21]
6. Consciousness of the value and honor of the soul
This does not mean that Man should be arrogant or conceited; rather, he has to understand that as a human being, he is superior to all other creations of Allah The Almighty. Therefore, he should be keen on exalting himself and increasing his worth through righteous deeds, knowledge, persistence and research, and by culturally refining himself, enlightening his mind, and igniting ambition and nobility within his soul.
Dear brother and sister; remember that Allah The Almighty made His angels prostrate to you and placed them at your service. How many of them are there in the heavens who never sleep yet do not attain any exalted degree? On the other hand, Allah The Almighty Himself praises those people who leave their beds to worship Him for a while, when He Says (what means): {Their sides forsake their beds.} [Quran 32:16]
How many angels exist in the sky, who never taste food or drink, but they have no distinction? On the contrary, when a human being abstains from eating and drinking for a while, he or she is praised by Allah The Almighty and His Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) who said: "The breath of the fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk." The angels pray for us and the bearers of the Throne ask Allah The Almighty to forgive us. Let us then, dear brother and sister, search our souls and bear its value in mind; we will then become highly motivated.
7. Supplication
I chose to mention this factor at the end of the article because it is the widest and nearest gate to all types of blessings; the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “The most miserly of people is the one who is mean with [offering] greetings; and the most incapable [of them] is the one who is unable of making supplication." The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) also said: "There is nothing [of acts of worship] that is more honorable [in the sight of Allah] than invocation."
Therefore, we have to draw close to our Protector through the door of humility and submission. We must supplicate to Him, saying: "Ilaahi wa Sayyidi wa Mawlaay, anta aslahta as-saaliheen, wa-a‘layta himamahum, faj‘alna minhum, wa alhiqna bihim fee ‘illiyeen (O my Lord, Master and Protector, You have reformed the righteous and boosted their motivation; make us from them and make us join them in the most exalted of ranks).”
