The Camel Vs The Frog

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Let’s talk about it.

Two animals.

Two seemingly unrelated concepts.

One rooted in Islamic wisdom.

The other in everyday productivity culture.

Both have been pivotal in my journey because while they tackle different elements, they still encompass the balance between responsibility and awareness.

If this is your first time seeing these concepts, let me drop an explanation.

This concept touches on the Islamic perspective, but I’ve seen non-Muslims approach it just the same. They understand too that sitting on your ass all day watching Breaking Bad and eating junk won’t get you far.

It’s all about doing your part, and trusting that what’s meant to reach you eventually will.

There are good deeds in choosing the hard path that leads to growth. You’re looking to develop rather than take the easy way out, and that means tackling the tasks that are daunting and challenging.

My journey has been nothing short of ups and downs.

Doubt, difficulty and self-deceit always creep in.

I could abandon my efforts and expect to have things drop into my lap without hard work.

But I’d be a fool.

Tawakkul is not something that comes easily.

It’s not inherited or passed down.

Just like consistency and discipline, it’s something that is trained over time, to the point where it becomes a personal system you imbed for any type of situation.

Think about it.

You stress over every little detail.

You’re terrified of growth.

You obsess over positive outcomes.

But have you ever thought about how people experience this differently?

I'd say from December to April was the first time in a while where I didn't enjoy work.

I worked from home and it was a blessing but in other ways I needed to get into the office, but I couldn't due to the nature of the project I was on.

The first instance was attempting to look for another job or quitting.

The easy way out as we like to take it.

Then I thought, what if I ride it out?

What if a better project or opportunity is around the corner?

I just have to be patient and trust the process.

It took a few months and me burying myself in my hobbies but now I look back and I'm glad I waited because the project ended just as Ramadan started.

The fact is I've been blessed to have had more time to focus in Ramadan this year.

Any decision regarding my temporary displeasure back in December could have meant I'd be in a different position now.

My struggles may be light in comparison to others.

But we don't just sit around and wallow in despair. Take responsibility and know when to ask Allah for guidance.

I'm still working on this through my own journey.

My Fitness

The camel.

I control the input, not the outcome.

I show up to the gym, train, eat right and prioritise recovery.

I do all that I can to avoid getting overweight, falling off physically, or getting injured.

In the end, there’s only so much I can do to prevent all of that.

But I put the work in regardless and Allah does the rest.

The Frog.

I identify the one thing I know I need to do but keep avoiding.

The biggest tasks? The compound lifts like bench presses, deadlifts and squats.

The football games that have the best players playing.

These are the difficult tasks I face, but I understand that doing the compound lifts works multiple areas of my body and allows me to get stronger.

The harder football games? They allow me to improve my team play, technical skill and awareness on the pitch.

My Language Learning

The camel.

Du'a won't work just for fluency; I still have to put the time in to read, write and practice speaking.

I can’t expect to pick up a language by having the ‘motivation’ to learn.

It takes time, energy and effort using a variety of methods.

In the end, it might be made easy or difficult. I just keep working harder to become better than yesterday and closer to fluency.

The Frog.

My weekly reviews allow me to identify what I try to avoid or what could be done better.

Before work, I tend to get the Frog out of the way.

That’s my flashcard practice with 250+ words.

It’s usually the boring and repetitive tasks that can be the most difficult to do.

Even when it comes to speaking in my lessons, I know it’s something I hate messing up on, but it’s the task that gives me the biggest sense of relief because I know I got it done.

My Career

The camel.

I see my job now as giving me a sense of purpose.

I wanted a remote job in la Sud de la France, but it's the applying and networking that starts off the process.

I can’t expect to build relationships and take the next step elsewhere if I leave it to Allah to give it to me without trying.

Tawakkul, Tahajjud and a whole load of good intentional deeds and dua, who says I can’t get that job?

The Frog.

With my career, I’ve found that the Frog is exactly what I need to excel.

The networking and taking the big leaps to build relationships.

It’s daunting and I’m afraid of looking like a beg.

But I think about those at the top who took risks, shut off negativity and just made it happen.

They were probably never prepared for that role abroad, or that big-shot CEO position, but they woke up daily understanding that the difficult tasks had to be tackled.

My Writing

The camel.

The right audience won't flock to my content unless they see value.

Allah helps those who try to help others.

I try to have a balance between self-satisfaction and reward, rather than produce content for the sole purpose of money or recognition (extrinsic).

I do my part to try to provide value and help others in their journey in a way that I would have benefitted from.

The right intentions bring the right results soon enough.

The Frog.

It’s always the doubts about if what I’m writing is relevant or will reach the right audience.

The hardest task is always getting the content out and not worrying about what others think.

Eventually I learned to speak to one person or get my content out for the sole benefit of my past self.

I now protect my focus like my life depends on it.

My Travels

The camel.

I plan.

I prepare.

I research.

Only Allah can help me get to my destination safely and keep me protected.

Barakah comes when action meets trust.

Not when you sit back and just hope.

The Frog.

The hardest thing is always making the jump.

Getting stuff booked.

Doing the research.

In the end, I’m responsible for it all.

I look back and see the benefits.

I realised that I’m glad I booked that Atlas Mountain trip in Marrakech.

The late nights under the Petronas Tower in Malaysia.

The island-hopping days in Thailand.

The walks through the souks in Tunisia.

Hopping to different mosques in Istanbul.

It was hard to get out of my town, my geographical comfort zone.

But when I look back, I’m grateful I did.

If things don't go as planned, why are you losing hope?

Do you think we are not rewarded for every hardship we face?

Don't you come out stronger and wiser after every situation?

Control what you can, make Du'a and have faith in Allah's decree.

Do the hardest task at the start, and watch the rest of your day become easier.

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The bottom line

Having trust in Allah and our future is something that takes a certain mindset to have.

Like anything, it doesn't come naturally.

It comes from life experiences.

You can't teach it.

Your challenge for this week: Ask yourself these questions:

• What’s weighing on my mind right now?

• What task will give me the biggest sense of relief?

• What am I avoiding because it feels too big or overwhelming?

That’s your step 1.

Step 2 is to schedule it first thing in the morning.

This is peak energy and focus time.

If you don’t do it first thing, chances are it won’t get done.

Step 3 is to minimize the distractions and protect your focus. Here’s how:

• Block dedicated time for your frog.

• Try the Pomodoro Method: 25 minutes of deep work, then a short break.

• Silence your phone.

• Close unnecessary tabs.

• Let people know you’re unavailable.

I thought about stopping it there, but really, you need something to keep you going.

When I schedule my Arabic in the morning, it’s the hardest tasks that get done. After that, I celebrate with small wins (Step 4)

A quick game of chess, my Arabic show or catching up on wrestling.

So take that break or treat yourself in ways only you enjoy!

Do the hardest parts and leave the rest in the hands of The Almighty.

If you need some help with this or want to discuss it further, feel free to reach out on Instagram @liftlangleon.

Till next time, peace.

LiftLangLeon