Appearing to me what seemed a small gathering of graduates at my local mosque this weekend, turned out to be the greatest event filled with gems and motivation.

With the same familiar voices that I would hear at sermons and other events throughout the year, I couldn't imagine what I would learn at this event. Only about a few, possibly 15, graduates showed up at the event. Even some curious high school students joined along.

And it had to be this event that I would not record. So in return, here are the 4 main gems / key points I learned at this event.

1. Read

Sounds cliche and comes with the excuse, “I don’t have time to pick up a book”, it’s essential to the growth of our knowledge as human beings. We live in a time where information is just a few clicks away, but book hobbyists read for a reason, they understand the unique experience offered.

At the gathering, a question was asked: how many of us manage to finish a book every month? Embarrassingly, I did not raise my hand, and neither did anyone else. However, a few individuals acknowledged completing a book every three months. Just as I thought the discussion had concluded, the speaker encouraged us to strive for the ambitious goal of finishing a book every week, equating to a staggering 52 books per year.

2. Defend “Graduate”

Being a graduate is a title we receive after many years put into education. And it took hard work and dedication to reach this title. But if you do absolutely nothing afterward, then what value would that title hold?

In other words, go out, learn, apply, and build on top of that title. Let being a graduate just be a seed to be planted that could grow into almost anything.

3. The Value of Time

Before this gathering, I had heard so many motivational speeches about the value of time, but after this, I can confidently say that time is a resource that flies and is limited. While very "Asian" sounding but if you are dedicated to learning and growth of your knowledge, then spending time on TikTok wouldn't be in the best of your interests. Rather as a distraction from what you could achieve.

4. Delve Deeper into your Interests

While not directly said, but we should dive deeper into our interests. As I was participating in a thought-provoking discussion about finance, particularly on stocks and cryptocurrency, I realized how much knowledge existed out there was untouched by me.

I assumed that after many months of reading articles and trading simulators, I had everything I needed to know to make successful trades. But I was just astonished at what I was missing, such as market indicators.

And the phrase "read up on it" caught me, reinforcing the idea that books are also a great way to deep dive into a topic of our interest.

Concluding

Yes, I know some of this sounds like very basic stuff we've heard from our parents or teachers, but seriously, it's the building blocks of a path to success. And for the book Hobyists, you've already been reaping the benefits (even if it's the peace or enjoyment you receive), continue and let yourself be guided to success!