The Daanish Method

A free guide to self improvement

Hey Friends,

This week I’m sharing my secret method for self-improvement. I hope you benefit from this and as always, thank you for reading 🤍

What's Inside:

• 📈 The Daanish Method

• 🩺 Medical School Update

• ✏️ Insights - Podcasts, Books, Amazon finds & other cool things

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The last year of my life has been the most growth-filled, successful year to date, Alhamdulillah. Prior to this year, I followed The Daanish Method. A simple but effective approach to personal development.

Forget every course or book you’ve read. I’m going to show you a simple method that requires no more than pen and paper to start.

This method led to me building an audience of 180,000+ people, losing the need for a part-time job and reaching my best health to date in the space of a year. All while being a full-time medical student.

Here’s the secret I’ve been doing for almost 2 years.

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The Daanish Method

📸 in Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech

There are 9 pillars of life: Islam (Or your belief system), Health; Sleep, Diet, Exercise & Mental health, Education, Creativity, Finances and Relationships. Focus on optimising these 6 areas of life and you will flourish like never before.

The mistake 99% of people make is trying to do too much too fast. Everyone knows having a balanced, healthy life will lead to fulfilment, but trying to accelerate in all 9 areas at once is near impossible.

To make lasting change you have to take things slow. Real slow. Unwavering patience is very important in this journey. You need to be comfortable with change too.

Naïveté is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.

Phase 1: Reflect

You can’t move from point A to point B until you define what those points are, in detail.

Start with a pen and paper. Not a screen. The pen and paper is essential because it requires more effort and therefore more of a connection with what you’re writing.

This will be a monthly exercise. On the 1st of every month, you will sit down and repeat this exercise. The rest of the month will be focused on taking action, not writing.

That’s why this initial process takes a few hours. Find a quiet morning, remove distractions and do the following.

Write the headings listed below and fill in each of the prompts. Take your time and write as much as you like.

1. Word vomit: Write out what is on your mind. This can be literally anything, just get it on the paper. I like to write my immediate thoughts about life in this part.

2. Islam (or your belief system): I would write about how I’m practising my faith, the good and the bad. The areas that need work. Do something similar.

3. Health (Sleep): Write about your current sleep habits, what is good and what is bad.

4. Health (Diet): Write about your current diet, what is good and what is bad. What you’re eating, how much, the type of food and so on.

5. Health (Exercise): Write about your current exercise routine. How often, the intensity, consistency, if you’re reaching your goals or progressing.

6. Health (Mental health): Write about your mental state. How do you feel lately? Are you stressed? Anxious? Angry? Patient? Calm? Be honest.

7. Education: Student or not, write about what you’re learning, studying or reading. If you’re not learning anything new, what would you like to learn?

8. Creativity: What are you creating? Where in life are you using creativity? Where and how would you like to be more creative?

9. Finances: How much money is in your bank account? What assets do you have? What assets would you like to have?

10. Relationships: How are your relationships? With family, friends, spouse etc.

I know it’s long, that’s why I only do this once a month. Yes, it takes effort, but the results of doing this will blow your mind.

Phase 2: Focus Points

Go back through everything you just wrote with a different coloured pen. I like to use red.

For every point of improvement, put a * in the margin or underline it.

Once you have highlighted all areas of improvement, make a list at the end titled ‘Focus points’.

It might look something like this:

• [ ] Pray on time

• [ ] Sleep earlier

• [ ] Stop using phone in bed

• [ ] Cut down junk food

• [ ] Follow a workout plan

• [ ] Begin studying for exam

• [ ] Spend more time drawing

• [ ] Spend less on impulse items, save more money

• [ ] Practice listening more to others

Keep this journal somewhere in sight. Every morning until next month you will wake up and read through this list. It will remind you in the morning where you need work. It’s up to you now to take action and tick off as many of these points as you can before next month.

There’s no rush. I would advise picking 2-3 for the month that you will focus on. The aim is to finish the month in a better place than you started.

Next month, you will repeat the same process all over again. A new reflection. However, at the end, you will go through the focus points from last month and check off anything that has been actioned.

If anything was not completed, you will make a new list called ‘Carried over Focus points’. This is where unfinished focus points will move to.

That’s it.

Reflect, find your points of focus, take action, and repeat.

If you can maintain this for 6 months I guarantee you will be a much better version of yourself. I have personally followed this plan for almost 2 years and it has worked wonders.

Why I love this approach

• It’s super simple. The only time investment is a few hours per month. You then have 4 long weeks to take action and make a change.

• Keeping a log of the 8 pillars of life gives you a visual of your trajectory. I can flick back a few pages and literally see how things have changed over the year.

• It works. I did this for 6 months before I blew up on social media. This approach led me to the idea of taking content creation seriously, working on my finances and prioritising my health and relationships. My life changed drastically in the last year because of this.

• I designed it.

I called this The Daanish Method because it represents my approach to life; Simple and easy.

I’m sick of seeing ‘Productivity Journals’ and ‘Self Development Courses’ that make you spend hundreds or thousands before you’ve seen any improvement. Life isn’t hard, it’s all about getting the basics right.

All you need is a pen, paper and a few hours each month. No coach. Just you.

You might need guidance at some point, whenever you feel like you do find the most relevant book to your problem. Read it and figure it out yourself. Or just go on YouTube.

I am giving you this blueprint for free. Those who use this and tweak it to make it their own will understand what I mean when I say this is a game changer.

Disappear for a few months. Focus on yourself, your goals and aim to grow.

If you genuinely follow this protocol for 6 months, send me an email with evidence when you’re done and you can have a free call with me to discuss your progress.

If you’re not happy with where you are in life, this is for you, I hope it helps.

🩺 Medical School Update

I start 4th year on Monday. Pretty wild how fast it goes. Trying to enjoy every moment and make the most of having ample free time as a student (yes, med students have a LOT of free time).

I’m doing a research project for the next month, group work. I hate group work. So this should be fun. I have a friend in my group though so it shouldn’t be too bad.

After a few weeks, I’ll start ward placements which will be cool. Looking forward to that and also the fact I’ll never have multiple lectures to attend every again 😍

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✏️Insights

🎙️ Podcast: The Huberman Lab: Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools

One of the best podcast episodes I’ve ever listened to. Exactly what you need if you want to improve your life. A simple guide backed by science on how to live better.

📚 Book: David Goggins: Can’t Hurt Me

I gifted this book to a friend yesterday. I was reminiscing about when I first read it. A real turning point in my life and a brilliant book to accompany me on my journey. One of my favourite books of all time. I would highly recommend reading it.

🎥 Movie/TV Show: John Wick (Movie 1, Movie 2, Movie 3 - watch here for free)

One of my favourite movie series. I’m watching it for the 3rd time now before I watch the 4th edition in cinema. Keanu Reeves is brilliant as John Wick. If you like action give it a watch.

🛒 Amazon Finds

Click this link to view my Amazon storefront. Here I share my favourite books, tech and household items purchases. As a minimalist, I am very careful how I spend my money and I ensure that every item brings me some sort of value or utility. I often get asked about the decor in my bedroom - you can find most of it over here.