6Salah and His Hardest Day

At one of the largest technology companies, Salah was preparing for a crucial meeting with a major client, a golden opportunity that could change the company’s course. As he drank his morning coffee, a report arrived from a colleague he relied on heavily, and it was full of errors and gaps. Then a message came from the same colleague, saying he had to leave for a family emergency.

Time was running out and the pressure mounting. But instead of giving in to panic, Salah remembered seven steps he had written for himself:

“One thing at a time.”

Visualising. He pictured his team’s smiles when they presented the report successfully.

Meaning. He thought of the confidence that would come from overcoming this challenge, and how it would be a turning point in his career.

Prayer. He took a moment to ask God for calm and strength.

Relaxing. He took a deep breath, put on his noise-cancelling headphones, and listened to calming sounds for a few minutes to gather his thoughts.

One thing at a time. He started by correcting the small errors, then moved on to the bigger ones.

A break. He asked a colleague in the design team to help format the report, and took a short break with an iced coffee.

Encouragement. He looked at the photo of his little daughter laughing on his phone, and told himself, “I can do this, God willing.”

The hours passed, and Salah managed to rework the report moments before the meeting. The meeting went well, and the clients were impressed by the report’s precision. When he returned to his desk, he found a message from his colleague thanking him and apologising.

In that moment Salah understood the value of calm and focus, and how his seven steps helped him get through the hardest challenges.