Spiritual Intelligence: Conviction

Salaam!

In 2016, I received $1M from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for an AI tool in global health.

It was all over the news. People were congratulating me. After being rejected TWICE before by Gates, this was supposed to be my moment.

A few months later, I walked away before we deployed the tool in Senegal.

I had been MISERABLE at the company that I had started ~2 years prior

But I just kept my head down. I had to be "smart" and put up with all the toxicity.

It turns out that Gates money was just another shiny distraction from the real work I needed to do.

Here's the spiritually intelligent reframe:

For most of our goals, it is clear what needs to be done. We just need the courage (and support) to do it.

When my problems at work first began, I thought it was a skill issue.

Back then, I was already using AI agents, automations, the 80/20 rule, Pomodoro timers, and every other productivity hack imaginable. None of it helped.

Because my problem was never "productivity"

To succeed as CTO of a $30M company, I needed to:

• Regulate my emotions when stakes were high
• Connect with Allah on a deeper level
• Be more present with my wife and kids
• Say "no" with clarity and confidence

But instead of addressing these foundational issues, I chased shiny objects. I paid the VP of Slack to be my mentor. I took negotiation classes. I went deep into office politics. I hired "fundraising" consultants.

You know that saying? Men would go to war, just to not go to therapy.

That was me. Instead of addressing my issues head on, I invested thousands of dollars and YEARS pretending to solve the wrong problem.

And I see so many successful Muslims doing the same thing today.

The Muslim entrepreneur trying ads, then organic posting, then influencer marketing.

The unfulfilled Muslim professional trying AI tools, then automation, then the latest productivity app.

trying... trying... trying

Trying everything. Mastering nothing.

Why We Avoid Spiritual Work

In my role as professor at USC, when I tell someone they need to work on their Python skills, they nod and ask for book recommendations.

However, when I tell someone they need to address their relationship with Allah, they get defensive.

Nobody feels ashamed when they can't play piano. They just say, "I never learned." But when someone struggles with emotional regulation, setting boundaries, or trusting Allah during uncertainty? Suddenly it's personal. Suddenly it's threatening.

Spiritual intelligence is a skill, just like coding or playing an instrument.

You weren't born knowing how to regulate emotions during high-stakes negotiations. You weren't born knowing how to maintain conviction when everyone around you doubts your vision. You weren't born knowing how to stay present with your family after a brutal workday.

These are learned capabilities. And like any skill, they require:

• Honest self-assessment of where you are now
• Consistent practice, even when it's uncomfortable
• Guidance from someone who's developed the skill
• Patience with yourself during the learning curve

The executives I work with aren't "broken" because they struggle with spiritual alignment. They're simply underdeveloped in an area our culture never taught us to prioritize.

You spent years mastering your craft. How much time have you invested in mastering your inner world?

The Shiny Object vs. Soul Work Framework

Here's how to know if you're chasing tactics or doing the real work:

SHINY OBJECT → External validation drives the decision
SOUL WORK → Internal alignment drives the decision

SHINY OBJECT → Promises quick results and easy wins
SOUL WORK → Requires patience, discomfort, and faith

SHINY OBJECT → Focused on what others will think
SOUL WORK → Focused on what Allah knows

SHINY OBJECT → Solves surface symptoms
SOUL WORK → Addresses root causes

SHINY OBJECT → Fills your calendar
SOUL WORK → Fills your heart

The Gates money was a shiny object. The conviction to walk away? That was soul work.

The Missing Ingredient: CONVICTION

Conviction is what helps you raise your next round, not another pitch deck.

Conviction is what gets you the promotion, not a new CV.

Conviction is what gives you courage to leave a job that no longer serves you, not 6 months of savings.

Conviction comes from alignment with your Creator, not alignment with the latest tactics.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"All actions are but intentions. And to each what they intend." [Sahih Muslim]

When your intentions are aligned with Allah, when you've done the spiritual work to cultivate conviction, the external tactics become almost irrelevant. The check, the promotion, the recognition they either come as a natural consequence of your alignment, or they reveal themselves as distractions you no longer need.

So if you've been feeling trapped or chasing a goal for a while, try asking yourself what shiny object have you been chasing instead of doing the real work?

May Allah's Peace be with you 🤲✨

James