Lesson 4 of 6 · The if then plan and the first two minutes
Why two minutes and not thirty
The aversiveness peaks before you start, not while you are working. Twenty minutes in, the essay is just an essay. It is the approach that hurts.
So the first action has to be small enough to walk past the peak. Two minutes of reading is small enough that the part of you that argues cannot get a grip on it. There is no case to make against two minutes.
The tradition gives the same instruction from the other end. Do those deeds which you can do easily, the Prophet said, peace be upon him, because Allah does not tire of rewarding until you tire of doing. And the deed most beloved to Allah is the most regular and constant, even if it is little. Those reports are about acts of worship rather than about essays, and we are transferring the principle rather than pretending they are about revision. The principle is that the size you can keep up beats the size you meant, and that the reason to prefer the small regular thing is that you will otherwise stop.
Most of the time you keep going, because the thing that was blocking you was the doorway and you are now through it. Sometimes you do two minutes and stop. That still counts, and it is important that it counts, because a two minute start that you are secretly required to turn into an hour is not a two minute start. It is an hour wearing a disguise, and the part of you that argues will notice by Thursday.
Qur’an and Sunnah
Do those deeds which you can do easily, because Allah does not tire of rewarding until you tire of doing. Honestly, this is about acts of worship rather than about essays, and the principle is being transferred rather than the report pretended to be about revision.
Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) never fasted in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban. He used to say, "Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds)." The most beloved prayer to the Prophet (ﷺ) was the one that was done regularly (throughout the life) even if it were little. And whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) offered a prayer he used to offer it regularly
Sahih al-Bukhari 1970graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The deed most beloved to Allah is the most regular and constant, even if it is little. Like the report beside it, this is about acts of worship rather than about essays, and the principle is being transferred rather than pretended otherwise. The principle is that the size you can keep up beats the size you meant.
Narrated `Aisha:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little
Sahih al-Bukhari 6464graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading