Ali Al-Farai, Oman’s champion public speaker and Middle East finalist of Toastmasters International Speech Contest, has long been sharing his knowledge of Islam through his ‘Ummati Station’ channel on YouTube. In the following interview, he throws the spotlight on personality development and spiritual reflection to gear up for the Holy Month.
What is your philosophy on life and living?
Life is a beautiful mystery; it is not just a routine. There is always something new to discover.
How much of your personal life lessons do you incorporate into your talks?
In most of the topics that I speak about! For example, when I talk about loyalty at work, then I would relate it to how I defined my purpose in order to become a speaker, and so, how can one define his/her purpose to perform the job. At the start, all I wanted was to make money by speaking to people, until I received positive feedback from people through my talks. That’s when I found my real purpose of speaking, i.e. to help inspire people.
What are some of the challenges you face as a motivational speaker?
The biggest challenge is when some clients don’t consider motivational talks essential, in a way where they would need to invest more money on hiring them. It is not really about money. It is more about giving value to speakers and their topics. As a corporate trainer, I believe employers should take time to acknowledge their staff for their roles in the organisation. Don’t just see them as numbers to fill the gaps, but as humans who need help and support.
What is your thought on positive thinking?
I see positive thinking as a drive for achievement. It is within your mind, but its impact goes beyond that. I would say more since the process that begins with a thought ends with reality. Some people are self-motivated, so they decide to be positive on different occasions where others might require support in order to achieve that level of positivity.
How can parents/caregivers inculcate the importance of self-development in children?
By planting a sense of responsibility and a sense of purpose in them according to Ali Al-Farai.
Are we focusing overtly on the concept of success and not grasping the import of personality development among children?
We need to first define what we mean by success, which is not an easy answer. Every individual will define it differently. However, with all that, I believe personality development is important at all times – from cradle to grave.
What is needed to help children learn the positive facets of sharing and caring?
Show them the results of doing that. Let it be sensible. Share stories that will touch them. Take them by their hands.
What is Ali Al-Farai’s most important advice for people to stay motivated?
Remember why you are here and what the purpose of your existence is. Are you a random person or someone who will add something to this life? Each one of us has something that he/she is good at. Look for what you have and get started.
How can the season of Ramadan help one to become mentally and emotionally strong?
Ramadan teaches us the virtue of patience. It builds up that value in us. Ramadan is not just about fasting, but also about how you interact with people and things in a better way. In short, Ramadan is a month of stress relief.
