As a teacher, when one of my students can’t grasp a concept, I don’t keep repeating myself until the student understands. Sometimes, I have to change the way I teach something. Maybe this student needs a visual aid like a video or perhaps he needs to see more examples. This is a key to success in any field: when what you are doing isn’t working, try it differently.
I see this all the time. Just recently, Domino’s changed the recipe for their pizza. The new recipe was a success. By changing the way they make pizza, something Domino’s has been doing since the 1960s, they saw a huge increase in profits.
How many times has Coca Cola reinvented their product (Cherry Coke, Vanilla Coke, Coca Cola Zero, etc.)? Maybe only a few less times than Madonna has reinvented herself. In fact, she did a tour called the Reinvention Tour. Reinvention isn’t just a way to succeed; it’s a way to survive. If Madonna didn’t change from “material girl” to “Kabbalah Madonna”, it’s possible that her career would have fizzled out of existence.
The American approach to finding a mate has also followed this path. The old ways of meeting someone at a party or a bar weren’t yielding enough results. More people were and are finding themselves pushing 40 years old, still single. So not too long ago, people started looking online to meet people. But there is a lot of waiting around that comes with that. Waiting for someone to be interested in your profile, then waiting to meet the person while you correspond via e-mail or talk on the phone.
There had to be something else. Rachel Greenwald, a woman with an M.B.A. from Harvard wrote a book called Find a Husband After 35 (Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School. In her book, Greenwald applies her knowledge of business to finding a husband, which includes “marketing”, “packaging”, and “advertising” yourself. The more difficult it has become for people to find a mate, the more creative people get!
Many women by the age of 35 have successful careers, but have had no success when it comes to marriage. Perhaps if they put the same amount of vigor into their search for a partner as they do in their work, they would find someone. Greenwald urges her readers to take action and put themselves out there. Instead of using their contacts to do business deals, use them to meet men.
How can we apply this to suit our needs? For the Muslims in America who are also looking for a mate and who are having just as much trouble as any other non-Muslim American, what is their new age way to finding a husband or wife?
MillanUS.com may have the answer. MillanUS is a premier matrimonial event service that holds live events for eligible Muslim singles to meet. Think about this: most professionals have to require conventions or conferences in order to stay updated on what is going on in their respective fields and to make contacts with other professionals. MillanUS has used these concepts to create this event.
At a MillanUS event, an attendee begins his/her day with a social hour to mingle with other singles. Then there is an introduction and icebreaker activity (perhaps you’ve had to play these types of games at your last corporate team building event.) These are followed by the main event, which are the one-on-one meetings. Each man and woman has 3-4 minutes to meet, speak briefly, and continue on to the next person. The day comes to a close with dinner and more mingling.
All the while, Islamic values are present during the event. The attendees at a MillanUS event all gave intentions of marriage. A major way that MillanUS keeps within traditional Islamic style is that family members are encouraged to attend the event to support the Muslim singles. So while MillanUS brings a completely modern approach to the Muslim matchmaking scene, good Islamic values are still an important part of the event.
If you attend a Madonna concert, she will still play her old hits like “Material Girl” and “Vogue,” but she will play her new music as well. It’s important to hold on to the past while moving on to the future; keep reinventing oneself in order to stay alive. MillanUS has reinvented the idea of arranged marriage by giving more freedom and ease to Muslim singles, while never severing ties with the most important aspects of finding a mate.
Questions? Comments? E-mail farrahmohsin@gmail.com
Author: Farha Mohsin
