As A Man Thinketh
Assessment Ngeri Thaddeus Shigyal (Nigeria)

1. What ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas but explain or discuss why they were important to you. Using personal example.

Man is the master of thoughts; moulder of character maker and sharper of condition, environment and destiny. This idea is very important to me because if I relates it to my past life experience and what I intend to achieve in future. I am a gentle man of 27 years of age, born into a peasant farmer's family, socially and educationally backward community. In short, my tribe is the second to the smallest in the southern part of Kaduna. But I was not distracted by the weakest and abandon state of my background rather I saw it as a challenge for the realization of my dream in life. I want to agree with the writer that man is the master of his thoughts, moulder of his character and maker and sharper of his condition, environment and destiny. Right from childhood, to my present life, I made a promised of living a decent, diligent and worthy life style, by the grace of God and the will in me to fulfill this promise, I have been succeeding.

The first thing that touch me in this idea is that, very being is endowed with mind, this mind produces good and bad thoughts. The good thoughts and actions results to man's success and happiness in life while the bad thoughts and actions produce failure, poverty and consequently sadness and all sorts of bitterness. The first step of my little achievements in life can be traced back to the initiation of the idea of honey farming in my area. Having seen my family background and the financial status, the idea came to me so as to assists in my and the others young men in our educational pursuer. This idea greatly liberated many young men students to accomplish their designed goals, and also set the entire community from poverty and pains. The idea of man control over his destiny is seen in the introduction of commercial ginger farming in my community which enables many parents to afford their wards schools fees.

Man is the master of thoughts moulder of characters and maker and sharper of condition, environment and destiny is very important because man can influence his environment through technology. Man can also sharpen his thoughts toward creativity to improve his living standard. The destiny of every body in his hand, man can choose to be great in life by thinking well and acting diligently on his thoughts to yield positive results. I personally thought of introducing and encouraging commercial ginger farming in my community which has also changed the financial situation of my people.

The body is the servant of the mind it obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be consciously or in conscious expressed. Man can control indecent act in his life no matter the situation he many find him self in this life. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body fall into discuses decay, sin at the command of glad and beautiful thought it becomes clothed with youth fullness and beauty.

The idea that good thoughts and actions produces good result and bad thoughts and actions produce bad result is another concept I found very important it is true that strong pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thought by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects good or bad, upon it. Let me relate this idea to my belief, in this life, since I grew up and realized my self, whenever I made right thought, for myself and do good to others, I always find good on my side. I learn to be nice to people and I always find favour from God and people wherever I find myself.

The idea that “all that man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thought” is very important to me. Because man is endowed with creative power, excellence, intelligence and skillful acts. whatever, he chooses to think of affects his character, circumstance, health goal achievement and vision of his future. Right choice and true application of man's thought cause him to take ownership of his destiny rather than letting his circumstance, deter mine and control him. Man only begins to be a successful man when he/she discover the hinder power and possibilities within him. This can only be done by cultivating right choice of thoughts and eventually acting on them to affects the outward circumstances. Doubt, fear and worries are the major enemies of knowledge and consequently successful man. When you encourage them, and does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step. To me, failure and poverty are two phenomenon that cause doubt, fear, ignorance and laziness. When I was in school, I was reading as if my life depends solemnly on education. Any time I went to my village during holidays, I worked on the farm like a machine. I was doing these because I was determined to accomplish my dream in life.

He who has conquered doubt fear and worries has conquered failure. I personally experience deep doubt and great fear when I began my secondary education at St, Joseph's Seminary School in Zaria in 1989. But when I was appointed the class prefect, initially I was shy to take the responsibility, but with subsequent interactions with friends reading of novels, Newspapers, articles and others related printed materials I discovered the hidden power and possibilities within me and began true applications which made me now what I am. I think you can bear witness of my achievement, and what I intent to achieve in future.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances, in life such as your relationship, belief, goals value etc. please use personal examples in example in explainations?

As man thinketh so is he. This book is written for men who seek wisdom, that want to discover themselves, who seek tranquility in a turbulent complex world.

The concept or idea man is the master of his thoughts molder of character and maker and sharper of his condition, environment, and destiny. I will personally relate this idea to my life situation, I had a dream of becoming a great man, a man of moral, social, educational and financial status in future that is why when I was the class prefect from J.S.S two to my final year despite the fact that I was a village boy but the zeal and determination enables me to do so. Also I was fully engaged in school politic in the university despite all the stress, intimidations and corruptions that surrounded me, I still remained a good person, I never allowed circumstances to shattered my vision. The concept or idea that “ all that man achieve is the direct result of his own thought is very important to my personal life. When I set my vision of become a great man in life, I never relax to expect a miracle to happen. I thought of it, and eventually acted upon my design plan in life. When I was going to form four that is senior class to choose our career, I doubted and fear my mental ability to cope with Geography & Biology because of their broad nature in scope, but when I discovered that determination is the solution to any difficulty, I decided to face the dilemma without doubt or fear of the consequently, I later discovered that, the writer is right, doubt and fear are the greatest enemies of knowledge and man's success.

3. What are the most important new idea or concepts you learned from this book? Please explain.

The concept or idea that “good thought and actions produce good result and bad thoughts and action produce bad result is true. Base on the experience of my life. Since I was born I have never known a women, or imagine myself sleeping with a lady. My first girl friend was an obstacle to my faith, on 16th October 1995, she tempted me by seducing me into sex but I resisted her attempt, after several attempts I decided to quit the relationship. Four years later, that is on 30th may 1999 I received a letter that my friend was dead as a result of Hiv/ AIDS. The second girl friend was worst because this one was not only attempted to seduce me but also tried to initiate me into cultism but she wasn't victorious, all these I succeeded because of the right thoughts I cultivated and the true application of these thoughts with God helping me I have been experiencing a favoured and victorious life.

4. Has this book challenged or change your thinking in anyway? A if so, explain how

yes, this book has challenged and change my thinking in many ways especially the idea that man is the master of thought, moulder of character and maker and sharper of condition, environment and destiny has really challenge me, because before I was complaining to my parents for not acquiring education and being rich to sponsor me, I also blame the government for not meeting our needs, but now I discovered that even me can change the present situation of my family, and community as a whole by cultivating right thoughts and acting upon to yield position results.

I also discovered that every man has a mind and will to be rich or poor, succeed or failed, to be brave or a coward. This idea has greatly challenged my opinion towards greatness in life. The book also changes my thoughts toward success and greatness in life. All that man achieves and all that he fail to achieve is the direct result of his own thought. That a man weakness and strength, purity and impurity are his own and not other. Man's they are brought about by himself and not by another, and they can only be altered by himself, never by another. As he thinks so is he, as he continues to think, so he remain. Before I had this wrong idea that many people are prospering because of the blesses and wealth inherited either from their parents or relatives and many are suffering because of a course inherited from their grandparents, parents.

I was challenge by the idea that thought of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything they always lead to failure, purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in. he who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. I have leant to change my impression towards the two enemies of knowledge and success in life.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so why?.

The writer perfectly thought well in writing this book but, I disagree with the idea that man holds the key to any situation and is made and unmade by himself. There are some people who have achieved greatness because of the thoughts and action of others. A child inheriting the will of ten billion dollar from his father and became a renouned enterpriser is not ordinarily as the result of result of his own thoughts and actions. A blind intelligence man who thought of becoming a medical doctor or a pilot is limited by the circumstance and situation surrounding him. An excellence and intelligent young man from a poor family who has a dream of becoming a doctor or pilot may not realize his dream if not help by someone due to financial problem. Therefore, the idea that “man holds the key to every situation seems not applicable. The fact that man is the master of his thought, moulder of his character and maker and sharper of his condition, environment and destiny is does not embrace the whole man's being. There are very intelligence children in village who cannot afford exorbitant school fess as the result, their dreams are completely shattered by circumstance.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The content of this book is generally helpful to me especially this aspect that every man is where he is by the law of his being, the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err.

Also that a man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And as he adapts his mind to the regulating factors, he ceases to accuse other as the cause of his condition and build himself up in strong and noble thought. He ceases to kick against circumstance, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.

7. In words or less please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

the writer of this book is trying to give on insight of man's thought and the application of his thought in determining his success and failure, weakness and strength.

please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 - 10 Ten is good and one is poor.

1. How interesting was it to read? 10
2. How easy was it to understand? 10
3. would you recommend it to others 10
4. what is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Comment: The book very easy, interesting, and educating and life dream realization if applied with good faith.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment Ngeri Thaddeus Shigyal (Nigeria)

What ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas explain or discus why they were important to you, using personal examples.

With persistent efforts of practicing different styles of driving and flying in seagull that Jonathan livingstone conquered his ignorance and marked himself as an excellence, intelligence and skillful seagull. This continuous practice of Jonathan livingstone relate to my curiosity and hard working to learn and overcome the limitations of my life. For example when I was appointed the class prefect, at St. Joseph's seminary Zaria, I was initially shy because I just came from the village, not socially and grammatically sound, but with interaction with friends, determination, self sacrifice, persistent efforts by reading of novels, news papers, articles, checking their meaning from the dictionary and reading others relevance printed materials, i gradually became an excellence, intelligence outspoken and eloquent gentle man.

The idea that we choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and next world is the same as this one, all the same limitation are lead weight's to overcome. This idea is very important to me. It taught me the fact that, learning is always a continuous process that starts from simple to complex, and constant learning improve knowledge skill and excellence performance. That the very day a person ceases to learn, he ceases to exist because even what he knew before will be forgotten.

The life in the world is face with inevitable challenges that requires developmental changes. when I was in the missionary school, having learn little about the gifts of mind, power and creative skill within man to control his future, I picked a challenge to move the youth in my community socially and educationally. The strategies I employed are firstly meet with elders in my community to discuss the problem facing the entire area. Secondly suggest remedy to the unavoidable problems. This prompted the introduction of evening classes for adults and children education. There was a remarkable record of success, but when I got admission into the university, there was not much encouragement in the entire process, the outcome of this action is that even what was learned previously was forgotten.

Another example is that after my university. I just went to the village to assist my parents on the farm so as to appreciate them for what they did for. In the village, there was no television to watch what was happening, only radio but another problem we couldn't afford the money for daily purchase of batteries for news. In short I was cut off from the information technology and the modern world. In short, I cease to learn. Consequently, what I learned from school and that which I knew before started vanishing to the extend that I forgot my school registration number. Therefore, constant practice lead to perfection.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your person circumstance in life such as you relationship your belief your goals your values etc place use personal examples

with right thoughts, determination, persistent effort, sacrifice and perseverance, we can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find our selves as creators of excellence and intelligence and skill. The idea is very important to my beliefs that when a man is determined and persistently struggle to achieve what he wants to achieve in life, I have a strong conviction that he always realizes his dream no matter the circumstances surrounding him. Why I said this is because whatever a person choose willingly to do, he always put the whole of his mind and efforts, sacrifice his time and talents to accomplish his desire goal not minding the cross, the only limitations are poor health condition and death. For example during the time of my secondary education, the rate of seniority was too in the school, to the extend that all my initial friends and many other ran out to join other schools But when I looked at the training and the teaching I would receive there, and the determination to realize my dream, I decided to hold the bull by the horns. Also, when I entered form four that is senior secondary school class one, Geography and biology were given me serious problem because of their broad nature of scope. But as was determine to excel in life I dedicated much of my time overcome their difficulties, and at the end got rid of them.

3. What are the most important new idea or concepts you learned from this book? Please explain.

The most important new idea is that we choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one. This new idea is very important to me because I hold this conviction that whatever we see on earth was created by nature or man. Man creates everything on earth by the power, excellence thoughts, intelligence ideas and skills found within him. Whatever that is created by man came into existence through learning from simple to complex. Whatever we know now does not spring from the ground, it start from somebody and from somewhere. Therefore, when man cease to learn, he cease to discover the powers and possibilities within him. And so remain without progress and development.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes, this book has greatly challenged my thinking toward learning. The most important aspect is the attitude of Jonathan livingstone toward perfecting himself in the seagull. I am seriously challenged, it means that, by dedicating myself to everything I am doing in life, it enhance my excellence and intelligence ideas, and skillful performance, and consequently result to perfection. Another new idea that I found very important is that we choose our next world through what we learn in the one. The idea challenged and made to focus my thoughts toward making the future good from what is obtainable today. Create more wealth or resources from what is obtainable now.

Are there ideas in this book that you totally disagree with? If so.

No

6. What did you find most helpful or least helpful in this books?

What I found most important in this book are that learning is a continuous process in life, when you cease to learn, you cease to know everything around you and the world at large. Also I discovered that learning begins from the simplest to the most complex. I also realized that, constant practice of particular job results to an excellence performance. And also realized that until you are ready to sacrifice your time, talent and pleasure of life you cannot attain greatness or realize your vision in life. I also discovered that, when you are determined to attain greatness, there are bound to be crisis along the way but determination, dedication, personal sacrifice and perseverance are the key to any success.

7. In 50 words or less please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The whole book is trying to tell us that determination, dedication, self sacrifice and perseverance in learning and performing any task or work will result to the development of excellence and intelligence ideas and skillful performance that will enable us conquered the difficulties confronting us in this complex and dynamic world. Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A) How interesting was it to read 9
B) How helpful were the contents 9
C) How easy was it to others 9
D) Would you recommend it to other 9
E) What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Comment: This book Jonathan Livingstone Seagull is a quite motivational book written encourage youth that aspire to achieve greatness in life through hard working. The book is very interesting when carefully studied with concentration. It is if the ideas content in it are appropriately and judiciously applied. The language seems slightly difficult compare to that of the title As a man thinketh, so is he. Written by James Allen.