As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Ahmodu Paul Babalola (Nigeria)
1.What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
James Allen, in this book established that “A man’s thoughts defines him.” Just like a bible passage states that “out of the abundance of the heart, a man speaks,” the book has added more to that statement which has made me arrive at the conclusion that “ Everything done, relative to any aspect of One’s life is a seed of the thought entertained before.” Little wonder why the mind is on the body. In my hypothesis, I will say it is because it drives the affairs of other parts of the body, and is even connected to reality.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. If a Man’s mind houses evil thoughts, pain comes down on him.
The mind as a tool which directs many other affairs of the body can be plagued, this however is through evil thoughts which will bring down evil itself upon any mind that entertains it. A violent conduct at a point is a result of diverse violent thoughts entertained prior, and a meek, tranquil attitude results from thoughts which have been channeled into peace making. Unexpected but true, being found in a particular environment or place at a particular time had an engagement with the thoughts before which would definitely move an individual to such a position regardless of circumstance in most cases.
ii. Every want has a price.
Success is achieved through hard work, diligence, commitment, determination etc, and the mind is the main tool which must be configured to make this possible. The mind would set up the body for the rigor and also draft out a plan, depending on how strong it has been built to plan. The need to be successful would grow from thoughts of success which would show the importance of success and try to map out needed tasks which can improve the mind to strive and pay what necessarily needs to be paid in achieving desired goals. Ultimately, every Homosapien craves success, but not all house the necessary tools through thoughts and excellent execution. It is however the ability of the mind to handle the tasks needed to achieve such that determines the result.
iii. Suffering purifies and burns out impurity in Men.
Suffering in some cases helps gain experience, forge and prepares one for better days. A man who suffers before gaining his wealth would be singled out among other successful persons, because he has a taste of pain through suffering. Suffering is a tool which ‘Mother Nature’ herself have devised to achieve ‘Natural Selection. This ensures that residents in the world struggle for survival, and only the strong, brave, intelligent and fit ones survive and celebrate. It is important to establish that most people would call this ‘suffering’, but I would prefer the phrase ‘forging for success’. There’s another saying which is very much important here too; ‘whatever you go through, grows u’, bitter but very true. When a man decides the path to take relative to his thoughts and aspirations, the circumstances which would follow on this path would go a long way with growing him into the man he has chosen to become. Contextually, I would not have believed it when I got posted to a village for my ‘place of primary assignment’ during my youth service. It took me only a short time to realize I would be able to enjoy teaching in the new environment I was posted to. I even taught till the last day I left that town. Finally, I have the heavens to thank for such an act of forgery in achieving this aim of grooming students in my field and become a known for this worldwide.
iv. A Man’s attributes, strength/ weakness, purity/impurity are down to him.
It simply puts that it takes a man to get anything he possesses, be it character wise or materially. This is a bitter truth which most persons don’t want to to be told. Every circumstance one finds his/herself is as a result of how well he has prepared for ‘life’. It takes a survivor’s mind to strive through rigour and laugh in joy at the end, it takes a lazy man to remain lazy and suffer abject poverty. The strongest man in the world was not born the strongest, he worked on his muscular ability through constant work out, tireless exercises and proper dieting. Such determination is necessary to possess the right attitude for the right circumstance and this would not only build, but it would likewise draw other people.
v. God like thought is a key to noble character.
A man who needs to be noble has to devise in thoughts that are godly, peaceful and welcoming. Just as a carnal mind would always find it difficult to think about anything not carnal, a mind accustomed to godly thoughts; such as meekness, friendliness, gentleness and love would grow very strong and this purity of thoughts bring along a godly environment which is always peaceful and help ladened. Godly character therefore brings the right thoughts which people look out for in individuals. I can still remember a period where all I worried about was the insincerity in people and how cruel and short of love the world had become, I figured out I started becoming hostile to people. A reversal of thoughts made me realize I have great people who appreciated and loved me surround me and I started showing love to those I could, which made me have so many acquaintances and friends knocking on my door. The former set of thoughts had vanished and here I was reveling in the new crop I was engaged in.
vi. You can make or unmake yourself by yourself.
It takes a man’s actions to bring the best out of himself, bring out the best of whatever circumstance he finds himself and become successful. This is similar to what was discussed above relative to a man’s attributes, this point however emphasizes the need to build oneself relative to what is needed. This is because whatever flaws are recorded in one’s life would boil down to the fellow’s inability to properly develop his/herself and such blames cannot be amounted on another. In this context, the need to be a champion in boxing should be accompanied by constant and tireless practice; the need to be a successful business tycoon should likewise ignite a passion for a constant update on the leading trends in business and the prevailing economic situation; the need for a noble and godly character should also cause a focus of thoughts in noble and godly affairs; and ultimately, success in any area will first be directed through thoughts.
vii. Conquer fear and doubt and conquer failure.
This is a fact which is ignorant to so many people. Sometimes, we fail not because we did not plan properly, but for entertaining fear. Fear is the main brother of failure, when the right thoughts puts it aside, success is closer than imagined. It is confidence that sells, I have never heard of an individual who was honored because he entertained fear, however we have several people who have been honored for lack of fear, bravery and the likes, be it in several affairs of life. I wondered why the words ‘fear’ and ‘failure’ start with the same alphabet, little did I know they were related; as one brings the other. There is a common saying that ‘fear of success would always lead to failure to achieve it’. This is important to anyone who needs to be successful, it is normal to be scared, but, the ability to conquer it is what will measure how close success is. A couple of months into my youth service, I started thinking about what I would need to do before I rounded it off, to make my post-NYSC days better. I figure that to achieve my dream of lecturing, I would need to start with a Master’s degree and that got me thinking so much. On telling both parents, an unexpected “there’s no cash to finance that came out”, but I refused to be scared. I just paid my school fees last month and lectures are presently in progress.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
“A workman that needs not be ashamed, has to rightly devise in the word of truth.” I have decided to engage my mind in good and gainful thoughts, be ready to work for success through hard work, think of ways of improving myself and neglect fear, as it is a tool which opposes success. I saw a movie ‘Green Lantern’ and during the course of seeing it, I realized the main message centered on erasing the fear factor in our lives. The main actor in the movie needed to erase fear before he could defeat his enemy which was “fear himself.” Though others knew him as fear, they were not ignorant of what was needed to conquer him, they just could not put aside fear and fight him, but when fear was conquered by the Lantern’s new bearer, he single handedly defeated fear in combat. In achieving my dreams I have discovered I must fully center my thoughts on things that will actualize this dream in good time and devise in the right thoughts, be godly, build my mind to take the rigor needed, map out a good plan and erase the fear of failing because it is what would bring failure itself.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being a total sum of his thoughts.”
“Every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of thought.”
“Man is growth by Law.”
“Man’s wishes and prayers are gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts.”
“Suffering will cease for him who is pure.”
“Patience, Practice and ceaseless importunity are the doors of the temple of knowledge.”
“Blessedness is the measure of the right thoughts, while wretchedness is the measure of the wrong thoughts, both not material.”
”The world is my kaleidoscope and the color combination reflects my ever moving thoughts.”
“As a physically weak can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so can a Man of weak thoughts make himself strong by exercising in the right thinking.”
“Achievement of any kind is the crown of effort, the diadem of thought.”
“To desire is to obtain, to aspire is to achieve.”
“Dreams are the seedlings of reality.”
“The strength of the effort is the measure of the result.”
“The more tranquil a man is, the greater is his success, influence and power for good.”
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
No.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, to engage in the right thinking and shun evil thoughts as they will only lead to destruction of the body and life. Did I find them helpful? Yes, I did.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
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? 5
B. How helpful were the contents? 4
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Assessment by Ahmodu Paul Babalola (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author focused this book on establishment of the fact that strong determination and hard work are the necessary tools for achieving any set goal. The main character of the book was a seagull names Jonathan, who had intentions and dreams different and better than that of his flock of birds. He had an excellent mind, but the crop of birds he was waking up with daily did not have enough guts nor willful mind to conceive his aspirations, let alone take steps needed in achieving his dreams. What was this dream anyways? He had the dream of flying very high altitudes and going places. Don’t be surprised the other members of the flock at that time did not dream such, funny but true. Then I asked myself, how would a ‘bird’ not know that the main use of the feather is flight? It then dawn on me that, it takes the mind to even activate hidden potentials, nature would even teach one this, it must be gained willfully.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. Man shall not live by bread alone
The flock of gulls where contented with their routine daily struggle for food, neglecting that they had the ability for better things (flight). Food became the only thing they sort and they were restricted and wasting away. Their feathers became a tool which they daily used to struggle and tussle for their daily bread, when they had the ability of going places to gather abundant food from wherever they pleased. The fact they were getting pieces of food to tussle for was enough for them. Till they got the eye opener, through Jonathan Livingstone Seagull. Life is not all about eating daily, it goes beyond all that. There is nothing wrong with being social, humble, affecting people around you, name as much a s you can while you read through. An individual with great fitness would run faster than a fellow suffering from obesity. An athlete knows when to eat, what to eat and also goes through some kind of training in gaining complete fitness. We must and should know that a glutton will not be fit for the struggle of life. If food is the main priority in life, then limitation is sure.
ii. Tireless work gives marvelous results
Jonathan worked tirelessly and reaped his desires through his determination and hard work. He worked on himself, learning how to fly properly, neglecting the daily struggle for food and learning almost daily. Little did he know that, the neglect of food was helping him loose weight which was helpful in attaining higher levels of flight. Though, he ran out of strength on some occasions, the joy of the work made him tireless and he always found inner strength from within. This proves how much work is required when one has a great dream in front. The work load put into the dream would actually measure up to the success attained. As the flock were lazy, both in thought and act, they could not even carry out their natural gift, till they decided to learn tirelessly, learning step by step. Their strength and hardwork was measure by how much they could learn daily. Jonathan found gulls of similar dreams, but his tireless work ethic made him even learn faster than the birds he met with his new crop of gull friends. This even made their teacher label him the fastest learning and best gull he had ever seen. Therefore, I must also continue to strive through hardwork, just as I have always done, though I’ll need to work harder now. Just like when I decided to work without pay in order to learn the concept of poultry farming immediately after the University.
iii. Surrounding ones’self with people of similar goals will aid focus and quicker success.
Jonathan showed great determination in learning the proper concept and mastering flight, and this made him to be labeled an ‘outcast’. He initially felt bad by being banished, but if he was told that it would be a turning point in his quest for excellent flight, I am sure he would have worked his banishment long before that time. Ultimately, this opened the door for him to meet with fellow gulls who had the same dream as himself and were even steps ahead of him in flight, though his determination and hard work paid off as he surpassed his co gulls. I have in this regard been initiated into a crop of friends who were in my class during undergraduate days and we all are back to postgraduate school now. Likewise, Michael who recommended I join this institute, though he is abroad.
iv. Belief is Key to success
The subject believed he could attain greater heights of flight even when he was discouraged and this proved worthwhile. From a human’s point of view I felt all a bird would need to flight is a simple flapping of the feathers, little did I know that, any bird who intends to attain flight must first believe he is capable of flight, not only that, he must also believe he has arrived at his destination. How Ironic, but true and perfectly applicable. This has proven that for any man to achieve his dreams, he has to conceive and believe he is capable of achieving this desired dreams, this is actually when they would be easier to achieve. Success will be closer with stronger belief.
v. Do not give up
Discouragement comes as normal, but they are meant to serve as stepping stones. When there is life, hope is sure. Jonathan leant flight on his own to a point where he could no longer learn anything on his own. Prior to this, he was resilient, even when his parents told him he needed not learn anything about flight, for it was impossible according to them. He believed, it was possible and didn’t give up in learning to the best of his ability. Even when a certain speed was achieved, he yearned for a greater speed, not minding if he would break his arms. On several occasions, he would fall down, crash against a pile or tree, etc, yet he never gave up on flight. At the point of banishment, he would have changed his mind, yet he didn’t, he held firm to his dream and had his mind on excellent flight. Absorption into a new crew of gulls only gave him hope. Any lazy mind would have only been satisfied with the acceptance he already received from his new crew, but he was not contented. He made up his mind to learn as much and even better than every other bird in that new flock which he did. Joining the new crew, he became the favorite and later the best at flight, all this boiled down to his resilience in learning and achieving what he loved doing.
vi. There will always be something to learn at every stage and facet of life.
Jonathan learned a lot within a short time frame and kept learning, even till he vanish into air. A new day unfolds daily, and bitter but true, no one has a complete detail of what will happen from dawn. This is the reality of life and a mystery that has made each day interesting for the inquisitive man. With the challenges of every new day, comes new lessons which will take only a hardworking, sharp and observant mind to learn. Jonathan learnt the principle of flight daily while he was still a member of the old flock of gulls, though he learnt away from them, also with the new gulls, his cultivated habit of learning daily caused him to continue in that path. Alone, even with daily practice, he unraveled some flight mysteries by himself, to himself. With the new crop of gulls, he kept learning daily. This also proved vital in his quest for excellent flight which he achieved. Therefore, as the day goes by, let something new be learnt which will help in that quest for success. This also helps keep the mind in a state of constant alert and enlarges the ability of the mind to accumulate tasks.
vii. Love is paramount
Do not pay evil with same, Jonathan returned to the flock to teach as many that needed to learn flight and find as many that were also in his earlier shoes. This love affected others, such that they learnt flight through him. It is important to note that the rejection from the flock helped him become a better bird, because he learnt best away from them.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
The ideas will help me channel my resources, strength and time at achieving my goal of becoming a leading Plant Scientist in the nearest future, as I continue to devise means and also learn in this regard. The book has exposed me however to several things which I must apply in my quest for success and these things I have gladly shared. They include; engaging in the right thoughts which will help in channeling my strength and resources to achieving the objectives, admitting and possessing a noble, gentle and tranquil character which will aid relationship with other people, believe that the dream which I have laid in front of me is achievable and it will only take me to achieve what I have planned to, put aside fear of any kind as it is the tool which will put all my efforts to null, be ready to work tirelessly and daily still in a bid to achieve the desired, surround myself with people who crave success in the same area or other areas, as it would be possible to learn from and sharpen each other and finally recognize that love is paramount to success in every way, as it will make things happen mysteriously when one has a godly attitude alongside.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“To go as fast as thought, you must first believe that you have arrived.”
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
No.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes they did, and I will continue to apply them daily
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
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? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 3
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7