As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Akobo Kurotamunoye Samuel (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book is that the totality of a man is made or marred by the thoughts he conceives regularly. That no man can grow beyond his thoughts. The book states clearly that man is not an object of chance, but that, what he allows to flow through his mind, manifest physically, and that is what determines what he truly is.
The book clearly reveals that the inner man controls the outer man, and that whatever happens to the outer man is as a result of what the inner man had decided. Be it in the area of health, wealth, progress, etc, it begins from within. If a man conceives thoughts of success, he will definitely succeed in life. Likewise, if he conceives thoughts of failure, nothing will stop him form becoming a failure in life.
In conclusion, it is important for one’s thought to be properly guided towards positive thoughts alone, and no room should be given to negative thoughts, if a man truly wants to enjoy good health, peace of mind, success in life, etc.
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. The character of a man is borne out of his thought.
A man cannot just become a liar unless he had conceived in his heart to lie. A Man cannot just become a criminal unless he had conceived criminal thoughts in his heart. A man cannot just become an unfaithful husband except he had conceived thoughts of infidelity. Until we improve our thoughts we cannot improve our circumstances.
Good thoughts and action can never produce bad results. When a man’s thoughts are altered, it brings about rapid transformation in him. Thought crystallizes into habit and habit finally becomes circumstances.
This idea is very important to me because it has made me to understand why I have made me to understand why I have certain negative habits in me. I now realize that based on the thoughts i allowed to flow in my heart, I have developed my character in such a way that I sometimes wonder why I do things the way I do.
ii. We should tend the garden of our minds so that only good thoughts will flow in them.
This idea is important to me because it has made me to realize that I am the sole sharpener of my character, circumstance and destiny. That if I allow weeds to grow in the garden of my mind, it is only weeds that will grow. That means whatever I allow in my life (mind) is what dominates my entire destiny. That nothing happens to me or anybody by chance but our thoughts determine our actions. That my freedom or imprisonment is a by product of my thoughts and action.
iii. The thoughts of a man determine whether he is healthy or ill. Thought nourishes the body more than food can do.
I am surprised to know that thought nourishes the body more than food can do. When a man is afraid of sickness that is when the sickness comes upon him. When a man always thinks about avoiding falling sick, he easily gets sick. When a man allows fear to come over him, he is incapacitated. I am surprised also to know that change of diet without change of negative thoughts will not yield any positive result.
I have just learnt that no matter what I am passing through, I should not be nervous, and I should not allow anxiety to come over me. That I should try and be stable no matter what.
iv. For a man to accomplish anything reasonable in life, he must first of all conceive it and allow it to occupy his mind completely.
This idea is very important to me as well, because it has made me to realize that I cannot think small and achieve big. I am made to understand that I can only rise, conquer and achieve by lifting up my thoughts. In lifting up my thoughts, I am made to understand that I have to give up animalistic tendencies in me, and that there is a price I have to pay in order to achieve greatness. I don’t have to be greedy to achieve success, all I need to do is to be generous and kind.
v. The dreamer is the saviours of the world.
This idea is important to me because I have realized that no man can succeed in life if he is not a man of vision and dreams. The dream talked about in this book, I believe, is not the ordinary dream that one use to have well sleeping. The dream referred to in this book is the one an individual systematically conceives in his mind. So I need to dream lofty dreams, and I know that as I dream so shall I become.
I am made to understand that dreams are the seedlings of realities, and when I conceive lofty dreams, it will make me to be uncomfortable with my present situation. This is the experience I am having right away, because as an individual, I am not happy or satisfied with my present state. Thus, I strive hard to see how I can scale through this level of an average life style, to a level of real success.
vi. When a man is transformed as a result of the good thoughts of his heart, he will gain calmness of mind. He no longer fights any how.
This statement is true and very important because I realize that what makes people to get easily irritated and agitated comes from their thought patterns. Sometimes, when one has inferiority complex or feels cheated, he easily gets angry and is ready to fight at the slightest provocation. On the contrary, a man whose thought is filled with superior mental thinking would not see any cause to fight or get unnecessarily angry with others. This then confirms the statement that says a man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought evolved being.
Even in my own life, I realize that when I am calm within, I easily get along with people and I get easily adapted to situations.
vii. A man’s circumstances are intimately connected with some vital thought-element within-himself.
This statement is important to me because it has made me to realize why I am where I am. I have undergone series of challenging situations in my life and I now know that my thoughts have contributed to that. I now fully realize that my life is not that of chance, but whatever happens to me is based on my thought pattern.
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?
The lessons in this book will help me in many ways. It will help me to truly succeed in life without struggling unnecessarily. It will help me to really monitor the thoughts of my mind so that I don’t allow the wrong or impure thoughts to flood my mind.
When I cultivate the habit of thinking positively and allowing good and healthy thoughts in my mind, I will have good health, I will not be a victim of undue stress, and sickness and disease will not have a place in my life.
I used to think that good food is what gives the body the nutrients it needs but now I have realized that above good food lies good thinking.
Finally, every morning, when I wake up, the first thing to do after prayers, will be to focus my mind on success. I will concentrate my mind on thoughts of success and great achievement, and I will not give room to fear and doubt.
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.
i. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he?
Of a truth, this golden quote which eventually is the title of the book got my attention and interest so much because thoughts are truly powerful. Through this quote I have come to understand why there are criminals, prostitutes, rebels, professors, lawyers, etc. in our society. Each one, according to the thoughts of his heart, has manifested what was conceived from deep within.
ii. “The divinity that shapes our ends is in ourselves; it is our very self.”
By this quote, it is clear that, it is not God, but man himself that shapes his destiny. This statement contradicts the traditional belief that states; God is the one who shapes the destiny of man. True, God has a role to play, but man is responsible for what happens to him in his life.
The quote is so dear to me because it makes me understand and realize that no matter what, my destiny is not in the hands of my enemies or the devil, but it is in my hand. And what I decide is what will happen ultimately in my life.
“Fighting against circumstances”
Honestly, when I come across this expression, I read it over and over again and pondered over it. Looking at myself in the light of this expression and its explanation, I am a victim of such. All my life, I have been fighting against circumstances, ignorantly. But now, I will re-sharpen my thought in order to plunge into my desired destiny.
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?
Actually, the lessons in this book are all clear and easy to understand, but could we say, that everything that happens to a man is based on his thoughts? How do we reconcile a situation whereby a man works very hard, but along the line, he ran into trouble and all his wealth destroyed?
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?
Actually, I did not come across exercises to complete in this book apart from the general assessment.
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.
There is none that I can think of for now. Every aspect of the book is well covered by the questions asked.
Ratings
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Aessment by Akobo Kurotamunoye Samuel (Nigeria)
1. What is the man idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea that the author (Richard Bach) is trying to covey in this book is that, when a man resolves in himself to achieve greatness or to do the impossible, nothing would be able to hinder him from such. On the other hand, if a man succumbs to the tradition and doctrines of his society, he will not excel or achieve greatness. Becoming great in life is a thing of the mind, the will power to succeed, and not of circumstances and situations surrounding the fellow. That success in life is not achieved by the will of the masses, but by the individual’s consistent effort and desire to succeed despite all odds.
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. There is more to life than eating, or fighting or power.
This idea is important to me because, most times we struggle for just survival. We do everything we could just to make sure we have enough food to eat. At other times, people fight over things which are immaterial. Others struggle and fight to obtain political powers, etc. Someone who understands the essence of life wont struggle and fight for food and power.
ii. Our purpose for living is to find perfection and show it forth
To know that my purpose for living is to find perfection and show it forth gives me an insight on the need to constantly practice those skills and talents i love most to do. This idea is also very important to me because I made to understand that heaven is just the state of being perfect. And so, if I strive towards perfection here on earth, I will be at peace with my environment. I will cease to struggle to achieve great success because, there won’t be any need for that.
iii. Stop seeing and analyzing your limitations.
This idea is important to me because most times I find it difficult to see beyond the natural. I look at the challenges before me and get scared, frightened, etc. I have just realized that I should always be prepared to conquer the unknown and do everything possible to overcome my limitations.
iv. The majority is not always right. Strive to come out of the crowd. Be outstanding
Naturally most of us believe that majority is always right. And so, we tend to do those things acceptable by all. But I have just come to understand that I need to be outstanding in all I do. That others oppose my idea vehemently does not mean I should stop doing what I am convinced is right.
v. Boredom, anger and fear can make a man’s life short.
This idea is very important to me because I use to be a victim of such. I easily get angry; feel disappointed when things do not work out in my favour, and the way I expected. Because of fear of failure, I find it difficult to try out some new ideas.
vi. What you think about yourself will determine your destination in life.
I have come to realize that the entire being of a man is made up of his thought. And that what he thinks about himself determines what happens in his life. Though I use to conceive thoughts of greatness about myself, I realize that deep down in me lies doubt and fear of how to attain this greatness. This has terribly paralyzed my dreams of becoming great.
vii. Be ahead of the fashion; be ahead of the general view of the public.
Most times we live our lives by the dictates of others. We don’t need to imitate others, but to go beyond the norms of our society. I need to think ahead of what is happening in my society. I need to be creative and innovative. I need to be proactive at all times, and not to be bound by doctrines and traditions.
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?
These ideas or lessons would help me in a practical way both in my daily personal life and in helping me to create a better world in the following ways;
First and foremost, I have just realized that life is not all about food, i.e., fighting for food and struggling for power, but the purpose for living is to find perfection and show it forth. And perfection is attained by rigorous and constant training in those skills that one loves, Thus, through this lesson I am now trying to fully identify my God given potentials, and then, I will develop them by putting them into practice regularly.
Secondly, the fear of the unknown has departed from me and so, I am now prepared to conquer the known and to explore my world fully. I have deleted the words’’ I CAN’T’’ from my thought dictionary and it has been replaced by ‘’I CAN’’.
Henceforth, no matter the situation in which I find myself, I am determined to remain calm and focused, and to breakout from all forms of limitations. I am ready to do the extraordinary things by paying the ultimate price of self sacrifice in order to achieve excellence
Similarly, through the life of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, I have realized that no matter the degree of opposition, I don’t need to yield to external pressure or criticism, all I need to do, is to concentrate on what I love doing, and put in the best of efforts so as to achieve my goals. I have come to realize, that life is full of battles, and to be a victor, one must be willing to confront those things that are standing as hindrances before him.
I have also learnt that the crowd is not always right. I need to come out of ignorance by constantly learning new things just as Jonathan did, and in the process attain excellence and intelligence and skills. I am a free being and through hard work and determination, I can set myself free from all forms of bondage; financial, material, intellectual and spiritual. I need to set aside some time for practice or training as the case maybe. I need to learn and re-learn those skills I love so much on daily basis to gain mastery
4. Quotes: Are there any statement which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote then and comment as to why they were important to you.
i. The most important thing in living is to reach out and touch perfection in that which one most loves to do’’.
This statement is important to me because it makes me realize that there is no room for mediocrity in life. That, there is need to identify what one most loves to do and to develop that ability to the fullest. It is only then that one can enter into harmony with his/her divine purpose for living.
ii. ‘’ Heaven is being perfect’’.
Before now I use to have a different idea about what heaven is and how it looks like. But I have just come to realize that the moment one touches perfection, he/she will begin to experience peace, calmness, harmony and everything that is associated with heaven. No wonder God himself is a perfect God because he dwells in heaven.
iii. ‘’ Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know.
This statement is important to me because, often times our eyes deceive us more than anything else. Our eyes magnify situations before us, and tell us this is an impossible thing to do. When we walk by sight, we are limited.
iv. ‘’ You’ve got to understand that a seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom’’.
If a seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, what shall we say about a man? Man has creative ideas that are capable of making him to become rich and great. Ideas that can usher him into unlimited freedom if only they are properly harnessed. Freedom is the very nature of a seagull, and that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual, or superstition or limitation in any form. This statement is true of man and it is only when a man realizes this, that he will truly resist whatever threatens his freedom and overcome all forms of limitations.
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?
The content of this book is relatively clear; however I would want to know how we could reconcile the heaven, spoken about in the Bible, and that which one attains by reason of perfection as stated in this book?
Similarly, I am made to understand that, it is after one must have died that one can think of going to heaven, how could it then be possible for one to be perfect and then begin to experience heaven while still on earth?
6. Did the book contain exercise for the reader to complete?
Apart from the general assessment questions, the book does not contain exercises for the reader to complete.
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.
One of the things I read in the book which I will like to comment on is this, though the book is written with characters of animals, everything in ‘’Jonathan Livingston Seagull’’ has to do with man and the challenges he faces daily in life. The author exposed some of the major challenges confronting man in his society, which has crippled so many today; the dos and don’ts of our society have incapacitated so many and have created dwarfs, and implanted grasshopper mentality in the lives of many. We live our lives on the basis of chance instead of determination to succeed.
I came to understand, through the account in this book that heaven is a state of being perfect and not a specific place where failures and mediocres will go and rest hereafter: thus, whoever attains perfection is already in heaven. It is also interesting to know that when one is perfect, time and space becomes meaningless, and that one can easily gain access to wherever he/she desires to go to.
Ratings
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you commend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10