As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Asrat Worku (Ethiopia)
1.What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author, James Allen, introduced us how our mind thought mechanism functions to and against us. More than a century old book has active and lively ideas that explain how our thought process affects our daily life. The book also has the power to inspire generations to come. The book emphasized that our mind is not only the main controller and guider of our body system but also maker of our circumstances and environment. Our thought builds our character and the character which we developed could be either positive or negative. In either way it will affect our external environment.
The circumstances which we daily face are the results of our thought process. In order to get the desired positive and constructive output we need to cultivate constructive and positive ideas and thoughts. This, however, requires regular monitoring of input-output relationship of thought, character and circumstances. This is one of the corner stone ideas that the author tried to address. Another important point the book revealed that our mind is our best physician. Like character and circumstances, our health is guarded and guided by our mind thought process. Our body reflects our mind thought nature. Positive, happy and clean thought builds up healthy and active body and the same way negative, sad and unclean thought builds up sickly and weak body. One of the main ideas of the book is that our life should have meaningful purpose.
The book educate us that wandering without purpose in life is vice and produces meaningless life. We should connect our thought with purpose and set plan of action to fulfill it. Purposefulness brings joy, intelligence, confidence and patient in life. Aimlessness generates doubt and fear in life which leads to sinful life. Focused and directed thought results achievement in life. How far we travel in our life should be determined based on our capacity to visualize it firs. Living a life without vision is like building house without a design or blueprint. As the book mentioned it, visionaries and dreamers make our world. Without them our world would be unthinkable. To live purposeful life we should see and design our future. To direct our thought, to have purpose in life, to set targets and make achievements, to be healthy, to dream bright dreams we should have peaceful and calm mind. Serenity enrich mind. Man is mind.
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.
a. Character
“…the laws of thought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances, and destiny”. The idea of character formation caught my attention. Our character is made by our thought and our character influences our environment and determines our destiny. Thought-character-circumstance-destiny are interdependent each other, however, directly controlling of our circumstances is not possible but by going back to our thought process and tracing each train of thought that has impact on that particular circumstance and weeding out the unhealthy and contaminated thought to develop the desire character and then the desired character create positive circumstance . Thus, it is possible to control the environment indirectly. Positive energy develops kind, loving and forgiving character and this in turn produces positive circumstances and favorable destiny. We can also make analogy of how our thought process builds our character and that affects our environment using computer technology. In order to process data and get the desire output, we have to develop a set of rules and conditions to get processed information which we can use for decision making. The processed data becomes information based on the type and quality of input data which we feed to the computer system that is to say garbage in garbage out (GIGO). In the same manner, our mind process data which we feed in. If our thought (data) is faulty and negative, it builds negative and cynical character (information) to influence the outside environment (decision making). Thus, in order to get positive character and desired circumstances, we need to trace and tune our tread of thought in our mind.
b. Purpose in life
Purpose in life is a core value to thoughtful mind. No purpose, no accomplishment, thus, no meaningful life. Purposeless life breeds fear and doubt which leads to sorrow, distrust and miserable life. The book eloquently described it as “They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying… which lead…. to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power evolving universe.”
c. Healthy body
Our thought controls our health and body. Pure thought develop strong and vibrant body. Unhealthy though ills and weaken our body. It is not pure foods that maintain our body but it is clean and happy thought that builds up and cure our body. It is not also workout that keeps our body in shape and healthy but our focused and calm mind. Our mind is our best physician.
d. Cause and effect
“…develops a right understanding, and sees ever more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect….”Every situation/problem is revealed in the form of effect which is the superficial sign of a deep rooted cause of a problem. Understanding cause and effect relationship is the basic effort to provide solution to the whole problem. Without investigating the entire cause of the problem and making solution for the part or sign of the problem is allowing the problem/effect to appear again and again. All round analysis of the cause and effect relationship and finding the solution is best method to eradicate once and for all the problem. We can’t make or change circumstances but we can trace the root cause of the situation in our character and thought and tune it in our thought to get the desired outcome. It is just like doctors prescribe medicine for the cause of a disease, not for the symptom of the disease.
e. Vision
“He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it”.
Our world is made by earliest and current visionaries. They have visualized and dreamed their futures and make our world. In order to fulfill a purpose to make life meaningful, we need to have a dream to visualize it from the beginning to the end. The vision becomes the road map to fulfill the planned objective. As “Dreams are the seedlings of realities”, first we have to conceive an idea and visualized it to make it reality. Bright and intelligent mind dreams enormous dreams to the betterment of mankind. Thank you, those visionaries who contributed to make our plant the better place to live.
f. Effort and result
I don’t believe in chance and I don’t believe in luck either. Burning desire and compelling reasons are the driving forces to makes things happen. “In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Chance is not. Gifts, powers, material, intellectual and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort”. To fulfill the desired and positive result, the efforts and the commitment level determine how and when to succeed. The length and duration of the efforts accumulate treasury of experience to do things in a refined way. After the ups and downs of the effort process, there would be sweet result which in vigor to higher level of commitment.
g. Still mind
In our busy life, we don’t have time to be mindful. But, calmness is a beauty of life to make inward travel. Just like, scanning our computer hard disk to fix and clean viruses, bugs, corrupt files, and so on using system tools. We need to be watchful and calm to keep our mind in peace to be now, oneness. Focus on our thought to get rid of unhealthy and destructive thought. Negative thought consumes our energy and deprive our mind. Tranquility empowers our mind. In the words of the author it has described as “Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace, be still!”
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?
I have started noticing how my character affects circumstances and my environment. I am trying to understand which sets of characters linked with my thoughts. Thinking and figuring out how and why certain type of thoughts have developed. I am at infant stage of studying the relationship of my thought with my character and the impact on the circumstances. I, however, have started to notice some very minor links. Hope this helps me to be more specific to craft and refine my purpose in life. As I believe, purposeful life makes some contribution for the well being of life. Wandering without purpose in life is consuming scares recourses for nothing. I am searching my higher purpose in life to answer why I am in this planet earth. To move forward, healthy body and calm and stable mind is vital. Nurturing my mind with strong and healthy thought will keep my body on energetic mode which helps to make courageous vision. A vision of hope to serve mankind and brings bright future to humanity. I am deeply focused on finding ways to serve humanity. With efforts and continues trial, I will get solution to heavily rooted problems of my society. Finding solution from the stand point of cause and effect relationship would grant the best possible remedy. I am also trying to exercise mindfulness.
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.
“The man is made or unmade by himself.”
“…Man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny”
No excuses, no hide-and-seek, our destiny is at our hand. Let us have fair play.
“Man imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance.”
Our character and interaction with the environment reveals our hidden mind. We should be honest to ourselves and to others. No seedling without seed.
“As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking”.
Mind muscles can be beefed up with calm, mindfulness and patient exercise. To be focused and poised are vital to build up strong thought.
“Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts”
Live a life that makes you happy, listen to your mind, your heart follow them to live courage’s life. Live a life that gives you happiness, which makes you productive. Live freely within yourselves without any kind of destruction, dogma and hindrance. Feel your pure and peaceful thought. Live your life in your mind, dream it, and see it in your vision. Live up to it, wonderful life.
“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil”
It is good to think big, so big that our thought and vision will take us to our ambitious future. As the old adage goes, shoot for the moon, Even if you miss, you will land among the stars. Dreaming small dream doesn’t take anywhere. Easily attainable plans lack energy. It doesn’t challenge potential and it doesn’t push to the limit to use our mind. Huge dream, massive action, enormous success.
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there iideas 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, it has exercises but the exercises require life time practice, patient and training.
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? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Asrat Worku (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The story of Jonathan seagull is excellent piece of parable. It teach us to search our purpose in life, to explore our unlimited potential, to break the negative energy that clamped us not to listen our inner voice, to overcome webs of the society dogmas that crippled us not to follow our true nature . Thanks to Jonathan who educates us how to destruct the limiting factors that encircled us and be free to enjoy the freedom of our real nature.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull organized in three parts:-
· Jonathan seagull as freedom seeker
· Jonathan seagull as student ·
Jonathan seagull as mentor
Let’s see each part of Jonathan life journey summary
Jonathan seagull as a freedom seeker
Jonathan seagull was feed up with system of living that the seagulls adapted. The seagulls’ social system forces seagulls to live after boats for bits of food as their purpose of life. He was sick and tired of living like the others. He wanted to find his own way of life. He wanted to give his life a purpose and meaning using his nature. The gulls system made low level glide, falter and stall as a taboo. It has been described in the literature as “Seagulls, as you know, never falter, never stall”. To stall in the air is for them disgrace and it is dishonor. But, for Jonathan it was a learning session, it was a pleasure that makes him happy far better than food. Jonathan couldn’t live up to the system, As it has described, “….. It wasn’t long before Jonathan Gull was off by himself again, far out at sea, hungry, happy, learning”. This was his final point to break the seagulls’ respected social law, unchained himself. Jonathan believes he is more than bone and feathers. He has not accepted the idea of living to eat food. He believes that seagulls’ life is more than flying after fishing boats. Jonathan has got his own life philosophy to discover the purpose of his life. It has been described in the literature how seagull life should be “there’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!” This way of understanding and practice led Jonathan to be out casted. The council of seagulls out casted Jonathan in thought of penalizing him. The truth was he got his freedom. He unclamped the fabrics of the society and started practicing flight to search his life purpose.
The moral of this lesson is that we need to pay any price to get back our free life that is gifted by nature. We should claim our free life that is not guarded and guided by unfair and unjustifiable social, political, economical and many more countless disabling rules and laws. We should live and exercise our natural faculties unlimitedly.
Jonathan seagull as student
Jonathan is now in heaven to learn a new lesson of life. Life as perfection. He is being coached that the purpose of living is to find perfection, not to get food and live for it. Jonathan started learning the concept of space and time and how to overcome them. Jonathan was a fast learner to understand the perfect invisible principle of life. Jonathan learnt the most difficult and the most powerful principle of life, kindness and love.
The moral of this lesson is that the foundation of the principle of life is to understand and practice kindness and love.
Jonathan seagull as mentor
Jonathan returned back to the flocks of seagulls to teach them the gulls’ real nature that they have unlimited idea of freedom and to put aside everything that limits them. Jonathan also showed the gulls the power of forgiving and forgetting in action. He was teaching the gulls to understand their true nature and practice it. He has librated thousands of gulls to understand, find and follow their own nature as instructor.
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.
a. Understanding real nature
Understanding our true nature is the basic and fundamental principal of life. One who doesn’t understand meaning and purpose of life would lead miserable life without knowing what to do to profit from the gift of nature. One who doesn’t understand his real nature means that he is living a life without plan, rules and principles just like a vessel sailing in a vast ocean without a compass.
b. Learn
We need to learn new things about our nature, things around us, our environment, and anything that would help us to understand the purpose of life. Learning provides us hope to reach our true nature and to keep us in constant motion to know and understand who we are.
c. Practices and experimenting
Practices and experimenting are the key mechanism to make the knowledge we have part of our life. We need to apply what we have learnt and known in our day to day life. Without practice and experiment, loading our mind with pieces of data and information is meaningless. We need to turn our ideas and knowledge to our behavior and character through practices and experiments until it becomes our second nature.
d. Bone and feathers
“…..he was not bone and feather but a perfect idea of freedom and flight, limited by nothing at all.” Jonathan proved it. He is more than bone and feather. He is not cratered as the elder seagulls told him only to eat but to try to understand the meaning of life as it is known and knowable. We human beings are more than bone and flesh. We need to know the reason and purpose of our life and we need to understand our body as a vehicle to take us to the higher purpose of life. We need to listen and follow our inner voice in search of our true self. We are not made only to eat. We are not only bone and flesh.
e. Kindness and love
“……..And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the meaning of kindness and of love”. Kindness and love the most powerful and fundamental principle of nature. One who has the best skill, knowledge, power, money and intelligence would not contribute anything for the well being of mankind without having and understand the secret and power of kindness and love. One who understand and has the quality of kindness and love will change and make the world the best place to mankind and be a leader.
f. Freedom
“…..You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way. It is the Law of the Great Gull, the Law that is”. We should be free to exercise our faculty of nature. Freedom is our birthright. Our freedom should be as equal as breathing of fresh air. Nothing should stop and limit our freedom. Freedom is a gate way to happy and prosperous life. Freedom is a key element to understand the higher purpose of life. Be free, understand life.
g. Forgiveness
“Don’t be harsh on them, Fletcher Seagull. In casting you out, the other gulls have only hurt themselves, and one day they will know this, and one day they will see what you see. Forgive them, and help them to understand.” Forgiveness is being on the serene mode of life. Forgiveness is a gift of nature. Forgive and forget is the quality that we are endowed with nature. Exercising forgiveness and forget leads to perfection.
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?
I feel that I haven’t come to this world without purpose. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull has pushed me to think over it constantly and my inner self raises questions like why I am here & now, how I connect myself to my mission in life. I am searching the reason of my existence. Understanding my true nature will help me to lead prosperous and peaceful life in learning gifts of nature. Learning and practicing the faculty of our mind will help us to understand nature and find solutions to our most pressing problem in our society day to day life. When we connect to our nature we will get peaceful and lasting solution for most of non-natural problems that we daily witness. When we know and study our nature, we will see beyond our ego and start living to the others. We will stop defining ourselves in terms of materialistic view and living for it. Anyone who connects with his consciousness will understand and see his existence as an opportunity to contribute to the well being of mankind. Being kind and loving is a true quality of leader. A leader who understands kindness and love won’t be self centered, he will defeat greed. Kindness and love will equip with superior quality of nature, Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a quality that our leaders should/ought to have it in this chaotic world. Forgiveness created the current South Africa. Thanks to the great leader Nelson Mandela. Kindness, love and forgiveness makes leader courageous. These are qualities that leaders should posses to develop democratic nation, society and individuals. In democratic society freedom will flourish. Mankind will live in free and peaceful environment.
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.
“Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now we have a reason to live – to learn, to discover, to be free! Give me one chance, let me show you what I’ve found…”
This statement teaches that everybody should understand the higher purpose of his life and has to discover and learn nature using his mind power. He has to take responsibility to transfer his knowledge and findings for those who can’t see life differently or to create a better place for humanity.
“….there’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as a creature of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free!”
When we get our reason to life, we will easily understand our surroundings and thus we will get solution for our problems and draw backs that hinder human developments. We will shed light on knowledge to eradicate poverty, disease, non-natural calamity and we will celebrate the beauty of nature and life in peace.
“…. freedom is the very nature of his being, that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form.”
Freedom is a natural phenomenon. Nobody can give or take freedom from human being. It is built in our body. There is no scale that measures the level of freedom to mankind. Freedom that is given by the most developed and democratic nations are equal to the level of their understanding only but it is far less than what we should be/have. Freedom is natural and personal. A person who enjoys his natural freedom has high value to humanity. If every one of us understands our natural freedom, we will create heaven on earth. Our freedom is shielded within us, we have to say NO for those who try to invade and poison our freedom.
“You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day, that real, unlimited Fletcher Seagull. He’s your instructor. You need to understand him and to practice him.”
When we align ourselves with our nature, we will understand the rules and principle of our true self. We will connect to our unlimited potential. We will start to follow our inner voice as instructor. It is not only understand ourselves, we need to live it daily, we need to make it part of us.
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?
“Your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip,” Jonathan would say, other times, “is nothing more than your thought itself, in a form you can see. Break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body too……”
“… Remember what we were saying about one’s body being nothing more than thought itself….?”
Completely disagree or it is unclear. Seagull can touch, feel, see and sense their body. Their body is a solid substance. To my level of understanding, their body is more than a thought, more than an idea. They can’t break their body whether they break the chains of their thought or not.
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, it has exercises to be done. But the exercises are not something which is finished in a month time. It is a life long journey. It requires understanding and practice.
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.
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull didn’t see any gull before him who exercises flight as a means of freedom. He didn’t get any training at the beginning of his practices. But he recorded lots of breakthroughs by himself. We read at the first page of the literature that he was practicing flight but we don’t know when and how Jonathon got flight idea as a means of freedom.
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? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Asrat Worku (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the books?
Success through positive mental attitude is written to teach us that our mind is our power house that drives us to success and failure equally. The book tells us how to use our mind towards success and it also teaches us if we don’t feed the right ingredient to our subconscious mind, it will lead us in the wrong side of life. If we know how to use positive mental attitude, our mind will take us the desired success level and meaning. The author introduces us to the new and capable personality of ourselves to decide our fate by ourselves. If bad things are happened to us, it is not because of God, it is because of ourselves lack of determinations and burning desires to fight it back or not to focus our attention to operate against it before it happens to us. The book also speaks that every calamity has got an equal or opposite opportunity as far as we take it with positive mental attitude. The author teaches that if our negative mental attitude starts functioning on us it will repeal happiness, wealth, peace and finally it makes us mentally handicapped. It also depletes the meaning of life from us and we start leading miserable life. The book also teaches that if wrong things have happened to us, it is also good as far as we use it as sources of inspiration. Negative situations help to develop inspirational dissatisfaction to revitalize our thought and to see exactly the opposite direction to act and reverse the negative circumstances. All fruitful results are happened if and only if we use our positive mental attitude with clear purpose. PMA with formulated idea is the only solution to have a well designed life. The book also introduce us a formula that can help us to change our life. The book calls the formula seventeen successes principles. Anyone who can understand and practice the formula will have accomplished happy life. The writer explains the important of having accurate thinking and clearing of our mind from unnecessary thought web. Unclear and wasteful though takes us downward spiral crises and will be difficult to recover. Thus, cultivating and developing purposeful thought will help us to explore the power of our mind. The other important things of the book are to learn how to see and develop others capacity and ability, how to get things done by ourselves and others, to motivate ourselves and others. The core idea of the book is to understand and control life by equipping the art of living using our mind as we are loaded with a powerful engine which never shut down since its birth. This powerful engine is our unconscious mind. To understand and use of our unconscious mind is the centerpiece of this book.
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.
A. This invisible talisman has two amazing powers: it has the power to attract wealth, success, happiness and health; and it has the power to repel these things-to rob you of all that makes life worth living.
The idea of the invisible talisman attracts my attention very much as if the author were talking to me. The writer describes them in details with their effects. I have never given specific name to my contradicting mood. Now, I got the name to call them, PMA and NAM. These two opposing power has amusing effect on me. One enriches my life and the other depletes my energy as energy vampire does. When I start my day with relaxed mind, I appreciate the morning beauty, the sunshine, the breakfast ……all the way up until the evening I make people happy, everything I do is successful. Even though, it is not successful I do accept it with grace all the weakness and difficulties as a learning sessions to improve well as and when required. But, starting early in the morning or in between my happy day something goes wrong, I don’t even know how it happens. I don’t have the gut to entertain any weakness or difficulties even something that I could have easily accepted it in my happy day. When I have such gloomy day, I could be the cause of all disappointment in everything I do or for anybody around me. I can really feel when my energy evaporates totally out of me. I feel down. Now, thanks to Success through PMA book, I got the name and when I feel the different power I give them their name. I appreciate the PMA and relax. When I got NMA, I am becoming watchful as to how and why it happens. I try to overcome it by taking deep breath and scanning of my mind status before my energy over. I tell to myself uplifting stories, recharge my energy level with encouraging and positive thoughts. It is difficult to adapt easily, but possible to learn new behavior to overcome weakness.
B. Definiteness of purpose is the starting points of all achievement. Definiteness of purpose, combined with PMA, is the starting point of all worthwhile achievement. Remember-your world will change whether or not you choose to change it.
Defining purpose should be a corner stone for any objective oriented person. Defining purpose as to why we do the things we do, when we do, how we do, where to reach is sensible questions and need to be answered before we decide to act. For me setting purpose is like providing the necessary date to air plane navigator. Just to set the navigator where to start and move to which direction with which altitude to what speed to reach the designated place with specific time. In short, defining purpose helps us to know our starting and ending point with maximum efficiency. As it is known, there is nothing constant except the change itself. I am seriously following up how our business and political environment reacts in order to catch up with the fluid business progression in our country specially. Thus, I am always optimistic with new business and political change in our country since my goal is to perform well in any scenario to meet our company business objectives and my personal mission. We have started a new automotive business two years back when the world automotive industry was struggling and our country faces serious foreign currency shortage to import goods to the country. On top of these the private banks were suffered a lot due to new regulation from the national (central bank) on loan disbursement. I have been in charge of running this new company which is in capital intensive industry was huge burden. What I have decided to accept the sudden change in the political sphere which directly affects the business environment and thus, I have glued to our purpose to fulfill the plan and objective of the company to meet its target. Since I have had clear plan and purpose the company is still moving well.
C. Many persons have the habit of procrastination. Because of it, they may miss a train, be late for work, or even more important –miss an opportunity that could change the whole course of their lives for the better.
I am a living witness of procrastination. Usually I do things in great energy once I understood the need of doing it. I got existed to do what makes me happy then I started it with tremendous energy and keep on doing. But If I don’t start on the spot and give some time to settle in my mind, I don’t have the gut to start it. I just begin giving convincing reasons for myself, not to start doing what I want to do right on the point. I postponed doing it for fake or slim reason. After some considerable time passed, it is very hard for me to start it again. For instance, I finished reading my first level course here in IIGL last year this time. I had even started writing one book assessment and gone halfway. I had some pressing job commitment to finish some project and weeks had gone without looking back to the writing part. I couldn’t able to start it again as I lost my burning desire to read and write due to those manufactured reasons for myself. When I joined IIGL I had a relaxed plan to read and write a book every month but once I lost my track, procrastination engulfed me totally. The good part is I always read every mail I got from IIGL and I feel that I missed something that enrich my life, I feel I am a looser . Every time I refereed my e-books from IIGL, my mind launches Jihad on me. once your soul tested and enjoyed like minded people circle to work to together for the betterment of personal life and the society, it is very difficult or impossible to separate from the common goal and I feel I am indebted to IIGL. For this same reason, I was reading in my leisure time success through PMA and read the above mentioned quote at the beginning and immediately before this quote it says “Do It Now!” , I said, is this for me? Yes, it is for me!! I missed an opportunity in my life, Reading and Writing. I have started refreshing my mind to start writing on this assessment. I haven’t even gone back to finish the then started assessment on the other book. Just keep on writing with this book. The best antidote for procrastination is Do It Now.
D. Yes it’s that simple: use OPM-other people’s Money. That’s the way to acquire great wealth.
I love getting loan from the bank. The problem in our country is difficult to get loan from the bank since it has got very tedious process even though you fulfill their requirements. The financial institutions in the country are also limited in number and type. I wish I could get OPM daily as it is cheaper than equity fund. Usage of OPM requires financial management discipline; otherwise it has got huge negative impact on personal and institutional financial health. Money requires money to make money. Renting OPM is like renting machine. Rent a machine; use it to manufacture what you want up to its capacity with its maximum efficiency to specific period of time. You will return the machine with its agreed rent amount to its owner and enjoy the price of the manufactured goods amount. The same way do with OPM. Playing with OPM is like a game. It is full of fun.
E. Throughout life you play dual parts in which you motivate others and they motivate you
We are living in the world of interdependent. Our material and emotional need is closely dependent with our environment and each other. There is nothing basically we do or get independently. When I want to get genuine pleasure, I make my surrounding happy. This works within my family members, friends, staffs or neighbors. To make peoples happy, the first thing I do, I entirely listen what he/she has in their mind. Listening there ups and downs by itself give him/her emotional relief event before I start doing or saying anything. After I understand his/her interests, I simply put myself in his/her shoe to engage emotionally and to find ways and solutions to motivate him/her. Depending on his/her desire, I up lift his/her mood to see his/her situation in clear mind. Then together we find solution, we plan together, I take his/her problem like mine. We start forming emotional bond to fight his/her problem together; I start seeing that his/her eyes beaming with full hope. That hope reflects in me. My feeling and internal self filled with great hope exponentially. I hugely profit from his/her hope and happiness. That is the time for me to be creative and to have solution oriented mind. I engage back with full forces to be more realistic to make him/her own his/her problem with solution. I try to make him/her to feel that he/she is the solution for his/her own problem. I can see when he/she has a sense of having the ability to solve his/her problem. This also pays me back. Entire process requires considerable time and energy to make things happen. My strategy is based on simple principle; Pay it forward without expecting anything. But, the invisible reward is immeasurable. We, immediately, are in the loop of motivating each other. This works for any kind of social bonding.
F. It takes only an idea, followed by action, to succeed when others fail.
Human beings are endowed with a capacity to synthesize fragments of thoughts to a full-fledged idea. Most of us might have marvelous ideas that could have changed the face of the world to different direction but due to lack of action our grave yards are rich with aborted ideas. That something more called action change the whole thing ups and downs. Lack of action robbed me many more ideas than I actually used. When I am trying to figure out why this isn’t happened or that happened, I end up in vicious circle, but the hidden answer is procrastination, fear/doubt of action. Even small idea with timely action has done a lot for me than rich idea buried at the back of my mind. Action full life is a gateway to success.
G. No matter who you are, you can have a magnificent obsession. Every living person can help others by sharing a part of onesself. You don’t have to be rich or powerful to develop a magnificent obsession. Regardless of who you are, or what you have been, you can create inside yourself a burning desire to be helpful to others.
Sharing the blessings we have is astonishing concept of good will people that saved the world from more chaotic and misery situation. You may think of any kind of foundations/individuals or entity who operates for the betterment of human life. They have blessed for getting the opportunity to serve mankind. I have lived my life with the mentality of sharing to uplift others life. I shared everything of mine for those who need it most. I shared my time, money, thought ….without expecting anything in return. I feel that I am in the mission to fulfill my callings of life whenever I share what I have. This particular mind set makes us different from Animals. It is a success to live a life in making others life more hopeful and bright. Blessed idea!!
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 above mentioned ideas are important to me to change the exiting unwanted behavior to something productive one. When I feel that I am in negative energy or not in good mood, I have come to know that my mind is at NMA mode. Thus, I try to feed my mind with constructive idea to turn my state of mind to PMA. One thing I failed several times is to draw a personal road map to my life. I have tried many times to produce goal/target to be met in specific time in the future but none of them have finalized. Not written fully at all. I can plan, modify and execute at company level but at individual level that is my weakness. I have even started one now. I hope I will through it. The root cause of this problem for me is procrastination and I got solution for it, Do It Now. I am using the slogan as driving force whenever my mind finds ways to skip not to do something. As I got, now, a literature back up to use OPM, I am hunting as money sources as possible to get OPM. Motivation is a spice of life to move forward. I am trying to motivate people whenever possible as it pays me back. It can also help to see how the power of words changes people attitude, mood and life. I always share what life gives me. To sum up my idea , Successes through PMA has strengthen some of the ideas I have and given me the chance to develop understanding things in a new way for the betterment of my life and people who lives around me.
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.
“We are poor not because of God but lack of desire to be something else.
Our fate is at our hand. It is up to us to decide what we want to be. God has given us the faculty to use it to our advantage. It is our will to choose.
“You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by trying. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying with PMA.”
By trying we will add more experience to our success journey. As the Chinese saying goes a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step thus in order to be successful, we should try the first step of the success journey to be in the track with hope and determination. Without trying we will be all the same again. Keep on trying until you are on the right track. Trying is the front door to success.
“Rearrange your attitudes and convert a failure of one day into success on another.”
Using a failure as reinforcement helps to change bad situation to helpful instance. Learning from the mistakes and correcting it to future use is wise mind management technique.
“A failure uses up as much energy in his work at failing as a successful person uses in winning success.”
Spending equal amount of energy for equal and opposite outcomes is very funny. In this case, the important thing is not the amount of energy we spend but our attitudes towards it. Thus, our attitude is the cause of our failure.
“To achieve anything worthwhile in life it is necessary to set high goals for yourself and want to achieve them.”
Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you will land among the stars as the saying goes. Ambitions plan with bold action will take to highest success level.
“Necessity is the mother of invention and the father of crime.”
The common saying is the first part. Nobody notice the second one. Evil necessity and addiction leads to unlawful and unethical gain.
“Be sure you are not driving to your own funeral.”
I have been reckless driver until I read this saying. Now, when I drive with high speed carelessly, I remind myself that I am not driving to my funeral and started being watchful.
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 seventeen success principles individual idea is good and serves its purpose well. One thing I, however, don’t agree is defining life or success in the sets of formula is very difficult. We can’t restrict success or meaningful life only in the stated formulas or combination of them. It is also difficult to generalize by saying this is the only get way to successful life.
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, it has lots of exercises to be completed. I have tried some of them and find helpful and still trying to master them. It really requires gut and focused attention.
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? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8