Bolaji Abiodun Samuel – Assessments – International Institute for Global Leadership

As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Bolaji Abiodun 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 this book is that, the man is the maker and molder of his destiny as long as he can think by gainfully engaging his mind. Embedded in this book is the age long and timeless truth that our lives are a product of what we think about. The title is really apt, considering the content of the 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.

i. Man is a Product of his Thought

Like the holy book rightly puts it, As a Man Thinketh in his heart, so he is. It therefore means that, a man’s quality of life/ state of living is closely related to his quality of thinking. What a man thinks about is what will determine the outcome and product of his life. If a man wants to see change, his point of call should be to focus on what he thinks about. For example when I was to be free from debt, the first thing was to be free from thinking about debt. What you don’t think about, you don’t act or become. As a matter of fact, our actions, whether premeditated or unpremeditated are a function of our thoughts; what you think about per time.

ii. The Mind is the Garden where all thoughts spring from.

What a field is to a farmer is what the mind is to the thinker. Just as a farmer cannot sow a seed without a land so it is too that thoughts cannot come through without the mind. It should be worthy of note that the mind is one of the most fertile ground where whatever is been sown whether deliberately or in-deliberately germinates. The great and successful people know this. Hence, they make conscious effort towards feeding their minds with positive thoughts and visions. But reverse is the case for the indigent; who feed their minds with all kinds of vicious thoughts and still expect to come out successful in life. It has never worked, and I can guarantee that it will never work. I got to realize that, God has really made the mind a very unique and powerful organ of the body. It has been equipped with everything needed, that whatever it can picture, it can attract. Whatever it can envision, it can take the body there, it is just in a matter of time. It is obviously true that you can’t be travelling within and be still without.

iii. Behind every effect is a cause

The law of cause and effect is a universal law that is true as a night and day. Even though this law is been expressed in different forms and endeavors, the reality holds true without exceptions. It states that for every effect without, there is a cause within. Put in another way, nothing just happens. Whatever we see manifesting is a result of something. We may see it or not, we may believe it or not, we may even be aware of it or not, but one thing is sure: for every effect, there is a cause. The realization of this truth was, and still is a very big deliverance for me. From the moment I discovered this secret till now, I don’t waste time questioning for too long why I am seeing certain effects. Rather, on seeing something, I pay attention to what could be the possible causes. This approach has paid off time and time again. It therefore holds true that, once you want to see a change, just make decision in the right direction. In just a matter time, you will see things working out as intended.

iv. All achievements follow the same principle

Pay the price. In this universe we live in, there’s a price to pay for everything we desire. Yes, it is possible, only if we can pay the price. Achievement in finance, health, prosperity and in the spiritual, all follow the same principles, even though the difference lies in the object of actualization. As the saying goes, nothing good comes easy. If you want earthen treasures, you will be ready to dig deep into the earth. If you want to excel in sports for example, you have to be ready to do lots of exercises, burn outs and extra trainings that will guarantee success. It is not always conducive and convenient. But as long as the goal is to become successful, then one must be ready to pay the price. He who sows sparingly will reap bountifully, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. This statement does not only apply to financial matters, it governs other spheres of life also. The more you put in, the more you get. Hence if you want to see more results and breakthrough, be ready to put in more efforts. The moment that is done, the effect is rest assured.

v. Take responsibility for your actions

vi. Through desires and persistence, visions and dreams will crystallize into realities.

Almost all of the world’s inventions we see today are a product of visions someone conceived years ago. Dreams are the desires, ambitions and aspirations cultivated by someone to making the world a better place. Dreamers add color to the world. But wait a minute, it doesn’t just end there. Without actions, it will end as mere dreams. It is actions that give value to dreams and visions. There will always be challenges and difficulties. This is why persistence is needed, that is, the ability to keep trying even in the face of storms.

vii. Calmness is a product of the degree of understanding

Serenity and calmness is really a proof of maturity and depth. As the saying goes, that anger lies in the blossom of fools and also, an empty vessel makes the loudest noise. Calmness and the ability to comport oneself in the midst of storms. It is the measure of one’s understanding to a challenging situation. Tension and apprehension is obviously a sign that one has lost control. But once you see who, irrespective of what is happening, maintains decorum. It is clear that such, has either through understanding, experience or maturity gained mastery over the situation. Also, a state of tranquility also shows that one is a man of character.

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 contents of this book from the beginning to the end gives practical approach to a fruitful, productive and fulfilling life.

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.

“Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.”

“Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.”

“All that a person achieves and all that person fails to achieve is the direct result thinking.”

“As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.”

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?

Nothing.

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?

No exercises.

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.

Not really.

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? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Assessment by Bolaji Abiodun Samuel (Nigeria)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

Answer: Having carefully read through the book, idea that the author, Richard Bach is trying to convey to us, the reader in the book is that: once you become dissatisfied with the status quo, you will maximize your God given potential. It could be seen that though Livingstone Seagull started out just like every seagull, but he knew he could be more than what he is at the moment. We could see later on in the book that he was able to maximize his potential through determination, willingness to learn and take up new challenges, practice and patience. The status quo is the “that’s how it is being done,” that’s how it has been from time memorial” that is common to all works of living. Of course the writer used a gull as the main character but it can be very much applied to we humans and our everyday life.

i. Follow your Dreams

One of the ideas very important to me that I have learned from this book is that you must to follow your dream. Your dream is that thing that you can see alone by yourself. It is that thing you belief you can do that will bring fulfillment in spite of the nay-sayers around you. We could see from the book that Jonathan believes that there is more to flying than just eating off course. The other gulls don’t see it that way, but within him, he knew he could be more. He could do better than he is currently doing. So also it is with us. Everyone is born to become something in life, irrespective of what we could see around us. We should yield to that inner triggers that we get. That is actually the starters to our fulfillment. For a very long time, I know I am passionate about affecting lives positively, I can sacrifice all my day just to make sure I am there for that person. Later on, I got an inspiration to reach a wider coverage by putting on my experiences and motivational skills into print. At every point in a man’s life, there will always be a dream to pursue. How much of our dreams we realize will determine how fulfilled we will be.

ii. Be Open to Learning

There is a saying that the day you stop learning, you start dying. This is obviously one of the time tested truths that even Jonathan, a Seagull applied, and it has proven to be true. One of the strong reasons behind Jonathan’s success was that he is really open to learning. He was constantly learning new tactics and styles and as well practicing them. I got to a point in my life where virtually nothing was working. At this point, I knew that if I must make progress in life, I need to unlearn, learn and relearn some things. I can tell you that ever since I opened myself to learning, there has been a tremendous change in my life. And I must emphasize it at this point that it is not just about learning anything , it is about learning things that are relevant. Relevant knowledge that goes in line with purpose, and not just some uncoordinated and haphazard search of knowledge. And the very climax of acquisition of knowledge, just like any other vision being action is practice. Whatever he learned, he practiced. This was the very reason behind his unequalled success.

iii. Never Become Complacent

Complacency is one major killer and aborter of greater destinies. It is a feeling of arrival. An arrival mentality, that has shut the doors of new frontiers, killed the drive for more discoveries. If anyone must be what no one has been before, he must do what no one has done before. And if success must be maintained and sustained, the yoke of complacency must be broken at the center. Livingstone understood this principle. He never became complacent. He took up new challenges irrespective of the unprecedented success he just accomplished. I have been guilty of been complacent and the next four years that followed really proved to me that you really can’t be stagnant. Once you are not rising, then you are coming down. Complacency can bring one down overnight. It is actually not overnight, but because the effect is not quickly noticed, one camps around previous achievements and before you know it, he falls. Jonathan on the other hand, instead of being complacent, he was consolidating on his new success, learning new skills and trying new things.

iv. Your Life is a Reflection of your Thoughts

It is really amazing to see it also in this book that even Seagulls understood this. I love the quote from Sullivaine when he told Jonathan that his whole body from wingtip to wingtip is his thought in a physical form. What a great discovery that is. It is not just your physical body alone, but your entire physical life which includes your career, family, finance etc. the current level you are in, in these areas, reflects your thoughts about these things. This thought is what helped Livingstone to know that he can become whatever he sees in his minds eyes.When it dawned on me that my life is a reflection of my thoughts, it was difficult though, but thank God I accepted. This is because nothing was beautiful about my life. It therefore means that if my life was ugly, then my thought was ugly too. Life moves from the direction of inside out. Once your mind’s eye can see it, with persistence and patience, your life also will reflect it indeed your life is your thought in a physical form.

v. The Effect of Environment

Anything is possible, but not anywhere. Jonathan seagull understood this. This was seen anytime he wanted to scale new heights. In fact in the beginning when he discovered that the life of a seagull should not be centered on flying just to get food, his own parents and the other flock were against him. Hence, whenever he needed to learn a new thing, he would leave to a solitary place, where he could be in total control of himself.

vi. Change your Thinking, Change your Ways

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 stated in this book are indeed the idea that anyone and everyone who desires to make a mark in the sands of time must apply. They are ideas that have been well passed in clear and precise terms.

Follow Your Dreams: just as every tree you see in the forest first start with the seed, so is every great feat in life. It starts with a dream.

Be Open to Learning: one of the things that characterize great men is that they are men of knowledge and also appreciate knowledge. And lastly, they are always learning. Either they are learning new things or they are learning new ways of doing old things.

Never become Complacent: yes it is good to be contented, but never become complacent. Complacency is one of the great killers of destinies. This book really passes the message that there is always a new height that one can still scale irrespective of the last achievement.

Your Life Reflects Your Thoughts: I was listening to a radio program many years ago one evening, and one of the major points the speaker dwelled on is that your is a reflection of what you are thinking about. It was so loud on me to accept. But having read through lots of books and coupled with life’s experiences, I have come to see that this is true. And this exactly the point that this book captures.

The effect of environment: when I finished reading this book, a phrase dropped in my mind immediately. And that phrase is that anything is possible, but not anywhere. In actualizing your dream you just have to change your environment. Change of environment can either come from relocating geographically or socially.

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.

“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.”

“The only true law is that which leads to freedom.”