Diamond Israel Opute – Assessments

As a Man Thinketh

Assessment by Diamond Israel Opute (Nigeria)

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

The main idea that was brought out in this book would be; the power of thoughts and its effects on our lives as the creative force which daily shapes and create our world as individuals and not just from outward circumstances that surrounds us but from the inward state of a man. It also emphasized on the fact that man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny. “As he thinks, so is he”. Thoughts cannot be separated from man, neither man from his thoughts. Our thoughts each day form our words, actions, habits, character and then our destiny. As the saying goes, “out of the abundance of the heart (thoughts), the heart speaketh. A man cannot be hidden from his thoughts, although he may disguise his true identity for a while, but he can’t totally box it up. Soon it will overflow, thereby revealing his true intent and identity. Our thoughts form the identity which the world sees. Our eyes might not see them, but they speak louder than words. The thoughts of a man affect his attitude and later his progress in life. The thoughts of a man also form the psychology of a man, his behavioral patterns and his approach to life. The perceptions and thoughts we hold to in our childhood are responsible for our inadequacy and the problems we create for ourselves as adults: These develop into marital crises, problems in our relationships, alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, sexual immorality, rebellion, cultism etc. For a man to change his environment, he must first alter his way of thinking. A house would remain in its state for years just as it was arranged; the chairs, shelve, TV set, radio e.t.c. would stay in their given positions until a new position for them is first created in our minds and further effected with our hands cooperating with the picture we created in our minds. Nothing moves until acted upon by a force e.g. my hands will not move to type this work if I didn’t think of it first. Man is the master of his thoughts and not his circumstances.

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) Thoughts as the molder of character: Over the years I tried to understand my character as a person and why I act the way I do. I never comprehended it that my thoughts were the engine room to my character (positive or negative). It remains a fact that the actions of a man are the mirror to his thoughts. Every character developed by a man started with a thought. I can remember how I struggled with a wrong character I once had, it took me time and persistence before I finally got free from it. I discovered its source was from a wrong thinking pattern I held on to. A man’s character is a replica of his thought and his thought the building workshop of his character.

(ii) Effect of thought on circumstances: Every event that has ever happened in an environment came from the thought in a man’s heart. His thought shapes the environment in which he lives in. If he desires a clean environment in his thought, that exactly he gets. If all he ponders on are dirty thoughts, a dirty environment he gets in return. Circumstances either good or bad are a product of what a man continually thinks in his mind. A man who can’t control his thoughts would be a victim of circumstances. Those who are weak in thought tend to engage in the blame game when unwanted circumstances happen to them. I had such an experience yesterday when I went to take a job I gave someone to help process. The result was far lesser than what I expected. Thoughts of blame filled my mind but I had to savage the situation and move ahead. Although I lost money in the process, but I did not lose my joy, mind and control over the circumstance. I chose to be happy even when faced with a negative result. We either choose the state of our mind in every situation, whether good or bad. We determine our circumstances from the thoughts we posses. We are the master of our response to each circumstance we face.

(iii) Effect of thought on health and Character: A healthy body is a product of healthy thoughts. Research over the years has been able to prove the vast effects of thoughts on our heath. Good thoughts would give rise to good health while bad thoughts would produce a sickly body. After I discovered this truth, I channeled my thoughts to healthy thoughts to give me a healthy body always. When I ponder so much on wrong thoughts, it increases my heart beat and later brought forth headache. Having good thoughts on my mind have become my daily activity, acting as a guide to my health. Research has shown that most people who got healed in their body or recovered quickly from flu, first got healed on their mind.

(iv) Thought and Purpose: When a man continually thinks on his purpose, he gets closer to it. As the saying goes, “when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. As a man continually thinks, he remains. A man can be distracted from his purpose in life if he doesn’t hold strong to it in his mind. If you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for anything. Until a man defines his purpose and ties it to his thought he will remain vulnerable to outside opinion. Since I discovered my purpose, I daily think about it and how to attain it, making it my daily focus.

(v) The thought factor in achievement: Achievements are the medal of a man’s thought. Whatever a man achieves in life is a product of his thoughts. The great achievements we see around us were brought about by men and women who expanded their thoughts. There would be no computer today if a man did not stretch his mind to produce one. My achievements in life are in one way tied to my thoughts. To achieve more, we must think more.

(vi) Vision and ideals: Great visions are born out of great minds that have expanded their thinking process. Dreamers are leaders. Our thoughts influence our visions and our visions improve our daily life. Without vision, the people perish. There would be no effective living without an effective vision. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is like a tree of life. My visions have been redefined by the redirecting of my thoughts. Rightful thinking now acts as the fuel to my visions.

(vii) Serenity: A peaceful environment is a product of a peaceful thought. A troubled heart would only bring forth an unstable man. Peace and serenity is a gift to every man who finds it. Choosing to be peaceful in times of trouble only exists in the world of a controlled mind. Our thoughts create our environment (peaceful or violent). A peaceful environment is the craving of every soul. Even the mad is taken to a peaceful rehabilitation centre where his mind is changed gradually.

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?

In discovering this truth about the power of my thoughts, I have been transformed in all aspect of my daily living. As it is rightly said, “…be ye transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by its new ideals and its new attitude. I now control my thoughts not my thoughts controlling me. I used to be a slave to my thoughts and my thoughts being the master controller of all my actions. These ideas have improved my way of thinking as an individual and I see growth on every side. When I want to make important decisions, I first weigh every thought on the “good or bad” scale, to know the effect it will have on me. I use this technique as a leader also which has improved my leadership skills and that of the people am privileged to lead. A leader whose mind is unstable will create an unstable environment for all to live in. In creating a better world for all to live, my thoughts must be positively aligned to thinking the right thoughts at every given time thereby creating positive impact. The thoughts of a leader have a ripple effect on the thoughts of those he is leading. His mode of thinking can become theirs in a matter of time. To creating a better world and making right decisions, I must be the master of my thoughts first.

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) “A noble and Godlike character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with God like thoughts. An ignoble and bestial character, by the same process, is the result of the continued harboring of groveling thoughts.”

(ii) “The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears”

(iii)“Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are”

(iv) “A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life”

(v)“The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it”

(vi)“Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the, entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system”

(vii)“Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts”

(viii)“If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind”

(ix)“They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying, all of which are indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power evolving universe” e.t.c.

These are but a few of the quotes that caught my attention and had great impact on my mind while reading this great piece. They shaped my thought pattern with full conviction that my thoughts were being reconfigured. Most highlighted here were insightful and impacting. With my understanding increased with this quotes, the choice to make quality decisions now lie on me.

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?

Basically, there were no ideas I could not understand. They were all crystal clear, simple to understand by any who pays keen attention to them. Neither do I disagree with any idea proposed in this book. They are ok with me and have the power to transform the mind of any.

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?

There were no exercises I could identify while reading, rather there were suggestions I will say. I found them very helpful and life changing.

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.

The assessment covered to a large extent the whole work and would prefer it is expanded to fully cover the curriculum. Bravo to the team who compiled the assessment.

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

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Assessment by Diamond Israel Opute (Nigeria)

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

The author takes the reader on a journey of discovering the treasure of the hidden hero in every man crying for revelation, finding the true meaning of freedom and living in a world without limit. A world where tradition has clogged the wheel of innovation and everyone is expected to live a stereotyped life i.e. wake up, eat, go to work, come back and sleep and never discover the true meaning of living rather everyone is held bound by the struggle for existence. He also emphasized the importance of not living life by people’s opinion. People always have their opinion to give but they should not act as barriers. We have the final opinion to give about ourselves. In a world with great opportunity, we either limit the opportunities that come to us by our thoughts of impossibility. Whatever our mind can conceive, our hands can achieve. It doesn’t matter how long it takes for a dream to surface, we must believe it is possible. Having a mindset of possibility acts as the fuel which aids us in conquering our fears. Fear has the capacity to paralyze a dream, demoralize a man, cripple his thoughts and finally kill his thinking ability. He who holds onto fear will never take a step into the world of possibilities. Only the brave dare to break the world of ordinary into the world of extra-ordinary. Though that which we have conceive in our hearts to do may seem impossible but it doesn’t make it impossible until we think it’s impossible. Consistency is the rule of the game of life and the road which leads to mastery. Diligence is the product of absolute believes. No matter how rough the road may look, we can still take that one step that will draw us closer to the destination.

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. Taking control of our fears: Fear is simply, False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear is the absence of faith and the presence of doubt. It has hindered so many dreams and visions. Great inventions have been trapped by its snare. It has a devastating effect on him who welcomes it to his thoughts. Thoughts of fear only create limitation. In the world of possibilities, fear echoes impossibilities to our minds. Fear hinders a man from dreaming big, thinking right, afraid to take risk and make good decision. There is no cowardice in the spirit of them who dare. I used to be a victim of this great killer of destinies. In time past, when alone at home, I would be afraid to stay alone in the house, afraid to enter dark rooms, thinking there was a monster ready to eat me up in the room. I could not make good decisions, neither was I able to dream beyond the boundaries placed on me by my fears. I was handicapped in my thoughts. Always afraid to take bold steps. Then I discovered that fear was just a force that existed only in my thoughts. I discovered that I was made not of the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Now, I can’t trace any presence of fear in my thoughts and my thoughts are now aligned to thinking the impossible always.

II. Controlling our inner voice or thoughts: The thoughts of a man are capable of misguiding him, allowing him to make wrong decisions. There has ever been and will always be a battle in the mind of a man, good and bad thoughts fighting for dominance. It’s his choice to choose which he will walk by and face the consequences. Often time have we seen people who made the wrong choice with their thoughts regret. Some find themselves in prisons; some in strong addictions they are struggling to break from and others wrong decisions. The inner voice is deceptive and requires keen attention to distinguish the good thought from the bad. I suffered this also and was a victim to wrong decisions. But has grown tremendously to be the master of my thoughts, choosing to do good rather than bad. I recently discovered something, that when a wrong thought comes to your heart, deliberately choose to do good and you will feel the battle that goes on with your inner thoughts.

III. Limiting Other Peoples Opinion (O.P.O): People will always give their opinion. They will always suggest limiting thoughts but we are the ones to choose either to walk by their opinions or by ours. The opinion we choose to walk with will either make or mal our lives. Over the years, other peoples opinion have wrongly influenced the attitudes, psychology, believes and thoughts of people. Wrong opinions might be held of us but we have the final opinion to make. The day a man chooses to walk away from opinion of men, he charts a new course for himself. This has helped me in choosing people’s opinion and thereby making decisions I take full responsibility for.

IV. Breaking the code: We are often held down by wrong traditions and wrong thinking patterns passed on from generations. Every man who has conquered his world broke the code of tradition. Innovation is the catalyst for change at the expense of tradition. Breaking the code might bring rejection but it leads to discovery anyway. We are being cloned to think in one pattern and never thought to dare. Those who are afraid to dare or get out of the box will remain in the same cycle of tradition. The Wright brothers broke the code when other great scientist concluded that a metal can’t fly. They stretched their minds beyond the veil of tradition and charted a new course for humanity to enjoy. “All things are possible to them that believe”. We are often told to dream within our capacity. Come to think of it, would there be electricity today; if a man like Thomas Edison did not stretch his thoughts. This is true freedom and living a life without limits.

V. Focus on the focus: Dr Michael Dean Murdock once told me to always allow my mind to be where I am. That was one of his greatest secret. He that is focused can never be tossed about by the wind. To achieve anything in life, one must possess focus. Even the very little atom of it can cause a change. If thy eyes be single, your whole body shall be full of light. It’s the power of focus that causes the two eye balls to see one object instead of two. A lion has mastery in focus. When chasing an animal, a lion will focus his mind on a specific one and goes after it. Even while in the process of chasing that specific one, other animals might cross his path but he remains focused on his prey. A lot of energy is required to focus. Distraction is caused by lack of focus. When you don’t stand for a cause, you can easily fall for any. We must direct our thoughts to our purpose in life and never get discouraged when trials come our way.

VI. Be teachable: He that must learn must be able to submit to his teachers. He that has a teachable spirit will soar beyond his limits. Knowledge is power and a key to whoever finds it. Every great leader has a teacher. A leader without a teacher will make errors. A tree without strong roots will fall to any wind that blows. He who goes for knowledge gets more understanding. A life without adequate knowledge would stink like a river that does not flow. “Without knowledge, my people perish”. Ignorance is a disease only knowledge can cure. One of the greatest knowledge we can ever posses is, having knowledge of who we truly are. Our strengths and weakness, gifts and purpose e.t.c. it’s a pity man has been able to make great discovery about outer space, the sea and its creatures and the environment in which he lives but has not been able to truly discover the power of the human spirit, soul and body. What you know can limit you or uplift you.

VII. Pass it on: Whatever knowledge, skill, wisdom, understanding and insight we would ever get would seem meaningless without passing it on. Where we are today was made possible by someone who passed on his knowledge to us. Holding back a knowledge gained is an act of selfishness. Africa would have remained the way they were, (using leaves as clothes) if the Europeans didn’t pass their knowledge to them. Replicating the wisdom you have into many like you would only reduce stress and anxiety. There is no true success without a successor. The cemetery is filled with great discoveries that weren’t passed on. I daily pass every knowledge I discover to my friends, that they too in return will tell their friends, and their friends their friends, so goes the ripple effect like a stone tossed into a river.

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 am been transformed by this revelation. My world has been recreated without limits. I dream, dream and dream again. No more limits. Impossible is just a word. Possibility is a reality. My eyes have been redirected to look beyond my today and see new horizons where possibility dwells. I increase in knowledge daily as I persistently go for it. The limitations set by men can hinder my progress. True freedom is what I’ve come to discover. I tell friends and loved ones around me to break out of the box. The soul of a man is limitless. Whatsoever he thinks, he can achieve. If we can see a better world in our thoughts, c’mon then it’s possible. A world of peace is possible, a world of total freedom is possible, and a world of law and order is also possible. Whatever we can think, we can achieve.

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) “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…”

(ii) Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome.”

(iii) “learned so much at one time that you didn’t have to go through a thousand lives to reach this one.”

(iv) “No, Jonathan, there is no such place. Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect.”

(v) “You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there.”

(vi) “You can go to any place and to any time that you wish to go,”

(vii) ”The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly”.

(viii) ”It always works, when you know what you’re doing”.

(ix) ”Break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body, too…”

(x) “The only true law is that which leads to freedom,”

(xi) “Well, this kind of flying has always been here to be learned by anybody who wanted to discover it

These are but a few that had an impact on my mind. They act as guides and maps in living in a world without limits. These are true freedoom guides. My mind has been shapened by them.

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?

Basically, there were no ideas I could not understand. They were all crystal clear, simple to understand by any who pays keen attention to them. Neither do I disagree with any idea proposed in this book. They are ok with me and have the power to transform the mind of any.

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?

There were no exercises I could identify while reading, rather there were suggestions I will say. I found them very helpful and life changing.

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.

The assessment covered to a large extent the whole work and would prefer it is expanded to fully cover the curriculum. Bravo to the team who compiled assessment.

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? 9
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