Enock Pedze – Assessments

As A Man Thinketh

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

I think the idea that when a man thinks in his heart, so is he, is a true ideology because whatever your brain thinks is exactly what you reveal or do in person. This will influence his character and his thoughts. I see as an example what I think is what I exactly do. Things may be said about me to change my character but exactly what I would have thought I do that. There may be a different view to an idea that may be suggested by someone but exactly what I think is what I am.

I think as we live in this world we live in the most high thought that man can think is to be like God. We should be seen to have a noble and God like character with continued effort in right thinking with thought that have no negative thoughts. We always try to step up the ladder of success by belittling others and trying by all means to step on others without thinking what that does to other people in their life. In my personal life I have lived and prayed in trying to live a life that I do not have to walk about having hurt another person but try by all means to have a life that I do not find blame. The thought that I live by I believe cares for others no matter what I find a different issue in my life where at work a scene is presented where you have to be at bay with others I try to relate with others.

I have learned to live an honest living and yes there has been suffering from the truthful life. I have learnt that this life we live in yes there are deeds that we incur but let me live by the truthful honest life because that way I do not have to have a headache to think whatever wrong that I have done. Like here in Zimbabwe, people are acquiring wealth by list methods but they do not have rest in their minds thinking of tomorrow end. I believe I have learnt that yes on should suffer for ones virtue.

I have learnt an important lesson that a man is only a man when he ceases to complain and searches for the hidden justice which regulates his life. Blaming others for what you are is no solution but a way of excuse to blame others for your wrongs. We can talk of our situation we are growing through in our country. Everyone is blaming someone for our condition of living but what exactly has anyone done for that situation. In rather blaming others we have to find a solution to the challenge because nobody will do anything for you until and unless you begin to do it yourself. Discovering yourself and hidden powers hidden within yourself and possibilities helps in motivating and building a person who has to fight for yourself. Nobody said it would be an easy road in this life we live in but we have to learn it though the tough way in order to fully understand issues of growth.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I can relate some idea to my personal life. I have been thinking of personal growth and this has been in my mind of the ways that one has to choose to be a successful person. What I think is the basis of development begins in ones mind. It is the, the thought that counts. What one aspires begins in your mind. You have to carefully think first of what you want and then take time to plan whatever you would like to achieve in your life. I have always dreamed of being a successful entrepreneur. This came by seeing others and experiencing in working with other people who were already in it. I never thought negatively but I always tried to fit myself in the other persons shoe seeing how some things were done and choosing the proper and right way and carefully planning, I am working my way to that destiny.

I believe one has to have a purpose in life. One has to plan, find that purpose that he exists for and set to accomplish that purpose. Man was not created just to exist on earth aimlessly, he has a purpose and that purpose is the reason why each day we wake up to search for and fulfill it. One has to have a goal in life and that good does not come on its own. You have to work for it and I think in my life I have been working with a goal in life.

With our daily living I have found that in ones success there should be the uplifting of the spiritual mind. The spiritual developments are definitely a consumption of holy aspirations. The Lord blesses those who praise the mighty name. Our success does not come alone but we are blessed through or works, our thoughts that should all be clean and pure because our success will be based on whatever we are doing now and that rises into a position of influence and blessedness.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

An idea or concept that I learned is all about wisdom and understanding. Tolerance to others plays an important issue and one gains wisdom and understanding by listening to others and that helps in ones development personally.

I think it is very wise for a person to have good thoughts and actions which produce good results. It is in a person’s imagination that you imagine something positive about something the result will be a good one. Even imagining something that is not right towards someone is not a good way.

A person has to have a legitimate purpose or idea in his heart and set out to accomplish it. A man should have a set purpose whose main objective he should standby and set out to achieve. Having something that you wish to accomplish in life and finding stepping stones in reaching that goal in life. One should not wonder aimlessly because that way you always find reason to believe that you have imaginations and fancies over issues that you want.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

The book has indeed challenged my thinking. In my life aspects you learn things that you would have been doing that you take a step back to try and relate yourself in a different manner. Indeed a man is made by himself. Whatever I think is whatever I am making of myself even toward others. I think if all people would have an opportunity to try and view themselves first before accusing others of any wrongs this world we live in would defiantly be a different one. We are the master of our thought, character, environment and certainly master of our own destiny.

I have a thought that I learnt after reading the book. I believe that this world we live in, is going through major changes. I believe that we are the agents of change and whatever we may go through we are ourselves to blame with whatever outcome can be a result. I think that we have to be like salt. Salt is needed to be a preservative, and taste to food and that salt is needed even in our body for our immune. Nothing is needed to add taste to salt but it actually changes things. We have to stand to our principles and believe in ourselves. I am looking at corruption here in Zimbabwe. It is there and some people are getting a hefty living through it. It has to start with me to stop it. We have to take a step in our lives that we have to stand up to some things that you believe in and take it upon yourself to stand for the truth. Change begins with me and whatever I think.

I think the aspect of our spiritual well being is an important one. If you live in this world you have to believe in the Holy Bible. This world was not there just by chance but the Mighty God created it. People may wonder about do whatever they may want but in your mind even a drunkard know that God is there. We have to put that in our mind and truly believe in it because this world we exist is a temporary world it is there to exist for a short period and whatever we do here on earth shall one day be accounted for each person.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

I do not have anything that I totally disagree with in this particular book.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The most helpful idea I think I gained from the book is that we are whatever we are through our very thoughts. Whatever we think is exactly what we are. We may look good and act good outside but whatever we think we are definitely built you. It is important to think positive to our daily living and that positive life will bring out positive results.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

A man is whatever he thinks he is. We may be honest or dishonest but whatever we think we are made out of it. A person has to have a positive attitude in himself and that builds up your character in yourself.

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? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6

 

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

a) Leadership is a process that a person has to grow up with and sometimes a process that can be learned from. The way I lived is an example I had to learn about reading out to others and asking how some things are done because nobody will come to you and tell you how something is done.

b) Learning is a process that you acquire new concepts, and have an ideal of being an initiator of new records in our loving don’t wait to be told what to do cause time is always moving.

c) There will always be some people that will always be there to back-track you from a set objective. Let them not drag you back if you have a new idea to pursue. In my living I have learnt that if I have a driving factor let me be determined to carry out an idea cause there will be always people that will be there to try and take you back from your set objective.

d) Ignorance does not build anything not even hope but trying to work out a solution will result you in excelling what others wouldn’t even have thought you are potential of bringing. It will bring out of you the intelligence and skill. I learnt my studies having acquired from well wishers to be able to stand up in what you believe in and start believing in yourself that you are able to finish something that you would have started.

e) Being sent out as an outcast you definitely find yourself, who you are what you are made of and what you can be able to achieve. You may be shamed but out of shame brings dignity and there will be great joy out of your achieved expectations. I can say as I am living I came across orphans that have heard their parents passed away with the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. They are castigated sent out and withdrawn from the community but I have encouraged some not to lose hope in their life cause there will always be an appreciation that nobody would have expected that person to achieve.

f) Our purpose of living is to find that perfection and should and shows it for that is how we choose our next world through what we learn in this one. If you have no set objective and live your life as you don’t care you are not going anywhere. I believe that your personal life is built through what you go through in this time. In terms of my life I have hungered for personal growth be if educational, working environment and even the spiritual world. I strive to work on that which can be of essential to me. I believe that the outcome in this will be a definite outcome of my way of life in tomorrow although I do not know what it holds for me.

g) In our daily living our life is a story line. We have to explain something to others as there are always some that which never understand our ideas or our personal ideas but there will be always be need to explain to those that will not understand you because someday they will understand you. Some things that you can acquire in life such as education, some people will not understand that you have to keep searching until you have reached the top.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

As one lives in this world on should expect to encounter such circumstances. In my daily living I can relate to some expectations. In my growing up parents would expect a child to do something that they would want you to follow or be brought up in an expected manner. You find out in your own discovery that there is a new world out there that you are so eager to explore and find out what exactly the other people are going through. You are drown to try and find out the end result and in that process you meet challenges that I think one can be able to face. In terms of growing up one grows up with learning and experience is the best teacher for anyone to understand.

I think for example my life I have learned a lot through learning my daily life. I have learnt to respect my parents and my parents are really my hero’s that my personal life has grown from and whatever I have learned is from them and I really value it.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

If anyone has an area that he or she feels he want to venture into or try to explore, I should not be a limiting factor to that person. You never know that person will be tomorrow. Be it be a friend, a son, a relative good advice to that person is vital and important never try to be a limiting factor because tomorrow that person will always blame you if he succeeds or does not succeed.

In life we should grow up from the understanding of what we have grown to understand as rules and laws that are binding. We should also think out of the rules and laws. There are people that we can learn from that we can understand better some things that we can have difficulty in understanding. These people can be helpful and instructors that can build our lives on. They are there for a limited time and we should not depend fully on them because they can be taken away from us in an unexpected situation.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

The book had definitely challenged my way of thinking. You have some things in your personal life that you always dream of or want to achieve in a day or lifetime. You begin to have doubts whether you can achieve them of not. The minute you get to see the unseen like the destiny of one is achieved by the way you are challenged your present life.

You definitely do not have to depend on someone every time but have to be a initiator or someone who begins a challenging situation in your personal life to have personal growth. Its has challenged me to try and emulate what others have been able to achieve in their daily living. No matter how tough a situation may be practice is most important as perfection comes through doing over and over. Never have a giving up attitude because it will never get you anyway. Giving up will make matters worse because by the time you want to do something that would have failed the time will have gone. It will be difficult to try and catch up to that moment that you would be tried to achieve a set target. This way the way of thinking is that when you have a set achievement you want to achieve do not give up but try to make ends meet to achieve.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

The idea that when a person has an idea that he or she should be given an opportunity to express it. A platform should be given for a person to address his idea because you never know if that idea will be of good intention or not. In society as such placing someone out as an outcast does not prove to be a racial or a degrade someone is not acceptable. I do not agree with it because it will be a motive that does not bring development but as such will cause someone to be isolated and as such disturb ones thinking towards society. This in turn will cause disharmony or disorder to a person or group to be segregated to a group or place of his own.

There is an idea that Chiang would tell Jonathan to forget about faith when he was being taught to fly. I do not agree with the idea that one has to forget about faith and concentrate on flying only. I think in ones self to try and understand an idea you have to have faith and that faith leads to understanding and that will lead to a successful implementation of an desired outcome. Faith is believing in the unseen for you to understand something you have to believe that tomorrow will be a definite outcome.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I found the concept that one has to go through to be set aside as an outcast and be selected, as a lesson. You can be a determined person if you pursue an idea and do not give up in an idea and not giving up will definitely have a positive impact on ones life.

I found that if you want to be successful person you have to go through a process of consulting others and continuing to ask will bring out best result in yourself. Asking others helps because there may be challenges that you will go through you can ask how others have gone through. In our living today our elders have gone through a lot more than we have gone through. So consulting others is a best idea than going through things by yourself.

I wanted to find out what exactly happened life after the disappearance of Jonathan Seagul. Exactly what life after the present living that was been lived what transpired after this present living what went through the people that left. This was not helpful to me because I was left unanswered about the next living of the hero.

I found out something that you have to believe in yourself and it was helpful to me. You can have some doubts in yourself but you don not have to have second thoughts about something. Having doubts in yourself will divert yourself from set objective should be pursued no matter what someone may say or have trust in yourself in a set object do not loose focus no matter what challenges.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The idea wan to portray a leadership cycle that can be taught to others and build up a person that has to be there to carry on the burden to teach others in terms of leadership. The process is endless and it continues forever because there will always be people that will be there eager to learn and teach others.

Rating

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

Psycho Cybernetics 2000

Assessment by Enock Pedze

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

The way I had been seeing myself changed as I read Psycho Cybernetics 2000. I had a different picture of what success was to me and my personal life as a being. Seeing success as an acronym it lead to me thinking of one having sense of direction, understanding, having courage, self esteem and self confidence. The way that society sees itself does not have to be a gloomy picture for yourself as this maybe a limiting factor for one. The society that I have grown up in has been secluded to limiting opportunities and this has negatively affected not only me but the generations that are been brought up. Yes we have to remember it that it provided a home for me but after reading the book a picture has been made available to me that we should not be having a limiting factor but have success in our mind.

Yes old habits are difficult and take time to replace. The period that one goes through to try and accept change in ones life is difficult to accept but one has to think of reprogramming automatic mechanism. Old habits that one grow up or that one was brought up tend to draw you back from a set goal or target in your life but I think one has to accept a situation and replace those habits.

This will lead you to train yourself in a new image of success and through the old habits definitely will tend to come back one has to reaffirm on the new image and focus on the new image of success. It will never be an easy road to travel on but you have to strive on that image of success.

An important new idea that I learned was how to set a goal with the smart way. I was able to set a goal something that in my life I had not thought about doing. This was important to me as in my life one just have a set goal in which you have to work towards and be realistically be able to achieve. This will bring you to have a success type personality that will empower you to set and achieve worthwhile goals throughout my lifetime.

An important idea that I learnt in Psycho Cybernetics 2000 is the way that one feels about over oneself can have an impact on your longetivity and strengthening your life force by taking control of your life is important. You have to take steps in order to make happiness a habit because in life you will have to make it a point to find means to carry one even in tough time that you can go through. This in a way will enhance your life expectancy.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I can relate to the ideas that have been expressed in the Psycho Cybernetics 2000. I life there are true situations that you will go through such as a career break that in your life things go through smoothly and everybody can relate to with a pleasant and unconflicting manner. There is a way that you feel that things are taking their course and everything will be fine you do not have to have a headache to try and figure how to go around a challenge that can be presented to you. I have been a good example to that. I think with positive attitude you do not have to stress yourself to think what next move I have to take in my career. I had a break through.

As soon I completed my secondary education and wanted to proceed to Advanced level education. There came a time that my family would think I would not be able to complete my education but through thinking I was able to proceed. That way I gave an good account because in such a situation you do not have to loose hope because there is always a solution to every challenge.

In life itself the idea that definitely got me is to live a life that you set your own goal. Set out a realistic goal that you personally set and are able to reach do not be distracted to think what if I fail or what will people think I am doing because that spirit of living someone else script will never work for me. Be a person who believes in yourself no matter what challenge that can present itself because life is not going to be easy or is life going to be as smooth as other people would perceive it to be. Never regret taking on an idea that will work for you. Strive to get that set target no matter what problems you can face in the way do not have a heart that will think twice of a situation. You have to be firm in whatever you may think and work on that plan to the end.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

An important idea or concept I learned from reading Psycho Cybernetics 2000 was the idea of a built in guidance system, our brain that can guide me towards the things that I just imagined in my life. I would perceive myself to limits that would limit me and not think of things far ahead of me. The things I go through each day is a reflective of things that I will go through in the future. The things that I do not face alright will definitely come back in a same manner and I definitely bump into them and instead of having a solution to them I would do the same mistake. Now that I have been enriched I know that my guidance system has to be programmed to help me build a self image that I do not regret and should set a destination for my life, even for the one I love and help them in their destination.

Another idea that I learnt was the idea that our beliefs are set. We set false beliefs and do not think of our potentials and capabilities. We do not believe in ourselves and we even pass that negative belief to our family that follow. I have a dream of seeing my son achieving something that I personally have not been able to reach. Trying to think of false image or not been able to see a positive outcome of a future will not be useful because this will have a negative impact on not only my family but including me too.

I learned of ways of relaxing and letting the brain do the work. In the world we live in we have to learn how to relax and the different ways such as the Zen Breathing technique helped me. We tend to think doing all kind of sports and exercise help out in maintaining, a healthy body but our brain also needs time to relax and think over situations and the body and mind relax. This way I learned how to work at some of my stressful events that I would go through in my life. As such given attention can be more attended to the family rather than going things alone you have to find some time with the family as such helped me. In life itself the way that you perceive yourself is very important. I would like to relate to myself as I looked at myself as such. I would think of myself in a negative manner but not seeing the success that I have been able to achieve in life itself. I have learned to adjust myself for the future holding my success and trying to work on other better rewarding opportunities that lie ahead of me.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

The book definitely challenged my way of thinking. I have learned some life techniques that I had no idea of. In our living you go through growing stages that you are expected to live by. The way we go through schooling or education and the lot we are duly expected to bring out good results that the challenges that you go through, you are expected to tackle them decisively. What if there is no solution to that challenge what do you do. You face the same problem and you do not know what to do. I feel that through this book I have learnt to accept Psycho Cybernetics something that I had no idea of. In this part of our world talking of psychology is something that only rich people have the money to spend on.

Through reading Psycho Cybernetics 2000 it changed my thinking perspective totally. We have to accept some ideas because they help us in different ways. I think these methods can be helpful especially in our schools, universities and workplace because people face different challenges be it socially or any other means. The book has challenged my way of thinking in different perspective. Socially I think I should be able to relate more to people because we only live once. We have to play a social part in our communities we live in and for that community to grow it only begins with me volunteering a percentage of our time to help a disadvantaged person in a certain way or even give yourself time to find yourself finding the true nature of yourself and how you relate to others and them to you. Another view is that family is important and family comes first. We may think of a career advancement, think of promotion at work but family is important. Family is what makes us and the minute we neglect it, our family automatically changes.

The way that one feels towards himself is very important. In life you should not see yourself as a failure because the end result is what you get. Thinking positively will help you have an impact that is further and this helps in your life experience. The way one reacts to situations as such helps in your life. You have to take a positive happy attitude to help in your life and this is what I think helps in my way of thinking.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I find that the life is something that is important and that people express themselves in different way. A person expresses himself in a different way and its important that we understand how that person is feeling at that particular time is very important. I found that yes a person can go through stressful time and there are ways to help out that person overcome stress and solutions to challenges that a person can be going through. I t helped me create SMART goal that I will be striving to work towards year-end. This is important to me and I will be able to pass it through to others, as this is a learning process that will be passed to others too. Through Psycho Cybernetics 2000 this book it helped me understand myself better. There are stages that we go through understanding yourself better, your strength and your weakness. I have a better understanding of myself and what I need to work on especially my strength’s. I would like to volunteer my time in my community and working more or volunteering a percentage of my time to a local organization so as to improve throughout the year. Another most important factor is my family. I am going to try and work out some challenges that we went through and try to work them out. I did not find anything least helpful through my study of Psycho Cybernetics 2000.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

It is trying to bridge that gap that you understanding yourself and the positive outcome that you are able to bring out yourself if you dig inside yourself.

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? 5
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7

 

 

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

The idea of success through a positive mental attitude is an important personal development idea. For success itself to come to you, you have to work towards it and one has to have a positive metal attitude in himself. I think through my career break I achieved success in my work because I would have a positive metal attitude and things would flow. I would thank God for this and I would make several breakthrough even in the most difficult and astonishing situation that I would not think I would come through. I would give an example when I was going through my Advanced level education. There was a time that my tuition fees and exam fees were needed. I kept up a positive mental attitude that I was going to complete this education and I did. This came through that I kept myself inclined that I was to make it and I did pull through. I completed my A level and did write my final examination.

We are all faced with problems or challenges, as I would like to put it through because they can be solved. I believe that personal challenges need a positive mental attitude. To take on challenges we need divine intervention and God is there for us. We have to develop a positive mental attitude because no challenge is great that our God cannot handle. In life we face problems some that we feel are too great for us but we can take them and have a solution at hand. I think personally a person has to have a spiritual relation with the almighty God to have success in your life.

With success it comes with a positive mental attitude. If you have a negative attitude that does not help in anyway because success comes with a price. The only solution is to think positively and whatever you believe in you will definitely can achieve it and be successful.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I think I can give an example of living in my beloved country. There are times that you have to strive to achieve success. Success does not come easy in this part of world. It takes practice to achieve success and that practice takes dedication and commitment to be able to pull through. Success takes a positive mental attitude and surrounding yourself with people that are goal oriented will help you achieve a set target or achievement that you would be trying to achieve. I believe one chooses friends or people that have a set goal in life or that have a vision that is in compliance to his or hers and those friends or individuals play a part to the success or development to the person. Friends are very influential to success and one has to be very careful to hand around people that encourage you rather than people with a negative perspective to life itself.

I believe that positive mental attitude come to those who desire to achieve a high goal and to achieve success try to achieve and maintain a positive mental attitude and have a burning desire to achieve success. It is no use to bear a burden of not knowing that you want in life yet time flies by and you grow old without any vision of what you want to be. We are very much blessed with different talents in life yet we do not take that opportunity to exploit what God has given us free in this world. We wait until last minute and try to cover up the lost time that we wasted to something or someone who is not to blame.

I have a tendency that I believe is always right and in some instances trying to force someone to force take my idea without fully understanding a situation. This I learnt especially from my relationship that I became more understanding and appreciative of my partner likes. It takes a positive mental attitude to understand someone else and through this it takes a happy relationship and life.

I can relate to a situation that a small child went trough here. Both parents were deceased and she was left to look after two brothers. Only when she was twelve years she had to drop off from school and fend for the family. This took a positive mental attitude to actually grow up as a child headed family looking for some financial assistance just to get a meal for the day took courage and dedication just to make the family get through the day. I see it through the book that we should not give up that easily. Here in Africa the deadly HIV/Aids pandemic is taking its toll if only we could get people to tell their story this will truly get others to develop positive mental attitude and pull through difficult situations that face each day.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The idea that the most important living person is I struck me. We do not really see it when we learn new concepts but in time we really fail to see that we are important to ourselves for there to be any positive thing to come out I must train my mind to have a positive mental attitude. Success is first thought in my mind and then I work towards it. It will take a positive mental attitude to be able to reach that set goal or target because it will have to be thought and worked through my mind.

We are grown to customs such as going to school, study and pass our exams, get a job and live a happy life. I think I learned something that will keep you in line and direct you. That is inspiration. Inspiration comes from reading the Bible firstly and search for other inspirational books that have a purpose for your life. I learnt it through reading Success through a positive mental attitude and I have learnt to get on with others and find a dream that I would like to fulfill in life itself through a positive mental attitude.

The 17 Success principles were very important to me. I believe to have or achieve success it takes some kind of way to achieve it in a way. I think through success principle I learnt a new concept in life. Positive mental attitude takes some real determination to be able to work through tough times to be able to pull through and it all requires patience and follow up to be able to start something of your own. I think we have been grown to a custom that we only grow up and have to work for someone to be able to provide for our families and well being. Through reading Success through a positive mental attitude I learnt of different figures that started without anything as such but became somebody of this world today. I believe it takes determination to have to go an extra mile that to take success in yourself. Yes you may stumble and fall but with faith you learn from that defeat and maintaining that positive mental attitude I will be something that I wouldn’t have thought to be in this world.

I believe with success itself I will not be able to get to that top without my family support and team effort. I believe that if I can get that positive mental attitude to be able to determine what kind of life I can live and ways that I can achieve success and be able to thank God for giving me that opportunity to explore my mind, can not get that satisfaction of my family will not experience that positive mental attitude. They can see a change in me but learn and also experience that feeling of success is important to me and I believe that sharing that opportunity with others is very important to me.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Success through a positive mental attitude definitely challenged my thinking. I read all the great people made it through in life and to think they started small. The greatness that they were able to achieve was made possible through a desire to achieve a set target. I believe that with that determination that I have come to learn through positive mental attitude I want to be someone who will be able to be counted in my society that I was able to achieve something in my lifetime. We should not just be there to breath this air and die without having had made a history of ours because there is only one chance for us to grab this opportunity and make the best in ourselves that we may be able to achieve success itself. We may stumble and fall and be laughed at but definitely that will be the price that we may have to pay and we should learn from the defeat and not give up because tomorrow success will be great.

Another issue that I learnt was that I always found a negative fault with someone else, especially in a relationship. There are instances that a quarrel may arise and that misunderstanding can bring negative emotions. I restored myself in believing that when I find fault I begin to look at my personal mental attitude because that is where it always starts. I have to find what problem I have before I blame that very next person because an misunderstanding should be resolved amicably with a positive mental attitude.

Success through a positive mental attitude has taught me that I have a bright future ahead of me because day by day in every way I am getting better and better. With a conscious autosuggestion each day I am reminded that I can do better and that reminder makes me work toward a certified goal that I will try to work towards each day. There can be personal problems that can be faced and there can be solved through divine guidance, engaging in thinking time, stating the problem and keep searching for answers until I find one that works. In life itself there are challenges that you can come through. Each challenge requires you to constantly find a solution. I learnt how to use positive mental attitude towards my daily living by being able to resolve these personal challenges in life itself. Everyday I felt sore bored every time I had to make my way to work. I felt that I was not going anywhere doing the same daily routines. I found a solution and that way I found a step stone theory and worked for me perfectly. I set myself a positive mental attitude. There are times that you can tend to try and relax yourself with dissatisfaction but every man has to work in order to make an honest living. With a positive mental attitude you have to make certain that work itself is enjoyable and you are finding yourself working to a goal with a good attitude.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

Through my study of Success through a positive mental attitude I found that this book inspired me to success itself. You cannot find any motivator that can try to challenge you from your old ways that you thought to be right yet they had fault in them. I think the book motivated me to seek myself with a positive mental attitude and repel the negative attitude that was in me. I reading Success through a positive mental attitude I changed my reactions towards my spouse, my family and friends. In a relationship you have to work towards developing a good relationship and try to work out differences that includes spending time together rather than ignoring yourself. Success through a positive mental attitude inspired me to work towards empowering others. I think it put some inspiration in me to try and motivate others in doing something at least for their community. It is better to give than to receive says the Bible. I have pledged my time to volunteer my spare time in everyway that I can help with. This way I can be able to give a part of myself to the development of my community at large.

I can say there are some helpful ideas I found through my study of Success through a positive mental attitude an I did not find anything least helpful to me.

7. In 50 words or less please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

I believe through my study the book is trying to bring out success that is hidden within us that we do not see but wait to be awaken. We should always try to see life in a positive mental attitude or manner for there are a lot of chances that wait to be grabbed only if we have a positive mental attitude do we get that success.

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? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

 

The New Dynamics Of Winning

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

The New Dynamics of Wining personally motivated me into action that I had desired to do. The book gave me ideas that you can not get from be it school or anywhere, ideas that gave me that courage of doing something rather than doing nothing. I had wanted to make a change in my life and a change that I would not live to regret for the rest of my life. I was well educated by my parents given a good record in my life and since I was not satisfied by that little effort I was giving in my life. I moved down to South Africa from my home in Zimbabwe. With a hope I will make a difference in my life, my family and my community that I have grown up in. That difference I am working on daily.

The book gave me a roadmap of how to take up that fear of change, fear of success and fear of failure into action. Now I know no boundary, no restriction because I have learnt to do the unexpected but will accomplish that what I desire in life. It also taught me that knowledge is not always relying on others but on yourself. I have been disappointed when you need something and hope to get assistance from others and they let you down. In life I think things that I have put into action by myself, self reluctantly I have been able to accomplish them than expected. I view this as success that I did not depend on external possession. Life itself is a game which is not played on a level playing field for each one of us in terms of either education, a supportive home life and other circumstances that are definitely out of our control but I now know I was born with qualities of a champion. That now one can ever take from me. I do not have to cry or try to go to pains to explain or prove myself to people my own desires that I wish for but I know I was born a champion!

I think a new idea that I learnt from the book was the trait of a leader. In my view I see myself as a leader not only in my family but my personal life itself. The key I learnt was high expectations, respect for others, integrity and hard work from myself will shape the future I have and those that are around me.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I can relate to my personal life as a growing up young man. There comes a time when you sit down by yourself and can not decide on what next route you want to take. You many want to experiment in life but you have that doubt in yourself, that fear of failure. I personally when through that phase when I decided to settle down. Most people thought no man you will not go through it, you won’t survive through marriage but I had a point to prove and I think I am still in the process that is right for my life and those I have done. Life is all about risks if you do not take that risk you will live for the rest of you life regretting why didn’t I take that chance when I had it. Time will have already gone and years counted by to try and go back to that lost desire in your life.

I set myself as a true champion and I will live a life that even my son will be able to lookup and say I am proud of my father on what he was able to accomplish in life. As a next generation leader, the book has really shown me the qualities of a leader and I believe its true a leader should have respect to authority, have that self direction and high tolerance for order. I have been in situation that I think at a point in time I almost lost my patience and would want to fight someone but I would take that step back and say to myself violence does not yield anything but hat rage which is not useful to me or next person. Things have to be talked over and if you can not come to a compromise ask someone to help out in mediation. Respect and tolerance really played an important part of my life and I do emulate some people in my life such as my father who I do look up to and respect for showing me the way of life even when things are not going well for you keep your head and chin high up because nobody said the road we are on is going to be an easy ride.

I think the issue of success is a big milestone for me. It is indeed peace of mind. Success comes from the knowledge that you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. Winning itself is taking talent and potential you were born with, developing it and using it fully toward a purpose that makes you feel worthwhile. This talent can not be taken away from me even if the stakes are low, you have to hold on to it. It is inside you and nobody has the right to take it away from you. I believe that talent, everyone is born with and you are not aware of it until you come to a point in your life that every corner in your life has been explored or existed and you are left without any option rather than to use you God given talent. I am using it now and developing it fully towards a worthwhile purpose.

The creed to be a champion really assured me in a point of my life. Being true to yourself. Indeed be sure not to lie to yourself in some situation that you think things are working out and you know it very well in your guts that things are not okay in your life face it up and make up your mind on what next to do and do something that you will not live to regret in your life.

Each day has to be a masterpiece. I personally set a challenge for my self that all day I have to work out what is new and what I have been able to achieve and be courageous to face each days work to a learning experience in my life. Helping others is an important concept because tomorrow you never know what is going to happen. I believe in helping others as this will give me that edge that indeed I did something that that recipient will say thank you to.

Being aware of the unknown and the unexpected I believe that is an important aspect in my life. Do not just say that all is well now but not know what tomorrow has to offer for you. Last concept that I learnt is praying for guidance and giving thanks for your blessing each day. The Lord is always with us each day and recognizing it is very important. I always pray for my family and friends that indeed the Lord has given me these people and I have learnt from them and thank the Lord God for everyday guidance in my life.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The first new idea I learnt from The New Dynamics of Winning was about The Zone. It is a special place for winners. A place that you have to put your mental strength to test. It is useless for one to aimlessly walk on this earth and not have a set goal in your life that you want to achieve in your lifetime.

Another important idea that I learnt was the four great fears that we are bound to face in our lifetime. It is true those fears do exist and until you learn about them that’s only way you are going to overcome them and take them by the horn. I particular had the fear of change and fear of success. That would eat me inside not knowing what to do exactly but after reading the book it gave me an assurance we are born to be winners not losers but achievers.

The three most important traits of a winner was something new I learn. Real use of common sense, knowing your field and self reliance have to be put in use everyday because that indeed is reality. You will not find anywhere where you can use these traits and indeed are sure to make you a definite winner in life.

Another new idea that I learnt were qualities of a leader. In life you should have high expectations. Demand integrity, respect for others and hard work from yourself because the values you live by are going to shape the future for you and those around you. You can not be true to yourself until and unless you believe in your inner self. There is now way that anyone can trust you or love you unless you have that love in yourself. I learnt a very valuable idea because that makes you a true leader.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

The Dynamics of Winning has definitely challenged my thinking in a big part. There is not anyway that I was going to learn being a leader, a person who listens to others before you, give that helping hand to others indeed. Success driven should now be in my head after reading the book with a desire which is intense to be on the top. I have learnt to respect even the people that have given me that wisdom I have today. Without these people in my life I would not know where I will be at. I will not be so big or so proud that these skills that I have learnt I will in turn pass them to others too. In a way the book has challenged me in a big way that we have to live this life knowing that each day is a learning experience and should expect something new each day and have a set goal in your life that you are going to achieve the best in it at all times, not forgetting also this world you are a big winner but do not forget what it feels like to loose.

An idea that challenged me was success. Real success is indeed peace of mind. This success comes from the knowledge that you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. Winning is taking the talent and potential you were born with developing it fully towards a purpose that makes you feel worthwhile.

The book has given me the roadmap as to my goal in life. You have to set a high goal in life because life is all about high expectation and looking forward to a bright future in life itself.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I found out that winning is all about taking that risk in your life. Do not live regretting that I could have taken chance when you have gone so many years in your life and you will live to regret that moment in your entire life. Real success comes from the knowledge that you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. Guidance from above is indeed needed by everyone and The Lord helps out those who use their given talent.

There is a talent that everyone has been given and that talent has been brought out in me. I could not have known much of the things that I am capable of doing until I am prepared to take that effort to experiment and take that risk for the unknown in life. I think the book was indeed helpful in making me use my mind in the things that I am able to achieve in life itself.

I was taught to use this, mind I have been given to use it wisely to make those decisions in my life. There will always be a time when you have to have a big talk with someone in your life itself and I think I had that talk with The New Dynamics of Winning when I learnt of the great talk. Nobody will encourage you or will try to give you a big talk in life experience itself. I think the book really was helpful in a big way to become a winner in life.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

In life itself we are born winners and it is up to us to use that God-given talent to think of what we want our future to be like. This is like a self training course of the brain and it is up to me to learn the true min of a winner.

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? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

 

Giant Steps

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

There are several reasons that we must be aware in this life. We have been given the gift to use something that nothing on this earth can be able to take away from a human being that is our brain. We have the ultimate power to make decisions that will be a big step in giving ourselves action that we will one day be able to say yes we did it. I learnt something that was of very importance to me that a successful person makes everyday of our lives. Decisions. We have to make them and live by them. We have to make decisions that we will have to stick by and that is only way that we can have success in our lives throughout our career, relationships and life itself.

I had no idea that the ultimate power that we as people is to shape our future as we are here today. Yes we have had opportunity to go to school, get that quality education and set our careers into motion but take a minute to say that we have taught our brain what is important to our lives. We have the Reticular Activating System (RAS) the important part of my mind that became like a magnet, attracting any information or opportunity that can help me achieve my goal more rapidly. I have taught myself to play an important lesson each day to commit myself to improve my career, relationship and life itself. We tend to take these things for granted but they are far to important to do without each day.

Life itself is a mystery; we are on a journey that we do not know when it will come to an end. We have to be aware that we can take steps by doing something small each day of our lives. I have been taught to take each day as it comes and that small change in my life will make a big difference in my entire life. I have learnt to set a goal in my life. I have read in other books of goal setting but after reading Giant Steps, Small changes to make a Big difference, I have had the opportunity to brainstorm on what I was thinking to be in my life. I have had opportunity to ask around and I feel importance should be put in three categories of my life. That is my career, my relationship and life itself. If we have been sent into this world thinking that we have other people that will decide on our lives we are wrong. This is my life and I am the captain of my ship. The decision I make now I will have to accept and live up to them. I have to acknowledge them live by them and be happy at the outcome even I don’t know what I should expect at the end of the tunnel.

I did learn a new idea. That is my beliefs. We are a nation that have been taught that only way to success is to work very extremely hard, get married have children and wait for your death. That belief has been there like implanted in our lives that whenever some kind of opportunity arises in our lives we do not like to change our ways. Change is only there if I can be able to see the root cause and impact is my imagination and commitment to be able to change that belief. There is nothing that is much greater than been able to say yes it was good that I did change that belief in me there is truly something out there that I can contribute to give myself time to volunteer at least at a community center, give out some help to the needy in the street and one thing that I can say is that we do not always have to take credit for everything that we can contribute as we have been tasked to help others and don’t always expect to get a big award but there is something inside yourself that will acknowledge that yes you did good.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

The improvement in my career has been greatly impacted. I have been taught to have a goal that is more specific. The real purpose of a goal is what it makes me as a human being while I pursue it. Who I become as a person is the ultimate reward. I will be working on my goal to reach a tertiary institution and pursue a career in computers. I have set my goal and I will work towards that and will be taking that point and that direction until I reach my goal. We have been brought up in community that we as kids have had to work very hard for whatever we need. There can be people in our way and we have to take them aside and overcome each person as a hurdle. I have changed my mind in that. I have learnt to accept that yes we have to be goal oriented people we must learn to work with other people. We have that ability as human beings to accept if we are not on top be team players as one day we will get there. I did not get an opportunity to reach university as I grew up in a poor family. However that has not deterred me. I have accepted that situation and will work to attain a degree even if I have to work two jobs but further my career.

We have a big tendency to be angry and not learn from our mistakes we make in life. Be at work we are angry with our bosses, at home we are angry with our kids, in the community we are angry with our community leaders and the list continues. I have been relating this to bad habits that we are so much accustomed to and the Nero Associative Conditioning has helped me. This has helped me to improve on my social skills in life; I have taught myself to accept people as they are. I have been able to question myself use of global metaphors, transformational vocabulary, rules and they have been issues that I tended to live aside but in fact they did play an important part in my life.

I can say that yes there are some people that I used to help out. I would sacrifice my time to get people some jobs and a place to stay and that would make me feel like a source of those people like they owed me something that I will one day need to be repaid. It was that belief that made me rethink and say that we have to be person that does not expect to be rewarded through that person. We will get the ultimate reward once we are somewhere. We can get the thank you and that change that you impacted to that person will forever be within us in my mind forever.

I had several painful experiences. I can relate to on where I was working with other people and got to find out that I was not earning the same as the other people I was working with. That anxiety that I felt that I was not so important in life did come to me but I got a hold of my painful emotion. I identified what I was feeling acknowledged and appreciated my emotions, got so curios and indeed I did handle my emotions. I did take action and worked hard to pursue my career. I worked myself out of the job and indeed knew that there was something more important in my career outside that job. Yes I knew that I could not be just angry and stay in the same place sulk as a puppy but did take action to move up the ladder to something new and exciting.

In life there is something a man has to acknowledge and give thanks to. My family is something I treasure. I have had an opportunity to meet someone special in my life and we have been in this relationship for more than six years. I did make a promise to get married to my beloved person and did get married last year and that promise I made I did fulfill. There are things that we learn. Communication is the ultimate most important issue that I have been a master in my relationship. Without proper communication the will be always arguments and disagreements and those tend to break you up and you will even forget what really you have been arguing for. Yes in every relationship there will be some arguments or misunderstandings but learn to treat them before they get out of hand. I have read that in the book that we have nurture our relationship and be aware of any warning signals that may surface and intervene immediately.

I have seen that in a relationship it is very important to be a person that listens to your partner. Do not be a person that sets rules, rules and rules only. We have to listen to our partner and do not always be stubborn to some suggestions that we may get from our partners. I have also seen that we have to be people that we give to our relationship. That relationship will last if we give rather than take always. Renew that experience of love about my wife, reinforce my feelings of intimacy and attraction and always try new ways to surprise and show appreciation for each other. The question I always have to myself is that how did I get so lucky to have my wife in my life?

I have had the opportunity to volunteer in the YMCA’s. I can say I did learn through spiritual improvement and personal appreciation. I volunteered in come various programmes that were offered. I really do believe that life is a balance between giving and receiving. Indeed people may perceive that I was wasting my time volunteering my time and resources to the community that we would not be paid anything that made a difference in my life. There is something that we should know is that life that we have impacted will truly begin to feel appreciated and loved.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

I have learnt that we have to learn from our past beliefs. We are not limited to our past as a source of certainty. A belief is nothing more than a feeling of certainty about what something means. We tend to put aside what we believe in and put into trust something that we just tend to take for grant age. If we believe in success let us go and get that success whether be it in my career, relationship or life itself. The purpose of belief is to guide us in making decisions about whatever we believe in and where it will take us in life.

A new concept that I learnt in the book is that of creating wealth. Yes we have been taught that we can work very hard, save our money, and buy that expensive house car and all sorts of things. I have learnt that money can be made good of not to be left only to the learned or experts only but should be trained to take responsibility for it and understand the consequences of our financial decisions. I have learnt to create wealth way to increase the value of what I do by at least ten to fifteen times then I can increase my income. There are times that I thought just going to work would sustain myself and my family. No I learnt from that I would get some part time job while working on something new to earn that little income. I taught myself that in work there wont be only one job that I can do but to increase my wealth I needed to keep myself occupied not only to one job for the rest of my life.

Another idea that I learnt from the book was of maintaining my wealth. Saving is the most important aspect that we have to save whatever we can and invest that we can invest. Protecting our wealth is something that I also believe is of importance. We can invest wherever we want but put that investment under protection. We have to enjoy that wealth that we acquire. Its no use that you have put that effort to save and invest that wealth and by the end of the day not be able to enjoy that worthwhile investment. Another important concept that I learnt is of tithing. It is very important to tithe because we give away that ten percent that we earn to the Lord’s work to be done. Money has no value unless we share its positive impact with the people we care about and we discover ways to contribute in proportion to our incomes.

A new concept that I learnt was of uncomfortable emotions. I was a person who always reacted to any situation with great emotion. Be it maybe my career, work or relationship it was of different emotions always. Know after reading the book I have seen that these emotions have to be tamed and one can change to these emotions. I will not succumb to uncomfortable emotions like boredom, unease or distress. I have taught that a rule of happiness that is nothing has to happen for me to feel good. I feel good because I’m alive, life is a gift and I revel in it.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Giant steps, small changes to make big difference by Anthony Robbins has changed my way of thinking. I can say from the start the book was like a roadmap to lead myself to ways of better living. We have been taught the old fashioned way to life, work, get married and have children then die. We have not been taught what we do in between all of this process. We have some emotions we go through, love, feelings that we do not understand but we just stumble into and we do not know where they came from and we certainly do not know how to come out of them. I can say I have changed my way of life after reading this book. I have seen that we can build our own true life by just setting our goals and get that true genius to marshal our most potent resources simply by putting ourselves in a state of absolute certainty that secret of success.

We are people that do not accept change in our lives. We tend to hold on to our past and do not feel comfortable out of our past belief or actions. We tend to say that we are in the right direction yet we have not set a goal that is truly achievable and try to put blame on to others if we do not succeed in whatever we might have failed. I have learnt to ask questions to myself and this has profoundly changed the quality of my life.

Another thing that challenged me throughout the book is getting hocked on a habit of reading. In the past I had a tendency just to read whenever I got bored or lonely but I soon realized that reading at least thirty minutes a day will be of great importance. It can be a magazine, novel or inspirational book I have grown to take advantage to just read anything and enhance my knowledge in some new things. This has also given my self esteem a boost because I only knew of certain things but now have hunger to know more in life.

There is more in giving than to receiving. I have been taught to volunteer myself. That effort that I used to contribute to my community just died when I moved into a new neighbourhood. I didn’t know anybody and felt like an outcast yet in that new environment I got to know more people that I knew from my previous community. Just giving yourself for two of three hours per week will definitely impact someone including yourself to do good for anybody that needs a hand.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None at all.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I think something I found most useful was the power that each one of us in this world has the power to shape our future, our destiny wherever we are going. We can build our future with true success only if we take that small change that will make a big difference in our lives.

There the action signal that I have managed to write down that I also find most useful. I did find that whenever a person is in a different situation we tend to react to the situations with different emotions. To master those emotions we have to be constant people to learn from those emotions and be the change to those emotions. Its no use in life to be on the negative side of emotions because in life there is a lot to live for and as I have told myself, that life is not a rehearsal we only live once.

I did not find anything least helpful in this book.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

If we want the deepest fulfillment in life, we can achieve it only one way by deciding what we desire most in life and what our highest values are then committing to live by our decision everyday. We have to make that small change to have a big difference.

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? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

Real Magic

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

Miracles do really happen in this present day. We might have that imaginary illusion that we are made to believe that a man can swallow a sword or a man makes a tonner truck disappear right in front of our very eyes but there is that real miracle that I believe really exist in each and every being in this world we live. I have come to know that really real magic exist here and it is up to each and every human soul to make that difference and change his or her life while we are here on earth. We have that capability to learn and change or ways that we are so accustomed to and have a new beginning to our lives and live with that true magic we are so eager and so desperate to find out in our lives.

The mind is a very important aspect in for us to creating real magic in our lives. We tend to take for something silly that we do not control our own thinking and leave it be to our destiny as to come as we just carry ourselves each and everyday living. But I came to see it that what we put into our mind, our thoughts make us. That thought in it will decide on your destiny. I have seen it in my life. I think of something and focus through that decision and yes if I put my mind into something I get it done. There may come some obstacles in my way but I have taught myself that whatever I put my mind into I will have it through. I have seen that it is good to get some ideas from other people but do not be taken away from your purpose that you have set for yourself. You make your own decisions and make it norm that you pull yourself through that decision for yourself. I can say for example I made up a decision that I would like to come to South Africa and change my life for the good. I made that decision and though it was a tough one I really made it through to settle down with my family. There came a time that situation was bad and the need for me to go back home but I did say to myself I made a decision that I agreed to do and that was an enlightment for me, and I can say that I am living a normal life and happy that I stood with that decision.

I can say the other idea that I learn was to live with purpose. I have seen it take place within the youth in my society and has taken its toll on the youth of today. We just take ourselves to be here for granted. People live without caring what tomorrow holds for them. People are involved in drugs, alcohol abuse, prostitution and a lot of things that they just do not care what tomorrow has to offer for them. I would like to say I found myself to be a person that has to get a purpose in myself. I have been through suffering and learnt it through the hard way. There came a time that I had no job for almost three months and I had to do something because I had a wife and child to take care of. I got to chase after every job I could get and for some reason I would not last that much on a job. I just felt that there was something out there that is more for me and I needed to find it. I could not live with the fact that to get old on a job that I truly was not happy as my motto. I really had an experience that I learnt that everything exist for some reason. I had to find a purpose in my life. We can not be people that work up everyday and go to work and do whatever we do without knowing what purpose you are here on earth for. We just did not drop on the earth for nothing. A stone has a purpose, a flower has a purpose, a bird has a purpose and surely I have a purpose here on earth. I have become to know my true self. That invisible self that I have come to know through reading the book Real Magic by Dr. Wayne Dyer. We can really tell ourselves that we will find out what we are her for when we are fifty but no we have to see it today in our everyday living. I can say that for me I have seen what I want to do in life. I have been in conflicting ideas with myself but that inner self talked to me silently. I can say that my mission has begun after reading the book, to be here to serve others.

The other idea that I truly aspire in the book is on meditation and finding our true intuition. I would say that we tend to take that time we can have from our busy and hectic schedule to just have a quite meditation as a joke or something. I have been a person that did not sit down to just have time to talk to God. I grew up in a Christian home with God loving parents and my father as a full time pastor, I did walk away from that but truly came to play an important part in my life. I found that peace and enlightment for my life through meditation and prayer. I would wake up in the morning just to make a quick prayer and go to work but I found out that no you have to find yourself time to sit down and properly meditate and find that inside intuition. We can have almost whatever possession we like in life, cars houses, and the like but if you do not have a true relationship with your God, you are as good as nothing. We will leave this earth one day and we certainly going to go without those worldly possessions but our souls only. Where are you going to take your true self? I can truly say that time to meditate and intuition has brought me to learn about myself and find my true self here on earth.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

Yes I can relate with the ideas in the book. I can say that as growing up I felt like a person that had been brought up in a disadvantaged poor community. I never thought of myself having that kind of future at all. I can say that I put myself in a different picture and never let anything or someone put me down. I had a picture in my mind that I can say brought me to what I am today. I always thought to myself completing high school and becoming that engineering person. Today I can say I am in my way to study computer information technology and who would have thought that I could have made it this far. I have that picture in my mind and the people in my life my mother and father that used to give me that encouragement and caring to soldier on. I can say that I completed my Advanced level through scholarships and thank those organizations that helped me to be where I am today. I made that true desire that I will be whatever I want to be out here and there can be no stopping me. I have seen that if you can picture yourself in a different picture you are in today you can be whatever you want. There should be that will to drive you get that miracle in your life.

I had an experience in my life that I can never forget. I stayed with my grandparents for almost my early childhood. I can say that I learnt quite a deal from my grandparents. They used to teach me those wise ideas and one that stuck to me is to be able to help others. We can say that in this world we have been taught something that something is for something and nothing for nothing. That kind of perception taught me to just to the opposite. I used to help out in my neighbourhood to do the garden, lawn for one or two elderly people and just not expect anything in return. I joined the YMCA as a volunteer and spent some weekend at children home for those that have been abundant. There can be a lot to do if we can offer ourselves to spend that time and help out those less fortunate. We can go a long way to see that helping other is important to building our true self and make it a point to teach not only yourselves but your family be it the children that it is important to be able to help others and don’t expect something in return as you have done something good. We do have a spiritual side in each and everyone that should be motivated by ethics, serenity and quality of life. That fruit of love is truly service which is compassion in action. I hear people say that it is all about religion but for me I say religion has nothing to do with compassion, it is our love for God that is the main thing because we have all been created for the sole purpose to love and to be loved.

I have had an experience through prayer. I can say that always now I have been in different situations that I would never thought me to come out. That spiritual intuition helped me as it really guided me to my purpose. There came a time that we could be full of disappointment for our family. I was expected to provide some things yet as I was growing up these things are there for us to see. The love is there and we should be able to spread it to the future generation. Do not be a person that bottles up all your feelings up as they will really eat you up from the inside out. We have to share that love, tell that to your wife, your children each and everyday and show it. We should give love and no expectation. That I learnt and drew up from my own relationship as I was working but to find that time to spend that quality time with your family is of importance. Have time to talk to your kids and playtime as a thing that is important. Do not ignore these people as they know what you are feeling and they can give you some knowledge. They are a miracle in my life and I treasure my family.

I can say that it is true that we want to blame other people outside for our prosperity picture looks like. We have been brought in society that we are poor so we ought to go out there and grab that wealth from the rich as that is the only way out of this world. But I can say its true that ideology that being poor is just an attitude. We can be change in our society and be a person that helps other people see the picture. What you can conceive of as a picture in your mind you can create in the physical world provided you don not let go of the picture. Do not be a person who is selfish not to help other people. We should be of caring attitude and be of change for the good. Circumstances do not make a man but they reveal him. Being poor is just an attitude a set of beliefs that gets reinforced when we shift to blaming life circumstances for the condition of poverty. We have had born of perception that we are born poor so be it we will die poor but no not for me. I will be of a different opinion. We have people that have been through circumstances and they did pull it through. We have to have that picture of success in our thoughts. We are not here to steal from other people but work for that success that miracle we seek. Anything is possible and as for me I know it, it is true.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

I am a miracle! I know within that I am already miraculous and nothing is impossible for me. The key is all in my thought that invisible part of me that is my spiritual soul. I have seen it take place and never thought I would say that yes I am a true miracle. I know people can say no he is joking or something but I have come to realize myself and the purpose that I was born to be. Let us not be of the thought we were born to be of misery to ourselves or society but we were born to be of purpose to this life. It is all inside of us and do not take it for granted that true self talks to you each and every day listen to yourself and find yourself out. Do not be a person who ignores your true intuition as it is your life navigator you can not do without. We have a purpose to be here and it is all up to our own self to make it a mission to find out about your personality, your beliefs, your emotions and they will tell you why you are here. I have had a dream that really helped me figure out that life is not just about that having fun and doing those things we used to enjoy doing as youths. We have to know that we can live a life that we are always in misery and regret everything that we do, that we take images outside ourselves or have that life which we see our life on purpose. We have it all that intelligence, that talent, that personality all within ourselves to see you true self look at your soul for your answer. My thought creates either prosperity or scarcity in my life. My thoughts create either joyous or miserable relationships. My thoughts create my personality, and the very physical circumstances of my life.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Definitely after reading the book I have been really been challenged. We have always been in perspective to be aimless people who are driven for money and all that we treasure a love of success for ourselves and do not care of whatever we may stumble in the way. We have been taught a different perspective in life that you are defined with what you possess. We have to look at this picture that has no future. I have seen it all happen where a person just has no idea what he can do in the end without that happiness. I want to say that the book showed me a different picture. We have to find ourselves to define our true reason that we are for.

I now know who I am. There can be sayings that people may try to portray you as but one thing that I saw is that I am not defined by what I posses or what people say but what I see myself inside, is me. Nobody can go inside a person to define who I am nobody can tell you what you are thinking but yourself only. There is a need that every being should know oneself. Just take some time to find out who you truly are and take time to find out what you like to accomplish in life. I can say that life is what you make yourself to be. If you are a person who likes to be judged that what you will become a person who listens to other people perspective. I say listen to your own intuition. Find out what really drives you to be who you are. I can say that it is a miracle to be in a position that someone can open that door to you that you reveal your true self and that purpose in your life.

There is a conception that volunteering in our African context is not for us. We can not work without being paid for our service in terms of money. I say to myself there are a lot of things that we can really achieve in our communities. Yes we need money to survive but what use are we of if we just sit at home and do absolutely nothing. We can give our time and service to our community and volunteer for a couple of hours in any activities that we may be required. We have seen a lot of young people go from being decent people to abusive people because they just have too much time to do nothing. Why not volunteer your time to help those needy kids. Help out in an environmental society clean up the street, do something for someone in you community and do not expect anything in return. What have we go to loose if we help out and get that experience that you will be satisfied inside your soul that you did good brought yourself to help out someone. The power is inside each and everyone to give out a hand to those who require it. We can make a change if we just let ourselves take that important step to go out there and volunteer your time and effort to those in need.

There is that belief that we should not think of death or else it will come stalking you. I can say after reading the book it really came to my attention to think where do I go when I die? You will always live with that fear and anxiety in you to try to run away from the mystery of our body demise. Have you ever felt that time you leave your body and think where does my soul go to? I have and this made me think more of myself indeed. I have seen people that do things to themselves and they just do not care what will happen to their souls. People live with the perception that we should not care what tomorrow has to offer us. Live you life as if tomorrow will never come. I have been in an experience that I felt my soul discover what will happen in the after life. I have removed all doubt and fear I had about death. I know I will meet it one day as I leave my earthly been and be with one with that spiritual self, that will be forever and ever live for eternity.

I have really admired the life of Nelson Mandela. I have followed and read most of his work and do think he was a miracle worker. He was imprisoned and locked up for what he truly believed in, the end of apartheid. Yes behind bars he soldiers on his belief and his true mission and yes he brought that change and to this day he is a true icon of the world. We can be true heroes in our lives if we dare ourselves to be miracle workers. We have seen those governments of dictators’ crumble down and that work was the work of true people that had a common interest to server the people of their country. I can say that we will be seeing change in almost our families, community, and society if we allow change to be in us first. It will not take the hand of someone far to present a change in something that we do not like. How can anyone get ahead when the governments and so called law enforcement are always telling you what you can or can not do? They bring to us statement that really reflect an inner vision of helplessness. I have seen people that have become innovators. They do not look at their surroundings or cultural nor customs norms. Just look and allow your conscience and commitment to a purpose and decide who you would look to become.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with?

None

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I found out that the true magic exists and it exists in you. I had not even bothered myself to ask why I think so but I know it exist in everyone that is alive today. We tend to think that we can get help to be discovered what our true destiny is and whatsoever but yet we have that inner soul you can talk to and really find your true self. We look at other people to be our trusted people that we want to confide in and get that saying who you truly are. But I say just to take some time off and meditate to yourself you will discover who you truly are. There is nobody even those psychiatrists can paint a picture who you are but you inside you lies a soul that is waiting to be discovered and explored to it full. We need to see people that are full of life, with a purpose we are here for something. We just did not come to while up time on earth but we are here for a purpose. It is up to each and everyone to truly discover who we are.

The power of the infinite spiritual being exists. I do not care if somebody can tell me I am wrong but I know it exists. We have to make time to meditate and talk to God in whatever we are to do. We are human beings and yes we can have different religions be it Christianity, Buddhism, Moslems but we do believe in one God. We have to really take that intuition as very important. No matter what find your true self and it can be of more importance that that money or valuable car or house that you will one day leave all behind and meet your creator. This is the reality that reality is contained in us. We can make that realty a true miracle in each on of us just to tap into it and discover who you really are. There is no one on this planet who is any better in Gods eye than you. You have that spirit of God flowing within you all the times.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

There exist a miracle in each and everyone of us here on this planet and that miracle we may think only is there for a few but it is up to oneself to find your true self you soul and whatever desire to be you can be in life just let your soul show you the way.

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? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

Throughout my life I have had a great deal of work and throughout really a better of me was a problem of dealing with people in business. I have worked three kinds of jobs as an administrator, support assistance and as a cashier all situations I have had real difficulty in dealing with people. They are things that one does not knowing and as a result you are faced in situation that you have no other option than to say the customer is always right even if there could be another way that you could have handled the situation better.

The first idea I learnt was that of not criticizing people. I have always had that in my head that in order to get things done one must criticize and get results much faster. You can never change a person by merely criticizing him or her but make the situation more explosive that you can not handle the end result. It is true that at work you can be at an influential position but people can tend to ignore your influence that merely can joke around your commands. I had the same ideology even at my home. My son is only five years old but I used to criticize him for barely anything that he could have done. It maybe homework, play or anything I had been expecting him to be a man yet this is just a kid. You would see that my son would come around and see him try all means for my attention but all I did was push him away. After reading the book, this gave me a lot of new ideas. Instead of condemning people I try by all means to try and understand them firstly why they are doing what they do instead of criticizing or just complaining all the time.

A personal important issue was that of a feeling of importance. We crave in ourselves to be appreciated and encouragement. We do not seem to realize that everyday we go throughout not noticing that smallest issue that a person has gone to extent to execute to perfection yet we do not give him or her that appreciation and encouragement to do more. I can say that an issue like that we seem to be ignorant to our family be it kids or spouses yet we do ignore them when we are needed most. The smallest thing that we ignore will affect us and we should address it in order to make our family, friends and workmates do like us. We should show that appreciation and do encourage people more in every good deed that is performed.

The other personal idea that I learnt from the book was to put myself in place of other person see the other person point of view, unselfishly understand what I am doing is from my heart. In these days we tend to put what we want first we do not care what we do to other people so as us to achieve whatever we would like to come to the end. It can be by show of force be at work at home we just do not look at how the other person we are dealing with feels. We are in the tendency to say yes we are right and whatever we say does. I have learnt to respect the uphold myself to treat the other person in respect and will learn to be an unselfish person to serve others and respect other person of view.

There is a new ideology that I learn never to argue with others. I learnt that in arguments we tend to loose our temper and do say something that will hurt other person feelings. We can be right and some of the things that we argue need not be done. I think with this book this has taught me to be a good leader. The skills to listen first to others before we make a rational decision, be good person to interact with others and all of this makes us be a better person as we are all in a learning process everyday of our lives.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I once worked in a shop as a cashier and my boss used to tell me always the key to success was to have a great personality. Yes indeed I was going through a learning process because the man had been in business for more than fifteen years opened a good chain stores, had investment in several business and lot of personality. He used to come to me say “Enock, smile!” I used to think that no he was exaggerating the situation. After reading the book I realized it truly that was of importance. When my boss passed away in an accident he was a man who was talked and truly missed in the town. Nobody knew him as an angry man though he used to get angry but all knew him as a good person with a reputable personality. I have learnt that, and really treasure that in my daily life and do wish to emulate my improvement to my personality and influence on my friends and other people.

The art of making friends lies in being friendly. I have learnt that we have to be good vigilant patient people. I have seen people that are quick to be harsh do not have patience with other people and this in turn makes you a lonely person in life. You do not have people that want to interact with you because you have shut yourself to friendliness. I have taught myself to make other person feel more important genuinely interested in other people. I have taught myself that a smile brings happiness in not only in me but another person. Remembering another persons name is far too much of importance. I have felt it when a person does remember my name I pay particular attention to what that person has got to say and I can rarely forget about that person. I have experienced the attention that other people do require. I have learnt to be a good listener and encourage others to talk about themselves. I have seen this helps me be a people’s person just by letting that other person feel important is a good concept that I will be applying in my life.

I had been a person that has a great deal in arguments. Arguments that would lead to weeks in resentments. Even when there are situations that I am in the wrong I would never admit it. I would rather take the offensive to say I am right even thou I knew it I was dead wrong. I have learnt that hatred is never ended by hatred but by love. A misunderstanding is never ended by an argument but by tact, diplomacy, conciliation and a sympathetic desire to see the other person’s viewpoint. I will be more reasonable person to listen to the smallest detail even in my personal relationship. I used to be a person who quickly runs to the judgments rather than think before we talk. After reading the book I have taught myself to love my wife and kid to understand what they need. I have been taught values that I have began to cherish. I will continue to value that influence and will know that people will respect me as I am. Society will learn and know that you are a person who respects and values other people and even your family will in return do respect you for who you are.

I have had an experience where bosses are always on my throat with full of orders. For me I have learnt that nobody like to takes orders. I have been a complete tolerant person who likes to work and do produce positive results. Now when someone what to push some orders down your throat that does not work for me. I have learnt that when a person puts up a suggestion or kind request the person being asked will perform the duty assigned in a more pleasant and productive way. So this gives the person more confidence to complete a task and makes the person a responsible even when faced with a task ahead.

After reading there are things that we go through in life. We are faced with challenges in our daily schedules yet we do not know what to do. We are dealing with human beings and are not in an animal world. People have feelings and we have to learn to apply principles to improve our daily routines. We are full of ourselves to even think of how the other person is feeling after we have had a conversation that is positive or negative. I have learnt to trust in myself to use these concepts in my daily living be it at home, work or around friends and indeed I have applied these for my personal improvement.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The idea that we should look at the other person of view struck me. I have always looked at what I say to be of more importance than what the other person view point is. I would say yes I am always right not even giving the slightest chance to hear out the other person. The book has revealed that we should listen to the other person respect his or her decision and not merely out of the blues lambaste our idea to others.

There are concepts that we take for advantage in our living. We do not concentrate in our looking of importance of the other person like a simple remembrance of a person name. I have had to put it in my head to respect the other person just as I would like them to respect me and this will make me be of interest to other people.

There are things we should learn in this ever evolving world that everyday we are faced in new challenges. The book has shown be that history is indeed very much importance. We tend to ignore what happened in the past and are always concentrating in our future activities. We do come across situations that we have experienced in the past and do have the answers right in front of ourselves. We do not need to go for schooling for some of these things but must know that everyday activities we are learning and improving our relationship with our peers, family and friends.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes the book has challenged my way of thinking. I had the idea that in order for people to like you, you must do whatever you have to do just to make the other person like you. I had the perception that I have to kind of like buy someone like gifts and try to get that person in your corner. The book changed my mind in that I must do some positive thinking in way to hear what the other person has to say. What I have to do create a conducive environment just to smile to the other person and greet the other person by name is of importance to the other person.

I have had an experience where there are people that really like to talk about themselves too much. They never listen to anyone for long and are at the forefront to talk behind your back and to an extent to despise you especially at work. I have been challenged after reading the book to be an attentive listener. Do not be a person that talks only of myself but to be interesting be interested, asking questions and encourage people to talk of themselves and their accomplishment. I will be learning more about what I can do in my life and this is a learning process for me and an interest to the other person as I am a person that person can be there to encourage and help out.

I have learnt that there are some things that we have to reignite in ourselves. We do not have to go to school and be taught these life techniques but we go through them everyday. I have taught myself to be aware of these in everyday everywhere I go and these will help me in achieving success in my entire life. We have to respect the other person’s idea and respect them in whatever way. Let me say that there are people that are full of themselves that do not take any kind of advice from other people. Those people need to be given a word or two the way of proper living. I would say that yes we are supposed to accept those people in society but we should be at pace to try and convince them to change and change for the better. This is the only way to win friends, family and influence people in our lives.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None. The book is of more importance to encourage me to improve my relation to other people and so I have learnt more things and improved my human relations with others in life.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The most helpful issues that I learnt were the interaction of people. We have a responsibility to main a balance with other people in our lives. It’s not up to the other person to like you but lies in us, to make other person like us. I learnt that if you are just an ignorant person people will do notice it. If you are an interesting person that comes from not only been importance but from simple things as listening to the other person, smiling to the other person what to say to other person in a different scenario and what to expect from other person. For example I have learnt not to be an argumentative person. I do not want to hurt the other person feeling and even if the other person is wrong there are ways to put across your point that will not hurt the other person feeling even If he or she is in the wrong. An misunderstanding is never ended by an argument but by tact, diplomacy, conciliation and a sympathetic desire to see the other person’s viewpoint.

I found out that it is helpful not to tell people they are wrong. It really pays. I have seen in the business that I have been operating a lot of customers know that they are in the wrong. There is a policy of no returns at all because the products that were been sold can not be resold to anyone once opened. There were a lot of times that customers would bring these back and with my clear understanding of the company policy I reiterated to the customers but to no avail. I had to show the customer respect, respect even in the opinions and treating them diplomatically and courteously did help. That indeed help boost sales in business rather to loose a customer you would gain trust and confidence in the everyday business.

The other thing that I learnt was that I am a truly happier person after reading the book. It helped me richer in my friendships, and happiness. My family is really happy just because I know what to do and maintain that happiness. There are things that we do to seek happiness. There is one thing that I found helpful was that of controlling my thoughts. I found that happiness does not depend on the outward condition but what is in the inner condition. There is richness in that and that you will never be taught at school but after reading the book it did help me.

There was nothing I found least helpful after reading How to win friends and influence people but I really gained a lot from it.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

There is a lot that we as human beings try to do and we are been put a point that we can improve ourselves if we take time to put ourselves into the other persons shoes and feel how it feels to be the other person then we know how human relations are conducted.

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? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 5
D. Would you recommend it to others? 5
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

Keys to Success

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

The idea of definiteness of purpose was of great importance to me throughout the book. It let me think of the biggest question in my entire life “Where am I going?” I was wondering in life, just letting things take care of their own, letting life carry own as usual without any goal.

I have been able to set myself a goal and that goal I will work myself to the point that I will achieve it only if I set a good plan and follow that to the end, my true success. In life we do have burning desires and we do not have any practical plan to get there. I have put a goal in my life to be able to reach at a higher tertiary instution and attain a degree. It will need me to have a clear plan and I have set that as a definitive of purpose. I have to set my mind to that goal in life and others to support me reach that goal. I know it will no be an easy one but with the support from my family and friends I know I can achieve that degree in my life.

In life you can not just live without positive mental attitude. After reading the book the idea was important to me. It has to be cultivated and grown into ones life. I have to begin with positive mental attitude in myself and steadily grow in self-reliance, growing it into my pleasing personality. I know I lack some personality aspects such as a keen sense of humor and more but after reading the book, I am teaching myself in becoming flexible and adaptable to varying circumstances of life, to relax, remain human in midst of pressure just from taking life too seriously.

I have learnt that faith in Infinitive Intelligence inspires faith in other human beings as well. Faith just does not build from others but we have to build that faith ourselves firstly then we will be able to conceive faith from others seeing what we are going through. I have learnt to clear my mind of all negative thoughts like want, poverty, fear, ill health and disharmony to build up my faith. We do not have to just live a life without a clear conscious because this world is filled with a lot of temptation. We need some divine intervention in order to truly get that success in our lives.

Another thing that I learnt was the level of enthusiasm in me. I have learnt to trust myself, believe in myself that I can attain my goal. Been myself always instead of pretending of being someone else in my life is a true aspiration that I can not fool anyone but myself. I have to live my life not but luck but know that I am truly blessed to do anything that I can set my mind to and be able to get success I will be glad to have.

I have learnt to use my mind before I act. Controlling my emotions such as love, sex, hope, faith, enthusiasm, loyality and desire was an important issue as daily in our living we have to use one or many of our emotional state in everything we can be in work at home or with friends. I have learnt that I normally was a person who quick got angry just quickly for no apparent reason. There is a time that we learn to adapt to new environment and I have now learnt to control my temper and give a rational decision before I jump to conclusion. I do apply my mind in situations where it is pivital need for it.

The mind is a piece of land. Truly what we cultivate as a farmer is what we should expect to reap. I learnt that I must cultivate a life of positive results and be able to go through challenges in life knowing that those challenges are only there that I learn from them in order to successed in my goal. The organization and its successful implementation are a result of accurate thinking. All plans, purposes and achievements are created by thought, and those thoughts of ours have power. Whatever it might be small or big it has consequences in it.

A personal important thing I learnt was of keeping a well balanced diet, sleep, exercise, relaxation and mind-body stimulants. I have gone to forget these after reading them it really made me think of all the wrong food I have been indulging in. A life without proper planning is a lost one. I have indeed given second thought on my daily routine. I just was working like all day not even giving myself time to make my mind and body completely relax. One just thinks that when it is time to sleep at night that the time you have to relax. No. You have to find time to make a complete relaxation of the mind and body. I have learnt that with a positive mental attitude you will have the will power to re-examine what you are allowing to eat everyday, how you spend your day and what you do in your day. Family time is of great importance and one has to reserve or set aside some quality time with your spouse and children.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I want to believe that a personal idea that I learnt was that of goal orientation I had a habit of just letting things happen, leaving things to go to wherever it takes me, without developing definiteness of purpose. We tend to let the wind take us to wherever it wants without proper planning and without teamwork and support of your spouse, family and friends you are certainly going nowhere. I had a habit to leave like everything for last minute and do all the sitting and make my wife do the running of the chores. I learnt that she will also need my help in the doing of the chores as this would also show my appreciation to her. Now I do not let things happen on their own I have set it in my mind that I do have collective responsibilities to perform also. What I have set my mind on now I believe and trust I have set it as my major goal I will achieve it.

I have learnt that yes we can get married love should be constantly renewed in our daily living find time to spend with your spouse, do not be a workaholic. We have to accept one thing in life sex is a natural desire. We must not fear it nor deny it but realize that you must desire it, like all desires to definite ends instead of letting it become and end itself. I remember in our olden days when we were growing up, our fathers and mothers used to seek counsel from our aunties on how to go about their daily living in the house including the issue of sex. We in other terms have to hear it from modern technology as internet and television and friends. The issue now is that the book opened my mind. My family is of importance. Even my kids should be accommodated in my daily time, to build a strong relationship with them, never to neglect to spend as much time with them possible, laugh with them, teach them a skill or two and talk to them to renew my own faith.

I also learnt that I can really improve my values in life. I have to start preserving my goal to the point that I will work hard to fulfill my destiny to the point that I will be able to say YES I have reached my final goal. I have learnt that I have to select people that are goal orientated that are just not bickery and people that complain too much and do nothing about it, keeping my mind on the things I want and off the things I do not want. I have learnt that yes I will have to just pull myself up dust off and rise to the occasion. I have worked for a reasonable time and I have saved up some savings only to start off from scratch when I hit the wall and above all that feel sorry for myself. I will make things happen for myself and not wait for someone to feel sorry for me and help me to my feet. I am determined to reach my goal.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

I learnt to be a visionary. A most important new idea that I read from the book. I have a gift in thinking. Analyzing, comparing, visualizing and generating ideas I will be able to achieve what I am going to be getting only if I visualize it as it is possible to attain anything in life. We tend to think less of ourselves and think more people to be more of genius than ourselves. It is up there in our brains but we are too lazy to do it at all, be a visionary.

Budgeting my time and money is another important new idea. I used to just do things without proper concentration on time and at the end of the day you see that you have not achieved anything and time lost can not be gained again. True to say also of money too, and saving it as possible is of importance like creating a proper budget and letting it to be precise and sticking to the budget. I have developed a plan for the use of my income for expenses, savings and investments. The book indeed helped me in these areas.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes, the book has challenged me in my life. We sometimes just go ahead in life without proper planning and direction to where we are going. We are subject to daily issues that we do not really do any careful thought and do repeat those mistakes intentionally or unintentionally. After reading Napoleon Hill, Key to success I am a changed person. If it was not for this informative book I will be doing the very same mistake and then end of the day not know to do any proper planning for my life.

I was taught to have a Positive Mental Attitude, building it and proper construction in my life has helped me get ahead in my life with a goal that will help me attain success in the end. I should just take everything in a negative perspective but I have learned that things do happen for a reason and we have to be on a positive mental attitude. I have actually changed all of negative perspective in my life to positive mental attitude.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I found out that there is something we can no control in life. But I have learnt not to concentrate in that but develop a positive mental attitude to things that are possible and live without those fears and I will conquer all things that I can imagine possible.

I also learnt something more important and helpful, to develop controlled enthusiasm. I have adopted a definite major purpose, written in down, planned on how I am going to execute my plan, backed my purpose with a passionate desire, set to work on carrying out my plan, follow my plan accurately and persistently, allied myself others whose aid I need, never let a day pass without reinforcing my plan, keeping my mind focused on my plan and above all kept my mind positive all the time. It is possible to achieve that success.

There is nothing that I found least helpful after reading the book.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

In life we have to have to be goal getters. When challenges face us we have to be equipped with principles of personal achievement that we should be able to use with our careful thought of our main goal that we must be able to attain in life.

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? 10
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? 8

 

 

The Law of Attraction

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

The author is trying to convey that law of attraction exists out there. We might think that whatever we do is out of notion but it is directly to what we are thinking. I attract to my life whatever I give my attention, energy and focus to whether positive or negative. That law of attraction responds to whatever vibration you are sending out by giving you more of it, where you accept it or not it will have an impact on your personal life.

2. What are 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 the Law of Attraction that exists out there and we do not see what happens to us but it is there and we are doing it. I have seen it in my life definitely there was a time that I would attract positive things in my life and things could just take a flow. That was happening because it was things that I would concentrate in my mind, attention energy and focuses and get positive results which I could not even explain. It is that what I have had an experience in the law of attraction responds to whatever vibration you are sending by giving you more of it, whether positive or negative. It will respond to your vibration. If you are doing something you like you definitely send a positive vibe that you can generate momentum and maintain that vibe if you want things to really work

ii. We must strive to have a positive life everyday. I have seen that as human we are not entirely happy with our living today. I can say two in three people in South Africa are in that space where we spend much of our time, and energy concentration in things that we do not want. What an interesting note just to ask yourself “so what do I want?” and the change really is there. We can have people or friends that are in this dilemma, let’s help them generate that positive vibration. It is of importance that law of attraction is playing a major role in us we are here to help others that do not understand it. I for one did not exactly know how to reach out to other people for help or assistance. There is that negativity that I felt even to ask for advise and little did I know that it is in fact building to be a behaviour that will develop that even if somebody offered me advice I would not take it up. That attitude did stick but after reading the book I can say it helped me realize that I do not have to keep that negative attitude to positive vibe and it is a relieve to actually getting help on matters that would matter in my life. It is simple to reset your vibration, just change the words you are using and the thoughts you are thinking.

iii. The three step formula for deliberate attraction was personally important to me. I can say this is something that you would need to do in our life, relationship or career and you can be a person stuck in a life where you are attracting that negativity wherever you are. Let the change come onto you and the feeling that you get out of it is tremendous. I can say that I was a person who was full of desires when I was still at school and imagined a lot. I can say that it changed and really when people that were influential in my life moved it sort of brought some negative perspective. I can say that I did not give what I desired proper attention or even allow anything to happen. But there are things that happen you can build that momentum but maintaining it is of importance. There will never be a chance you can turn back the hands of time to be ten years younger that you are today. Let the positive vibration that comes in your life generate positive results and make that choice today because you will live with it for the rest of your life.

iv. Positive or negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time. If you take most of your time thinking of things you cannot achieve in life it is exactly what will happen. Try to focus on things that you wish to do in life. Positive or negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time. One or the other dominates the other. I had an encounter when I wanted to go to Kenya in 2003. I made my mind that I was going to attend the African Youth Parliament and I was determined to go there for that was the first time it ever happened in Africa We had to fundraise for the airfare and travel allowances. I had no idea that task would be so tremendous. I went through a fundraising and did not manage to raise any money although it did not deter me. I did not loose hope on that I finally got a scholarship at the last minute for airfare and that taught me a great responsibility never give up. I ended up attending the conference and got to be hosted by the YMCA friends in Kenya that had previously attended a work camp in Zimbabwe. I saw it as a lesson that if you put your mind to something maintain that positive thoughts and it will come that your effort will pay. It is our responsibility to make sure that positive emotion constitute your mind.

v. Abundance is a feeling. In our lives we tend to give off that negative feeling and that is not a good vibration. We duplicate that feeling and we will be full of sadness, hopelessness simply by the thoughts and words we say. I would say that I have generated that feeling of abundance in my life in a positive way. I have been working for almost five years now in South Africa and given myself that boost that I want the best in my life and for my family. I feel important to work for something that is right and strive to keep my family happy and satisfied. I have come across people who discouraged me to keep work and try to get you thinking negatively. I can say that if you have something you believe in stay focused on it. Do not let anybody lead you away from your path. There will always be a time where you question yourself or even try to doubt yourself but simply stick to what you believe in and do not allow any negative thought to come into your mind. I can say that creating that vibration of abundance deliberately and often we are definitely increasing abundance in our life.

vi. Our relationships that we go through are full of surprises. We will meet different people some whom we like some whom we do not like to associate with. I have seen it that some people would like to associate with me and you generate that vibe that makes you attracted to that person. It is a lesson to me that it’s up to me to learn more of the other person find out what makes that him or her not be of same page. There you can transform that negative vibe to positive feeling and interact with those people. I can say that I had an experience where I could not stand up to a brother of mine. A silly issue that we disagreed was turning our relationship upside down. We could not agree on different things only to find blame and fault on one another. It is true you tend to build that negative thought and the law of attraction will concentrate on that negative result. I came to my senses and talked to my brother and it was a good thing to do. I completely changed my perspective and that negative thoughts changed. I can say my brother and I are in a good relationship now.

vii. The idea that the kinds of vibes are similar to the vibes of radio frequencies. When you are feeling really good and everything is working out in your life, things come easily and everyone in your life is positive. That momentum is good and that’s what I would like my life to be like. I will strive to maintain my feelings to be positive even if I meet people that are feeling down I will get them to that side where you feel that positive aspiration in life rather than feel low. Life is too important to spend your time thinking of negative things flip your life to that positive zone where things do happen to go right. We should not attract things we do not like rather attract things that we can bring hope and aspiration to do more good for our own life.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so how?

The ideas help me in my personal development. I can say that the law of attraction works for you if you keep those positive attitude things will go your way. The vibe you are sending out it will simply give you more of it whether positive or negative. I look at my personal relationship it is for the good of me to enjoy what life has to offer and create that healthy life that I can share the good life has given me with others like my family, friends or work colleges. Looking at my own career development that I am keeping that positive attitude to pursue a career in computing and I have felt that urge to do more even going out to the different colleges finding out information it gives me the push to go on that path to further my education.

In terms of development of my surrounding I can say deciding to live in a world that we are aware of things that benefit everyone is virtually important. I saw an important resource centre in my community. We have young people running around all day even after school they do not have that mind set even to visit the library to read a book. It is that culture we raise children that it’s only at school where you sit down and actually do school work and reading. If we can cultivate that culture of reading surely we are getting our children on the path good education and development as such.

4. 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. “When you make a statement containing the words don’t, not or no, you are actually giving attention and energy to what you don’t want. Simply ask yourself, so what do I want?” Word are everywhere. We speak them, read them, write them, think them, see them, type them, and hear them in our head. It is up to us to choose the right words and they will think that way. We have to be careful to think of negative words because they will send out negative vibes in our mind. Asking yourself what you want in your life is important because you see your desire and work in a positive attitude to that fulfillment of what you desire.

ii.“It’s OK to feel good in all areas of your life. Does this sound selfish? It’s OK to be selfish when you understand that being selfish is simply an act of self-care.” I just thought that was something that is particularly important. I have seen people that do not treasure something that they might have. I have seen it all and just thought to say I have just come to be selfish in areas of my life especially career, finances, health and relationship. We really tend to have negative emotions and we just take time to observe them for a pretty long time rather than we face them. An important concept that I saw was giving our desire attention. Yes we got a lot of desires in our life and we lack in that department to give proper attention to them. It is up to us to raise that vibration and give that positive attention, energy and focus to it. It ensures that you are including the vibration of your desire in your current vibration. It is simple that the Law of Attraction brings you more of whatever you give attention, energy and focus to.

iii. “Take time to appreciate anything. It’s the feeling that’s attached to your appreciation that is important. Appreciation and gratitude help you offer strong, positive vibrations.”

I have personally been in a situation where things are going your way and you just forget to appreciate it. It is wrong just not to give thanks. I really do appreciate now everything that I have in my life. If I would imagine what other people are facing and look at myself where I am at and where I came from that message gives me appreciation to everything in my life.

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?

None.

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 useful?

Yes the book contained exercises for the reader to complete. I did complete the exercises and they were useful to me. The first and second exercise helped me find clarity through contrast. It is important that you find out some things in your life that you do not like. They are particularly important to find out what your desires are clearly. They helped me in finding clarity in my career, money, relationship, friendship, health and education. I also had a lesson on removing that belief factor, doubt in my life. The allowing statement helped me in figuring out what I have been lacking to do in my life. There are things that we tend to leave undone and we have to pay the price in amount of years that we would regret passed away. It is very important that we allow some things in our lives to happen and have a positive attitude to the fulfillment of those desires.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions?

None.

Ratings:

A. How interesting was it to read? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

Goals

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

There are people that achieve what they set their minds to and they bring it out to success. This is because they have set a goal that they work toward to and even if they fail they pick themselves up and they go the hard way to achieve what they set to achieve. It is up to each person to stop at nothing but get that goal that you are so passionate and would like to achieve in your lifetime. That is what I think the author is trying to convey in the book. The author sets up tools and methods that we can be equipped with in order to setting and achieving our life goals.

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. To unleash and unlock your full potential you should make a habit of daily goal setting and achieving for the rest of your life. It is important to stay focused on what you really like in your life and the ones that you love. There is nobody who has the potential to be the best at what you set yourself to and all it is to make it a daily habit to set goals and review them. Its is important to do that as it maps out your way for that is how you achieve what you would like to have. I used to set my goals on a monthly basis and when it comes to end of month what I had originally set ended up going wrong but I soon found out that it is possible to put your mind at work each and every day. There is a change I see in my life. It transforms you and gets you going to that particular thing that you dream at night that you wish to accomplish in life and unleash that energy that you have in you to get that goal. I have the ability within myself to accomplish almost any goal I can set for myself if I am willing to work long enough and hard enough to achieve it.

ii. To take charge of my life, it is up to me to take that responsibility of my life. I am where I am and what I am is because of what I have done or failed to do. I am the architect of my own destiny. I do not need to blame anyone of the position I am at now because this is all about responsibility personally. What I value in my life builds me and my beliefs about myself and the world around me leads to good expectations and as a result that gives me a positive mental attitude which makes me take action in my life to achieve that goal I set in my life. I need to take that decisive step to free myself from negative emotions and learn to love, live in peace, joy, stop that justification and realize that there is no one else who is responsible for my life other that me. Definitely that is a goal that I have set to take that responsibility of my life as a whole and the life of my family too.

iii. The law of belief. Whatever I believe with conviction becomes my reality. I have put that in myself to believe in myself. In life there can never be anything that can make you believe in something that you passionately like to achieve. I have dreamt and wished for stuff and those do not come true if you don not believe in what you want. In life we should believe in ourselves and remove that fear and doubt we are accustomed to. We raise our children without any proper goals for us yet we expect our children to succeed in something yet we do not sow that law of belief in them. I know how it feels to see other people succeed yet you have that dream that you want to achieve something in life. After reading the book that idea broke into me. I am performing my best beginning to walk, talk and behaving in ways that are consistent with my highest ideas. I have seen it that takes a lot of courage but believing in yourself brings that self esteem that you want to explode into. I think we should just inherit that trust and pass it on to our children that they truly believe in themselves.

iv. I learnt a valuable lesson on the seven keys to goal setting. A goal should be clear, specific, detailed and written down. It is no use to have a goal and you do not have it written down because you will loose sight of what you want to achieve in life. A goal should be measurable and objective. A goal must be time bounded. A goal must be challenging. I learnt that the goal should be congruent with your values and in harmony with each other. They must be balanced among your career, business, financial life, family, your health, your spiritual life and community involvement. Must have a major definite purpose of life. It should be in me to self discipline myself to working towards them everyday. The ways in which we can succeed in anything in life we should plan our way to get what we desire. After really looking at what I would like to achieve I learnt an important lesson to setting up my goals and it is indeed helpful.

v. I have learnt an important idea on visualization. This is very important to me for I have thought of things that I see myself doing actually five years from now. It may sound crazy but that part where you put yourself in future and see that success gives you that motivation to go ahead in some things that you want to venture into in the present time. To visualize something is not just making fantasies in fairly land but making a visual image in your mind and going out there to get it. It should be something worth wile going after because I can become what I think about most of the time and whatever I can hold in my mind containing basis I can have. I have learnt to manage and control this visualizing capability of my mind and focus direction of achieving the goals important to me.

vi. Everyone faces difficulties every step of the way. That is a lesson for everyone. There is no easy way in life. We have to face the difficulties in order to reach that goal we would really like to achieve. I have learnt it and through that difficulty that I must grow from what I am today. I should not be afraid to venture into some things that I would like to go into. It is not an easy road to walk to success. Nobody is going to give it to you unless you take that opportunity to put your mind into something you have set your mind to and go after it. I have felt that fear in me that fear of failure or rejection but that does not have any worth result. It takes courage and persistence for you to overcome that difficulty that you may face towards your goal. It is up to you really to pick yourself up in times of difficulty and walk towards whatever you wish to succeed in life.

vii. After reading the book I really got the idea of goal setting and goal achieving. There can be limiting factors that may pose to our lives but if we set ourselves to get that goal we desire in life we can be of success in our business and career, financial life, family life and relationships, health and fitness and our social and community involvement. These are important to me as I have set goals to achieve the best I can be in these fields and it will only take that will to endeavor out there. It is up to me to take that action now and working everyday to attaining and working towards the goals everyday. Even if we fail in the beginning we should not let up and give up but raise yourself and try again till you get it right. Nobody said that life is going to be a walk in the park but hard and difficult time which we must set ourselves to achieve whatever we set to achieve. The twenty one principles of goal setting and goal achieving was definitely an eye opener for me as it opened up my mind to that road of success. It can be said that when we grow up people tend to think life is what you make of it. Life is what you make of it if you really plan it and work to make the best of it. I learnt that I should regret what I went through but learn from what I have experienced as this is the best lesson that I will be able to make it in my life.

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?

These ideas will help me set a life that I would like and for my family too. This will help me set a goal each day and review it so as to make whatever I wish to succeed in come true. It is a matter of being able to set those goal high and live that life which is consistent to the goals you have set to achieve. We are born to succeed in life so we ought to make the best of it everyday we are here. I know that as a person who has the desire to bring that change in my personal life these ideas are indeed helpful to the fulfillment of my goals that I have set for myself. There are things such as education, career enhancement and financial status that need to be examined like on a daily basis. If you are not prepared what you are venturing into in life tomorrow holds a disaster if you do not plan for it. We should not take these things for grant age as they play a pivotal role in our shaping of our future. That future is in my hands and it is up to me to plan for it and work towards it daily knowing where I am going and where I am coming from.

I do think that these ideas will make it possible for me to attain my goals. If I am able to regularly and systematically practice goal setting it will take me from where I am to prosperity, from frustration to fulfillment, from underachievement to success and satisfaction. I have within my self the ability to accomplish any goal I can set for myself if I am willing to work long enough and hard enough to attain them.

After reading the book I came to realize that I am in a process of making happy discoveries along the road of life. Living in the life where you are in harmony to expect good things to happen to you and the more it will. Make it a goal to do good to everyone and do not expect it to come from that person you did well to but it will surely come in good way. Its is like the law of attraction, you attract to my life whatever I give my attention, energy and focus to whether positive or negative in so doing to build a better tomorrow we must cultivate that good for the uplifting of myself, my community and my surroundings. It does not take that much but to play a bit in our communities we build a bright future not only for ourselves but for our children and others to come.

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. Once you decide to accept complete responsibility for yourself, your situation, and everything that happens to you, you can turn confidently toward your work and the affairs of your life. You become “the master of your fate and the captain of your soul” This really made me realize where I am at now. I can say that if you do not take that responsibility of your life nobody is going to take responsibility other than you. I have to make it my personal goal to be all that I am, personally and professional development. It is upon my shoulders to accomplish those goals in my life.

ii. Every great success in your life will represent a triumph of persistence. Your ability to decide what you want to begin and then to persist through all obstacles and difficulties till you achieve your goals is the critical determinant of your success.

As I see my own life I have been through a lot and the one thing that I kept in myself is that spirit of persistence. Where others will give up I have kept my faith that I will go through it. If it is one thing I desire is that success in my life, and it is possible if I work hard and keep focused on my goals. There will come those difficulties and it is important that you look at these obstacles as lesson for you. I have learnt to take that disappointments learn from it then put it behind me and press forward. Everything worthwhile takes long and a lot of hard work to accomplish. It is surely worth every bit of effort once I get that success in my life.

iii. The future belongs to the risk takers, not the security seekers. Life is perverse in the sense that the more you seek security, the less of it you have. But the more you seek opportunity, the more likely it is that you will achieve the security that you desire.

I can say that for me I am a real risk taker. When things were really tough for me I did not give up that easily. I gave my best just to finish my schooling, getting scholarship and taking every given opportunity to be the best I can be. It is that sense of responsibility that I have that makes me take risks even where others may presume as risky. I came to be where I am today because I could not take the way my life was going. It is that goal to have that success in my life that I work to achieve not only for me or my family but the community at large. Any opportunity will come if you go out there and seek it. It will never come when you sitting in your comfort zone. You have to be a risk taker in your life to achieve success in your life.

iv. Throughout this book, I have repeated that “you become what you think about most of the time” and whatever you can hold in your mind on a continuing basis, you can have”

This is something I hold in my subconscious mind as I have learnt it is true. Whatever you wish to achieve you have to sit down plan it out and think about. If you think of success it is the way that you act and do towards achieving that success which you should think about and if you programme yourself in your subconscious mind things will begin to fall in place just like a puzzle. I hold it as my goal to be the best I can be and for my family too.

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?

None.

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. After every chapter of the book one was possed with questions that will help you in personal achievement of goals. In these questions they will reflect on your own personal conscious and what you have gone through and how to get that thing you desire in your life your goal. It really helped me also to reflect on my growth of relationship, career enhancement, business, financial life, family, health, spiritual life and community involvement. These were mostly important as they relate to my achievement of goals and after every chapter if reflects on things that activate you towards that success.

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.

None.

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? 10
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? 9

 

 

Goal Setting 101

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

Everyone has an interest to want to move from where you are to where you want to be and to accomplish more than you want. You can only do that if you set and achieve a goal. A goal is not just something that we wish to have but it is an end product we aim to achieve in the long run. A goal should be S.M.A.R.T .meaning specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bout. I had an opportunity to work with the YMCA and we would have leadership trainings and development programmes. In one of the trainings we had an aspect of goal setting for the organization we were involved in. It was our responsibility to set goals we had to achieve within a set period of time. I was volunteering in a local branch in Harare and had different progammes we had to achieve. Programmes such as work camps, volunteer programs for the teens, setting up and budgeting for workshops, fundraising. We got that training and worked with different people to achieve set goals. After reading the book, Goal Setting 101 by Gary Blair it opened an aspect to my life. I am looking at my personal life and things that influence me towards my own success. I have had an opportunity to work with different people and achieve success that I did not believe and thought it was impossible to get. Everything is important and for me goal setting is very important for every person in life.

Another important idea I learnt from the book was developing a vision. You can not achieve a goal without seeing where you are going or where you are certainly coming from. We have seen companies or organization that are setup without a proper direction where they are going. They tend to take the downward toll down because they did not have a clear vision where they are going or where they are coming from. I would also take it as for my life. I will aim to have a vision that will be achievable and realistic. A thing that I had experienced is that if you fail to envision what you would like in life you will never be able to achieve and success in your life. I have experienced it in my life that once was at a point that everything was at a stand still. There was no progress in my life and things were just standing still. I learnt that if you loose focus on what you really would like achieve you miss out in any opportunity that may come you way and one missed opportunity can never be regained ever again. I think reading through the book made me realize that you have to understand your vision and share it with others and make sure that your goal has a clear vision where it is you are going and what you aim to achieve in your life.

We have all been through this road. Our lives are determined with what we value in our personal lives. All man wants to leave behind after our living is a legacy. A legacy that every person has something to hold on to or something they will always remember you by. Values really lay the groundwork of our goals and they lead to the fulfillment of our mission. The ten critical dimensions which include personal, health, recreation, family, friends, community, career, financial, household and spiritual are very important to creating goals in our lives. I saw this as very important to creating goals and they do lay down the foundation of creating goals. Every person does need personal growth, spiritual growth and they all form the end result of our lives. This I have seen in my life. We tend to ignore some things and they have an impact on our daily lives. In the end we have to consider what if I did not take that crucial step in creating a goal toward the development of our personal lives. It is important to look at these ten critical dimensions as they are a cornerstone in development of our goals in life.

There is and aspect that I learnt from reading the book. I have read from other books and how to set up goal but something that I really learnt was on the way to maintain our way to success. Yes, goals are not attained just overnight but we need to manage that important road to success. It is that winning attitude that is important that motivates success, and that winning attitude that sustains success. I have been able to taste that success in my life but it was something that I learnt to maintain it. If you are not able to maintain that success it is worthless as it goes like the wind. Look at yourself and yes there can be a time when we taste that defeat and want to just give up. It should be a learning process that one should pick himself up and bounce back to that position you have attained. Do not loose focus on your goals in life even if there are times you hit rock bottom being able to maintain that success in your life is important.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

I can relate to my personal life on my goals. I was born in a family that was full of challenges and difficulties. It should have brought me down but I set a goal for myself to have the best not only for me but also for my entire family. I would say that setting a goal in ones life is very important as you want to shape the way you live your life. Yes that road is not going to be smooth sailing it is rough. My family was not that rich but it was that advice that parents give to their children that really helped me achieve what I have today. There are times that I think that family really shape ones future. They will influence you to a decision that is good or bad. It is important that you look at yourself study what will work for you and go get that goal. There are things that you can ask yourself who, what, where, when, how and why to set that important goal ask yourself these question you certainly wont go wrong it attaining that goal in life.

We have seen people push their children to doing some things they would regret ever doing. Like a family wanting their son or daughter go in to army just because their great great parents were in the army for example. There is an aspect that people should consider that right and responsibility for someone to achieve that goal they wish to attain. We should not force children to do something just because it is right for us. It is the right and responsibility of that person to becoming whatever they wish to become. Let us share that love to let a person pursue an individual path in life. I can say that is was my choice to become who I am today because I made that choice. I do not regret making that choice because I am living the life I visioned to get. It should be left to the decision of a child to set that goal yes there can be advisers to guide that child to a path but let it be certainly the decision of the child to take the path he or she decides to take.

I can say that success in life does not happen accidentally. That achievement is clearly a result of defined goals that are acted upon. I can say that if a person does not think of what he or she wants in life you certainly going to end up doing some things you never thought you would be doing such as drugs, alcohol for example. You just have to make that important step to think of goals that you would like to achieve. There is no way that you can pull yourself up from that alcohol or drug dependency if you do not know where you wish to go with your life. There comes a time that a person can be trapped to a point where you want to give up everything that you have worked on. I can say that there you should look inside yourself that goal you set to achieve be it for your family or your personal development and solider on to get it. Do not take yourself for grant age you can get that goal in life if you focus and success is your ultimate target.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

There is an important idea that I learnt is that the power is within us to choose. Every moment offers choice and that choice counts. It will lead you towards or away from your goals in life so it is up to you to decide which path you would like to take to success. It is us who should be own and be our true owners of our own goal let us pursue our true goal not pursue goals of other people. Everything counts be it a thought, decision, action it moves you closer to or further from your goals. Each step offers an opportunity for growth, learning and self-improvement. I can say that whatever step one takes it is important to examine yourself towards your goals in life.

Planning is an everyday thing that we are involved in directly. We can think that we plan for small things such as a trip to the grocery store or vacation to the holiday destination only but also does planning for our goals. Planning for your goal helps in analyze where you are and can point the way to where you want to be. The planning is very important because without a plan you are just like an aimless person in the wilderness. A plan is something that helps you monitor your performance that allows you to take stock of your success and failures where you need improvement or alter in order to make that success a reality. That I have seen as to very important in order to achieve a set goal one has to put down the plan write down those goals and be able to plan ahead thoroughly. In the planning one should create a contingency plan because you never know what tomorrow holds anything is possible. A goal can not be set aside because your plan did not execute to the way you were expecting you should have a backup plan in order to achieve that goal.

The concept of SWOT analysis was something that I learnt too. In every given case you are bound to be in a position or given situation where you will analyze yourself with your strength, weakness, opportunity and threats. We have to know that it is the personal circumstances that an individual you can control. Your future can be determined by the decisions that you can take today and you have to know that external situation are beyond our control however it gives you the ability to anticipate and adjust accordingly to those external situation that you are able to succeed.

It is up to every person to lead yourself in the direction of your goal and nobody will do the job for you. Leaders make themselves. Believing and acting as a leader makes you be responsible for your goals in life. It is important that a person knows that you are born to be the master of your own destination. No one is going to take the fall of your personal life. It is up to you to take that bold step to determine what you like to accomplish in life. Result will be the ultimate judge and the jury. It is what we do not what we say that will destroy us. It is our ultimate action that drives our goals home.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes after reading Goal Setting 101 by Gary Blair, it really challenged me. One can look at the book say hey this book just too small to give me something but dynamites come in small packages. I have been working in environment where we deal directly in organization development and implementation of programmes in different sectors but yet we do not take that time to sit down analyze our own lives thoroughly to set our goals straight. We might have that idea that you have but putting it down on paper is difficult. After reading the book it opened up something that you have been willing to do. Getting your goals down and implementing them is another. It challenged me to think of my own personal development, family, career, and work development. I have put down some goals that I want to see myself succeed to the end. It is my goals I owe to me to plan my way to that fulfillment of that goal.

The way we talk has an effect on our pursue of our goals. Carefully chosen words do bolster confidence while pursuing our goals. It is true that you can inspire confidence with the words and vocal tone and never be in doubt. It all comes up to ones language and that is very important to the success of my goal to that confidence I have to deliver what I know. There is no room for fear or doubt because that is the receipt for downfall. We just have to change our tone and language to booster our confidence to success of our goals. People will never buy an idea if you are found to be in doubt. We have to be confident and deliver that success from the way we take our daily living.

A challenge that I really have in my personal life if fear. It is there that you feel that fear hound over you in anything that you would like to do but after reading the book I gained something resourceful. Being able to manage fear is very important and a challenge. You come to this stage in life to say what if other people see what a failure I have been in life, what is someday the love of my life will leave me alone in this world, the list is endless. But running away from fear is not the answer, learn to live with fear, learn to control it. My success depends on my ability to advance to my goal in the face of fear rather than run away from it.

The other thing that challenged me in celebration of accomplishment. Certainly we have had some success we made in our lives but we have fallen short to even celebrate that achievement. It is really crucial to take time and identify and credit that exceptional achievement in your life. It builds confidence and provides an incentive to further achievement in whatever we would like to venture into in our life. Certainly one has to be proud of yourself and do celebrate for that success you have achieved.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

None.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The true success comes from that careful planning, and implementation of our goals. We have it in our choice to choose which goal we would like to take because whatever decision we make it determines or success story. We all want to live behind a legacy of success to our children and family but that legacy has to start from the ground whatever we plant in terms of our goal that is what we will reap in terms of success. Nobody will be able to help us in that choice but it is up to us to set a goal and plan that goal and work towards implementing that goal.

There is that important aspect in goal setting the execution, management of the goal. We need to plan for all of this and have a road map of what we want to achieve in life. We have the choice in ourselves to do that and it all has to be planned and reviewed from time to time. Even within an organization there are planners, there is management so does our lives. It all has to do with successful thinking and planning for our lives to have that success journey to reach our goals. It all depends on us and we will need to consult even get a mentor in your life to guide you and help you make that decisions in your life. The road to success is not an easy one and we have to reach out for advice from others that have gone through this journey.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The road to success happens only when a clear, definable goal has been set. It is all up to one to move up that ladder of success to achieving what we want to accomplish in life only if we clearly plan it, implement and achieve it.

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? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

The main idea the author is trying to convey is that we can be different people only if we understand ourselves better and dig inside ourselves try to examine our root of ourselves. We can be better people if we examine our value principle that we aim to achieve in our lives by becoming effective people if we are self aware of our current personal ethnic and how best we can be better in our human interaction.

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. An important idea I learnt is that each of us tends to think we see things as they are that we are objective. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are or conditioned to see it. Paradigm is inseparable from character. Being is seeing in the human dimension. And what we see is highly interrelated to what we are. We are people that grow up in families that are scripted and we tend to pass that down onto our own family. A real paradigm shift in a positive direction creates a powerful change. We have to create an environment that is conducive for ourselves, spouses or children to grow up in comfortablely. Let them live their lives give them wings and teach them to fly. We should not build families with strict rules and regulations where we enforce our past onto our children or spouses. I have lived that life and would like my own family to grow in a setting that they are happy and do grow up knowing that we are there for them and support every decision they make. It is that love, that honest, potential and encouragement I would like to share with my family.

ii. To relate effectively to others we must learn to listen empathetically, listening with intent to understand. This requires emotional strength. Listening involves patience, openness and the desire to understand, highly developed qualities of character. It can be my spouse, my child, my work mate or someone you meet on the street, we must be good listeners. We do have the tendency to not listen but prepare answers well before a person has not finished speaking. It is like we are programmed to be people who are defensive in whatever we do in life and I learnt quite a lesson from this idea to practice that technique listening. We are taught everything in this world reading, writing, talking and yet we do learn to listen. That concern to me is very big as I see it as a hindrance to our development. I can give an example where I was working and we had to shut down for a period of four months. We were in a bitter argument with management because they could not pay us any remuneration for that period and nobody was in the limelight to even listen to anyone’s concern. This to me taught me a great deal to care for others that might be found in situation where they are permantly out of work. Can we help them even if it was a single meal a day that their family can survive and make a difference in their lives? I learnt an important lesson to be responsible to my life and it’s not what happens to us but our response to what happens to us that hurts us. If we can do something to teach even our members of family, workmates or community members to take time to listen to others, unless we have the desire, we must make it a habit in our personal life.

iii. I learnt an important idea to begin with the end in mind. In life we must start with a clear understanding of your own destination. To know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction. I would say that after reading the book it really opened my thinking in goal setting at large. We have to see the future and have that second birth that we envision the future and work towards that success we desire in our lives. I have seen it work in my life and setting the goal and work towards it in my life. I can also say this also for my family. I seem to get that concept even in the education of my child and dream to see that success in whatever he does. My son had just begun pre-schooling and that change in schooling environment from another country to where I am now was a big paradigm shift for him. I can say he was finding it difficult to adapt in the new environment we were in and it took me to look at what was happening. I had to take that extra time to teach him the new languages, new places that he was not familiar with. I can say that if we can pay attention to that small difference it will make a big difference for the future. You can set a goal for yourself but also look at the future for your children, your spouse too and work to achieve it. I learnt that I can visualize the uncreated world of potential within us and take the steps in the right direction.

iv. I learnt an important idea from the book that a person should have a personal mission statement. If we are able to commit to our own principles, knowledge we can have a clear understanding of whom we are. There are things that we give value to that do not necessary need to be in our heads at all. This is because we lack a mission to where we are going or what we should value in our own personal lives. I worked as a volunteer with the YMCA and there is one thing that I always remember was the YMCA mission statement. I would work with full dedication to serve my community and fulfill the need of some people though you would not reach to everybody but that satisfaction that you were able to provide a service out there really changed me as a whole. It is that mission statement that gave me a will to serve others and be change to others even if you do not have a payment you get but that commitment to service is very important so that the community you live in is of change to others. A mission statement can be that of the entire family that you sit down and agree to fulfill and serve. I have seen it work really when I sat down with my own family and we talked about it and later on came to draft something we will continue to work on. If we are committed to sit down and come up with a personal mission statement and be able to fulfill that commitment we really can be a change not only to you but the world at large.

v. An important idea that I really learnt from the book was on family importance and relationship concept. I have read books on various bringing or life of family and marriages but after reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People it was really an eye opener. In family importance I learnt the importance of every member of the family how you say behave or react to different situation is very important rather than taking that defensive attitude we can build and maintain a happy family if we do have the patience and attention to problems or challenges that may come up. The concept of the Emotional Bank Account is an idea that I learnt really because it works if you can take that time to build enough trust in a relationship, kindness and commitment to another we can really have healthy and long relationships. It is that trust that a person will truly open to another and believe that we can have many happy big families than broken families. In marriages there are a lot that we tend to say to each other and that in some cases can hurt and that build up of hurt can cause some serious elements. In a true relationship there must be communication and that means listening, expressing your feelings to the other partner and showing true love to your spouse. I now focus on being a great marriage partner, a source of unconditional love and support. It really takes changing from the inside out to really build a healthy happy family there can not be any quick fixes on that surely.

vi. An idea that I learnt was that of effective self-management, putting things first. The idea really rang to me because as I see my own schedule of a particular day I try to manage time but in fact the basic should be to manage ourselves. We tend to put some things without importance first and by the time we realize it time has gone and definitely we can not turn back the hands on time, time lost can never be recovered. It is up to me to feed every opportunity I have starve the problems and think positively. The way I spend my time is a result of the way I see my time and the way I really see my priorities, those priorities grow out of a principle center and personal mission in my heart and mind. Everyday I have seen it at my work place people come into work and their top priority is not work but to read a newspaper first then take your attention to work and probably one is late and has a work load hanging over his head. There comes a time where you have to put yourself in that person shoes and try to understand what is going on. I think if you do not put important things first your life will be a total mess and nobody can rectify it for you unless you have that self management in your head.

vii. An important thing that I learnt was to value everybody in my life. I have seen it even at work that people do not put that trust to other people like workmates or customers. The most powerful thing I have is myself to have that great personal strength and courage to develop relationships that we can live with one another. There are times where you join an organization and you find out the way things go about. I have worked with volunteering organization and people are not entirely satisfied with how things are handled in running these organizations. I feel that here in Africa we have people that aim to make themselves rich at the expense of innocent people. There are out there to make money for themselves and when it they feel their pockets are full enough they give the intended beneficiaries’ the little bit. If we could change that attitude and become responsible people and do what we really mean. If we go out there sourcing for funds let them reach where they are intended to reach. It only takes you to be that change and make a difference to others. Nobody has to come around you like auditors to check what you are up to but just put value in yourself and people will trust you. It is that personal change that is needed in the people today and that for me was a very important thing to look at yourself inside out.

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?

These ideas will help me become a person that is renewed, one who has had a second chance at my own personal life change. As a person who can be of change I can build on my own self esteem, my personal paradigm, my own confidence and integrity is build. There is nowhere where you can help yourself with that peace of mind if you do not have that personal mission statement to know where exactly you are and where you are heading towards, if you know your purpose and commit to it. I can say if you are a person who is committed to some thing surely you are a person who can build strong families, strong communities without that violence, outlaw and there would not be surely waste of tax payers money to keep people in prisons rather put that money back to the community to do something developmental.

I also think that these ideas will help in creating happy families and where society is in respectful people. It all starts if we look at the families and building trust and friendship we can be true agents to change. There should not be that competitive spirit in homes where families are torn because of jealousy of another’s success. We have to live in a world which we know that there are abundant things out in the world and we should not live like wild animals that are out to get one another. Love is the ultimate answer and it come from inside out approach.

There was an opportunity where I worked with a guy from the UK Mr. Latif when I was volunteering with the Zimbabwe Work Camps Association. We had almost a month long work camp in a rural area of Rusape and there was this school we did some volunteering classroom construction and lot of other activities. After the work camp we were really touched by the plight of the children at that school and my dear friend Mr. Latif sort some funds to help the school and buy some books for the school. It was a big difference for the school and the children as they did not have any access to library or any resource centre for information. It touched my heart too. If we can be people that are caring for others and help where we can be able to assist, we definitely can build a world that is full of effective people to see the socio-emotional plight of others. If we can develop that spirit to offer service to others in need, making contribution and bless the lives of others. I would also say too with the help of the Global Leadership Programme it is thanks to all those involved to reaching to people around the world in providing good literature that we are better informed and able to expand our mind on a regular basis.

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. Each of us tends to think we see things as they are that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are or as we are conditioned to see it. This is true with generation that we are in because we are growing in society where we enforce what we have lived onto our children or spouses. It is my way or the highway where we can not accept change in our lives or because we are afraid of change nobody knows. We must just learn to accept change let the children learn to fly give them wings. Let us have the heart to accept personal change to have a happy life.

ii. In all life, there are sequential stages of growth and development. A child learns to turn over, to sit up, to crawl and then to walk and run. Each step is important and each one takes time. No step can be skipped. I can relate to the Seven habits of Highly Effective People, being proactive, begin with the end in mind, put things first, think win/win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergize and sharpen the saw are so important and can not be skipped and have to work. These do help in the development of our family life, work or relationship with others in life.

iii. You can buy a person’s hand, but you can’t buy his heart. His heart is where his enthusiasm, his loyalty is. You can buy his back, but you can’t buy his brain. That’s where his creativity is, his ingenuity, his resourcefulness. I can’t agree more with the author more to this because it is true what is happening in today work places. If employers can treat us exactly as they want us to treat their best customers this would be a different work environment we can have. I can say that this is can be an eye opener for some employers because in the world we now live it’s like we are more focused on profits rather than the important employee first. I also can say too of the employee should keep that respect and good attitude within themselves as this is a work process both employer and employee need each other they has to be a compromise.

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?

None.

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 the book contained exercises for the reader to complete. I did complete the exercises and they were useful to me. Each chapter had activities that you had to complete and this would in fact give you a sense of responsibility to do the exercise and have a result of what exactly is expected to be the result. I can say that if you have to be an effective person you have to live with the habit itself. You can not skip a habit because it will not work if you do not practice it and practice makes perfect.

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.

None.

Ratings:

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9.5

 

 

Nonviolent Communication, A language of Life

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

The world we live in is full of different people that are brought to different levels of understanding. In that understanding we find that the way we communicate with each other varies due to different factors such as language, competing and judging each other. I think the author here is bringing that communication out and here we are presented with basic communication of non-violence which anybody can learn and apply in our personal daily life, relationships and even professional development to enhance our lives.

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. Nonviolence communication guides us to reframe the way we express ourselves and listen to others by focusing our consciousness to enrich our lives. I think the most important thing that we can ever do is give ourselves from the heart. It can sound difficult to do but in order to show that you care for someone you have absolute relation to is to give that understanding, that feeling from the heart. Unfortunately with the kind of bringing we have been brought up in our communities it is like “one man for himself God for us all” culture. We can cultivate that culture of love and understanding from home, schools, work places, hospitals if we permit our own hearts to accept that love for on another. It is not difficult to offer love to another person if we are genuinely willing to do so out of our own will. I have encountered people in my own community where there comes a time where it is a festival or period of time and that is the only time they can offer some kind of assistance to people in need but if its another time of the year they can not even help out not because they can not but are not willing to do so. If we can step out of our old shells give a clear observation, feeling and needing to these people we can assist them on their requests. Nonviolent communication can drive you to help those people on the street without proper shelter, those children abandoned by parents left in the streets; those handicapped people needing love and a lot more things we can do to show our love and understanding in our different communities. It can be our nature to enjoy giving and receiving compassionately and this can enrich not only our lives but those we would have touched.

ii. I learnt an important form of communication that we do in our everyday life that we assume we do not do but it is there. There are life-alienating communication that in fact I have learnt not to do now, moralistic judgment which implies wrongness or badness on the part of people who do not act in harmony with our values. The world we have been growing is full of judgment but though I feel that there is some judgment that is justified such as how a person life can be best served here on earth such as honesty, living in harmony and the like while there is some moralistic judgment that person have to kept away such as violence, stealing and be locked up in jails but this way we are not addressing that root cause. I have seen it here in South Africa where we enjoy those sentiments that all those criminals should just be locked up shipped of to an island for the rest of their lives but I believe if we can change the attitudes of people to integrate those people back to society and give them opportunity to learn from their mistakes rather than send them to jails where lives of gangs and more violent people learn their trades. We can do so and this will definitely lessen the burden on the tax payers to keep people who commit petty crimes to have a new beginning for themselves. I think that life alienating communication obscures our awareness that we are each responsible for our own thoughts, feelings and actions. We can help our families, communities and relationships if we focus on building a much dependable communication and build trust in people. We can build communities that do not compare each other but think in terms of human needs than labeling one another as good or bad.

iii. There is an important and crucial role that language and our use of words take center stage in our lives. In expressing our feelings it helps to use words that refer to specific emotions rather than words that are vague or general and connection to one another. There are times we often use words to express our feelings and desires and also we can use those words that will lead to hurt and pain for others including ourselves. It is particular importance to me because here I am seeing families where we bring up our children in an environment that we can not express our own feelings especially if there are working families, child headed families or families without both parents. There is no time for expression of ones feelings and that will tend to go down to the children and that does not end there but becomes a cycle of events. I see that nonviolent communication can be a way that we can really express that importance of families if we can take it to schools and other institutions that we can be able to share that information and build better well being of others. I have experienced it also in a family where there can be a separation of family members, children can have that gap to be able to express themselves and that pain and hurt builds up and there is no other means you can express oneself other than through violent means and other forms like withdrawal. We have to see that and try by all means to address that particular challenge and use nonviolent communication to distinguish the expression of actual feelings from words and statements that describe thoughts, assessment and interpretations. I see the idea that language and our use of words are crucial for our developing a vocabulary of feelings that allows us to clearly and specifically name or identify our emotions we can connect more easily with one another.

iv. There is an idea that I really learnt from the book, acknowledgment of the needs behind our feelings. I have seen in my own personal life that we tend to not look into real cause for some of our own challenges and tend to blame others and not see the real root to some of our own feelings. The tendency in most of us especially young people if someone communicates or does something negative to us we either blame ourselves, blame others, sense our own feelings and needs or sense others feelings and needs. We have all these options but if we can be able to accept responsibility of our feelings rather than blame other people by acknowledging our own needs, desires, expectations, values or thoughts. In human beings we all share autonomy such as goals, values; celebration such as creation of life and dreams; integrity such as creativity, self-worth, interdependence such as appreciation, contribution to the enrichment of life; spiritual communion such as inspiration, peace; physical nurturance such as air, food and play. However I have see it that there are some instances that these feelings are not all expressed because we live in a society where expressing ones feeling might just label you as weak and criticism will definitely rain. I have actually worked with people that are not open in their inner feelings. Here in South Africa we especially see the rise in sexual attack on women on a daily basis. The women and even minors have a choice to get that counseling but there are those that choose the other just not to open their feelings. It is particular painful for me to see this as it is the tendency that these particular women will be faces with the same kind of violence and rape if this is not addressed as soon as possible. This is very painful because it will happen again and again. If we can help in expressing our help to these people they will be able to openly acknowledge their need to express what is bottled inside them which will help in the healing process.

v. We are people that are full of assurance or advice, but through nonviolent communication I learnt more on empathy. Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. We often have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy however calls upon us to empty our mind and listen to others with or whole being. If we can learn this lesson to listen empathically we will do ourselves and our loved ones more love than to always give our own perspective to certain needs of others. In nonviolent communication we simple listen for their observation, feelings, needs and requests. We may wish to reflect back, paraphrasing what we have understood. We stay with empathy and allow others the opportunity to fully express themselves before we turn our attention to solutions or requests for relief. I have seen it especially in families, if spouses do not express or even show that communication such as simply talking to each other there will be no expression of love. It takes empathy to express empathy. If we can show love to another person we will definitely be able to get communication to those that need to open up their feelings either at friends, work or relationship development.

vi. I think an important idea that I learnt from nonviolent communication is the way we tend to treat ourselves. When we are caught up in mistakes we are quick to criticize ourselves and finding blame to ourselves and not really seeing the big picture we can use the process of nonviolent communication, mourning and self-forgiveness to show us where we can grow. I think the challenge that lies here is to evaluate ourselves each time to see the direction of where we would like to go, out of respect and compassion for ourselves to enriching our life. By assessing our behaviour in terms of our own unmet needs, the need for change comes not out of shame, anger or depression, but out of the genuine desire to contribute to our own and others well being. I have seen that through my own personal development that I tended to live some important things for last and would continually blame myself and feel guilty for it not really seeing the big outcome of the result. I can say that things such as setting you own goals and pursuing them till they are met. There are things that will help even my own family members and my own community that I am in.

vii. There is an idea that I have learnt after reading the book. The protective use of force which is unavoidable especially if we are dealing with children and other ignorant people in society. I have personally experienced it with my own child. There is a time that you talk to him and your message does not get through to him and he in fact has his own mind on the issues that he does not agree with me. It would sound right for and punish him me but after reading on nonviolent communication I learnt that that punishment does not serve as a right or justification to a solution to the challenge. I have however seen that the use of nonviolent communication fosters a level of moral development based on autonomy and interdependence whereby we acknowledge responsibility for our own action and are aware that our own well being and that of others are one and the same.

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?

I have seen the way we tend to communicate in our daily lives. We are full of judgment and hurt of what others have done to us and have no other way to communicate other that show that hate to one another. This is really a turning point for me as I learnt new language to my personal life, nonviolent communication. I can offer that caring and understanding to my spouses, family and work mates if we can let compassion flow between myself and others based on mutual giving from the heart. I am able to listen emphatically to others and not only try to give a quick solution but being able to listen for their observation, feelings, needs and requests.

We are a community that is really full of things we would like to see change. I have learnt some things that I can become the change I wish to see in the community, the world and no change will ever come to take place unless if it begins with me. Unfortunately we all waiting for the other person to change first but that can be a serving point for my own family if we do express nonviolent communication and see what a change it will bring to us and beloved one. I have experienced that nonviolent communication replaces our old pattern of defending, withdrawing or attacking in face of judgment and criticism. We perceive ourselves and others as well as our intentions and relationships in a new light.

I can also say through learning about nonviolent communication our communities can be better understanding of caring people and where we are ale to take care of one another rather than being selfish. We are able to integrate those we may deem unfit in society back rather than send them back to where they are faced with life full of temptation to go back to jails, gangs and other sort of activities that may not be alright. This I can say to emotional liberation, responding to the needs of others out of compassion, never out of fear, guilt or shame. Our actions are therefore fulfilling to us as well as to those who receive our effort.

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. When we give from the heart, we do so out of joy that springs forth whenever we willingly enrich another person’s life. There are so many benefits in giving from your heart that I have learnt in life. It really is a big difference not only to the receiver but also the giver. You make a big difference to another person’s life and that gift does not come with any consequences. The well being of that person is enhanced and I would relate to nonviolent communication as giving and receiving compassionately from the heart. There is no strings attached or ask what’s in for me as I learnt that if we are able to offer that nonviolent communication we are able to respond compassionately to one another and this becomes a learning process to communicate nonviolently.

ii. At other times, it may be necessary to provide ourselves with some “emergency first aid” empathy by listening to what’s going on in ourselves with the same quality of presence and attention that we offer to others. It does not make sense if we are not able to listen to ourselves and then expect to listen empathically to someone else problems. I can say that having empathy begins within your own heart. If you can not generate that empathy you are faced with a great challenge to be able to show it to another person. It can be a test for us if we are able to show that empathy even to our spouses, children at home that we are able to show that we have grasped this concept of nonviolent communication to actually benefit our personal development in life

iii. Practice is essential because most of us were raised if not on the streets of Detroit then somewhere only slightly less violent. Judging and blaming have become second nature to us. To practice NVC we need to proceed slowly, think carefully before we speak and often just take a deep breath and not speak at all. Learning the process and applying it both take time. I do agree with the author as I have grown in two different cities in my life. You can compare the different living of other people and try to adjust to your new environment. I can say that what I have learnt through nonviolent communication has benefited me and it does take time to readjust to that new life. If we can be able express ourselves that easily people will notice the change in our life of nonviolent communication. We need to take our time in both learning and in applying the process of nonviolent communication in personal and professional lives.

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?

None.

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 there were exercises that the reader completed. After that there were answers that we could compare which was the write response to the questions. I did complete the exercises and I did find them helpful in understanding more to nonviolent communication as I learnt to transform the thinking, language and kind of judgment that would enrich my personal development.

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.

None.

Ratings

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 7
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

 

 

Unlimited Power

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

The book is about opening our unlimited power in ourselves that we are not aware really exists within ourselves. There things we have wished in life to be like or goals we hope to reach but we always find ourselves in dilemma, be it in our personal or relationships and the book opens up ideas for change to how we handle ourselves, to adapt, to grow and to evolve to produce our desired results in life. It’s all about learning from our personal human experiences and whether one fails but that failure to something will always bring some success in your life. It is all about taking all that knowledge in our brains and making use of it to change ones world.

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 is the process of success an ongoing process of striving to become more. Its opportunity to continually grow emotionally, socially, spiritually, physiologically, intellectually and financially while contributing positively to others. I have found that to be most important to my life as I really work each day in my life to grow in reaching to the things that I dream of succeeding in. There are things that we can work on in life but you have to have that power in yourself to produce the results that you most desire in your life, there are people out there you can emulate to and be able to model and shape your own perception to make things work for you and not against you. I know this road to success is not an easy road to be on. It is tough and you got to gear up for the roughness ahead of you. There will be a time that your own faiths, your own values, ability to persist are all put to the test that you can reach your limits and beyond. I have found myself to take it really as a lesson for this kind of experience is a learning process for me. You can be tested in such things you either allow this kind of experience to play a part in you life or it can take you down and destroy what you are. Success does not come that easy for anybody in life. We all can never win the lottery and get the good life, but we have to work for the success in our life. I have seen, experienced, lived the tough life here and at home but for me this was all the brewing for my own success. It can never have been an easy road but for me that road is worthwhile because it taught me some things in life that I will be able to look back and say yes I have been able to reach this far because I was able to concur some challenges that came in my life. I really learnt a lot from the book because for me the success I desire to reach one day will really be of the results I have dreamt of reaching in life and the commitment that I put in it I know that I will reach those results or goals successfully.

ii. I have learnt an important ultimate success formula in life. Life really is all about producing results. If you do not wish to produce results in your life its like you are just as good on earth for people to do things for you and get the raw deal. It is really all about action and that action is what produces results. We do things in our life, dream for success but there is an ultimate success formula that I read about in the book and it sounded big for my own life. Knowing your outcome, define what you want in your life, take action otherwise your desires will always be dreams, develop scenery to recognize kinds of response and results you getting from your action, and develop the flexibility to change your behaviour until you get what you want. I can say that this to me was really a big idea because in life you can not know if what you are doing is going to get you anywhere positive or whether you are going in a direction where you are will regret for everyday of your life. I think this ultimate success formula will work for me as I really can see what action I take will give me what results I wish to produce. Its like when you have a strong desire for something go out and take the necessary action and do not let it last only as a dream but go and take action because we will always regret why you did not take that action. Put yourself in a powerful state to take action, lead to decisive, congruent committed action. There are always people who will help you get what you want to achieve in life and it’s all about you taking that step to change your own behaviour in life to make a difference in your life.

iii. I have learnt an important idea that of belief. We all have different kinds of belief and I for one do respect what another person believes in and do not judge a persons belief or look down on someone. I believe a belief is something that like a guiding principle that shows your heart what to believe in and that principle is the founding principle to your destiny. From the book I learnt that a belief is any guiding principle, dictum, faith or passion that can provide meaning and direction in life. Belief delivers a direct command to our nervous system. Belief opens the door to excellence. There are things that we face in this world and that may try to persuade you to do some things and I can say for example I have seen how corruption we face like everyday this side of world can never disappear if one person does not take a stand and say no to corruption. This is something I believe should be a foundation for a person to stand for what you believe in and stand for it. I can say also that the point of religion. Here in my community there are christians, muslims and local traditional people. No one wants to loose ones faith and accept someone else but I have seen how people can use simple means like money or food for a person to leave ones faith. I have learnt to have that power in me, to use my unlimited power to share with others not to loose what you believe in and accept something just because you are faced with poverty and would like an easy way out. I believe in myself and will do what I can to help others see what I see. Beliefs are the compass and maps that guide us toward our goal and give us the surety to know we will get there. I know that goal I want to achieve, I can create in my mind a clear image of the result I want to achieve and represent it to myself as if I have already achieved it. It’s all about controlling ones belief, how you model others and how to consciously direct ones life.

iv. A concept that I learnt from the book was on commitment and what we all seek to achieve in life. We are all living lives that we seek to be the best at which we look for and staying committed to pursue some of our goals is truly a do or die game. I can say that we sometimes are looking for something when you do not know what exactly you are looking for or how to ask for it. If you ask for almost anything in the world in the right way, with enough conviction and enough commitment you will get it. Some things take great conviction and energy to pursue you can get them, though you have to work at them. I can say in my life I had different points of view that sometimes would confuse me and sometimes I could give up on something that I know was worth going for. In that path to getting it you can find you fall in some kind of disappointments and you can even give up at some point in time but I have experienced it that you have to be committed to something that you are pursuing in life. I can give an example when I was back home I used to write out some project proposals and go out to try source some funding. You would really work very hard and to come up with some disappointment but the key was not to give up but stay committed at what you were looking for. Sometimes those disappointments were worth it because you would go back sit down see what you did right and what needed to be polished up and they were some experience worth it for me. I would also look at it and say that sometimes we really were not sure exactly what we were looking for or how exactly we were putting forward our request and that was the cause for some denial of the projects. I can say if you put yourself in some physiology you will definitely get some dynamic results.

v. There is an important aspect of developing congruity which is a major key to personal power. People that succeed in what they would like are people who commit all their resources, mental and physical to work together towards achieving a task. Developing congruity is when I am committing, I am emphatic in my words, my voice, my breathing, my entire physiology I am getting a clear signal to my brain that this is what I want to produce and my mind responds accordingly. It is what we have to put inside our brains and taking care of our bodies is really of importance too. Understanding how my body works, respect it and take care of it and it will take care of me. There is the list of how one can live a healthy living and this was important idea to me. If one can take care of ones breathing, drinking watery rich food, effective food combining and controlled consumption are really important. To me all the ideas were particularly important as I have seen that most of these we are taught mostly at school but the depth that one has to go into the book and why exactly some of the things happen was very important to me. It was a challenge for me to try to cope with the exercise to actually delve into the change from my own food consumption. I can say that it I am working on this to actually change my way of food consumption. There are things that we wish to do such as simple exercise of the body which I feel to be too much to wake up to do but if I can commit myself fully to do I am able to do it. It is up to how you put the necessary resources together both mental and physical can we be able to achieve that body I would like. I have seen people who do not take care of their own bodies’ for instance smoking, excess alcohol consumption, or even drug abuse. They are not really realizing that these actions they do have consequences for them in the future. If they can be able to get that information like one can get a diseases for example that they will have to live for the rest of their entire life with. With the information that I got from the food chart I have started to eat healthy and with the right combination it helps me and who would have told me it is healthy to eat some fruits on an empty stomach because you get the energy quicker. These are really important idea that I learnt and these have brought me knowledge that I can share even with my own family.

vi. I have learnt something in life about being thankful to the things we get each and every day. There are people out there that do not appreciate some things people go out of their way to assist someone in need and that appreciation is no rightfully expressed. The concept on a gratitude diary was of great importance to me. I have really seen that people can relax and take for grant age some things they have in their lives. Yes some can boost and say I deserve this while in fact to be where you are at somebody did help you to that stage. I have sat down and thought about this for example while I was looking for a job the pain it is especially if you are new in a community. There are a lot of doors that I had to go through and some time also I sat at home without work. You can imagine what really I went through especially when I knew I had a family to take care of. There is a lot that you can think of and really give that gratitude for what others did for me to be where I am today. I have taken that responsibility too to take that task to help others who face my difficulty although I would see that I can not help everybody but that difference you make to someone does matter. I give thanks for the things that people made possible for me and this has really given me personal development in my life. The programme from global leadership has been of great impact on my life. I can say the things that I am today I give thanks to the institute. If it was not for the books that would be encouraged to read and take note of that personal achievements that can surely help in our lives.

vii. An idea that I learnt more on was on values. Your own private personal and individual beliefs about what is most important to you. In order to grow, truly change and prosper we need to become consciously aware of the rules we have for ourselves and others, of how we really measure or judge success. There are things that I value in my life and really can not put down on and do stand for that. I have built my own personal values in my life and these values are important to me as they help me to be what I am and build a way for me to be the best for myself and family too. These values that we are up to have really enormous emotional power that one stands by and will do without compromise. I have seen people that have put value in personal items or assets that we can all have or even leave once we pass on from this world. There are things that will benefit you and some things that can even destroy you. We have to be careful surely if we have to value things that will destroy us or even spend a lot of time feeling sad or betrayed. I can give an example about marriage. I personally value my marriage and will do everything to keep my marriage alive and working for me and my partner. I can look for others like where I work and see what people go through and do not put that personal value in some things in their lives. I can see people having almost extra marital relationships yet that person is married and has children. Where is the trust, faithfulness and all those values gone? We should really sit down and talk to our partners and share what we view in our lives. Values are really important if one can bridge the value gap you will definitely have happier associates, friends and family members and definitely feel happier yourself in your heart.

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 ideas will help me be a better person in the world. We have people that look upon us for leadership and through these ideas we are to persuade people to be of different like in our families, work and the society at large. The ideas have shown me how to develop the unlimited personal power that can put me in control so that I can be in control, so I can do the communication, the persuading whether as a role model and achieve the goals that I have set for myself, my family and community at large.

I think with these ideas I will have that knowledge to be what I would like to be. There is that use of my brains to choose the behaviour and internal representation that will make me a better person and this a better world. I have seen what people would embark on and see what you have to be in what state you will have to be in to achieve success. There are things that we can put in our brains, some that are just misleading and if you believe in some things you just put some limits for yourself. I believe with such knowledge it has given me that passage to the light of development of my internal representation and whatever I believe can achieve I will be able to attain. With this unlimited power it means I am able to change, to adopt, to grow, to evolve. It means I learn from every human experience and make every experience work for me. It is such knowledge that I will be able to share with others and have that experience to develop more in my own personal life and this will definitely be a big difference for my world I live in.

There has been a lot that I have been through and that has helped me be a person who I am. There are perceptions that I have had and that have been limiting me to adequately embark on things that I would like to achieve. These perceptions have limited me and there are actions that I have developed to take and hope to create the results that I wish to embark on. I hope to make a difference in my community and bring about change not only for me but for others too. All this will happen if I have that courage to put what I have learnt and put it into action. This definitely will help in achievement of unlimited power for change in me as a whole.

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. People who succeed do not have fewer problems than people who fail. The only people without problems are those in cemeteries. It is not what happens to us that separates failures from successes. It is how we perceive it and what we do about what “happens” that makes the difference. There are things that may disappoint us in life but if we let them take our lives down we will definitely die with a whole number of if’s that can never get answered. We are definitely bound to get challenges in life and we should not look at these challenges as problems that are not able to be addressed. If I can address all of my challenges and put myself in a positive state I can succeed in anything I set my mind to. The more challenges I face the more experience I gain and the more I can solve some things in my own life.

ii. Action is what produces results. Knowledge is only potential power until it comes into the hands of someone who knows how to get himself to take effective action. There is a powerful statement to me. If you are bound to do some things in life you have to be committed to put your words or thoughts into practical action. There are things that we wish to accomplish in life and we tend to put them like on paper but come to the practical part of action we tend to lack. I can say this because there are a lot of things people think about and would love to implement in their lives to change or touch the lives of many but the challenge comes to actually enforcing the practical action. We can have the necessary knowledge but that is like potential power and it needs people that are responsible to actually face of that challenge and implement the effective action in place.

iii. Everything happens for a reason and a purpose and it serves us. Do you see potential in a situation or do you see the roadblocks? Many people tend to focus on the negative more than the positive. First step toward changing that is to recognize it. Belief in limits creates limited people. The key is to let go of those limitations and operate from a higher set of resources. We have to be people that a vision orientated, open minded and not think negatively always in situations. I have learnt this in life everything does happen for a reason and for a purpose. I can say this is real and does not come more true that this. In life we should not always see the negative of a situation. I can say this for example for me I was in a period that I was not working for almost six months without proper work. It gave me a chance to spend quality time with my family get to be closer to them and share myself with them. It really gave me an end that I really wished that people would see that there is more to just family if we can not sit down with our partners and let the other express one to another. I can say that for me, I have learnt to take everything that comes and see the positive in every situation. Even if some thing negative comes my way I will take that bad experience and images and zap them their strength and power. I will represent that bad experience to myself in a way that no longer overpowers me. I will take the good experience and enhance them, make them bigger, brighten my vision. Everything does happen for a purpose.

iv. The brain produces states that make it the reality. If we change our frame of reference by looking at the same situation from a different point of view, we change the way we respond in life. We change our representation or perception about anything and in a moment change our states and behaviours. I have thought of many situations that you would be faced in life but the fact that there are usually many faces to a situation. The art of reframing helps because not only can you be facing a bad situation you can actually take that bad experience turn it into advantage to another context. Using your internal instincts you can take that most useful frame for any experience so you can turn it into something that works for you rather than against you. The key really is to learn to use my brain to communicate with myself with as much purpose, direction and persuasiveness. I have learnt to start framing and reframing experiences in a way that makes them work for me in my life and be able to reach out to other people.

v. Learn to judge yourself by your goals instead of by what your peers seem to be doing. Care about what you create and what you want to do. Work from a set of dynamic, evolving, enabling goals that will help you do what you want, not what someone else has done. I really learnt from life you make your own history everyday you wake up and take that decision that you make. I have set myself goals that I would like to reach and there will be tough road for me but to reach those goals I have put that state of mind of achievement and I will reach those goals. I have the power to shape my future on things that I desire to accomplish and these will not be based on what other people have done or accomplished. I have put my unlimited power to change the way I communicate with others and that is the way to bring my success to reality.

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?

None

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 the book had exercises to complete. I had the challenge to complete all of them and the constant reminder by the author was important because it is no use just to read over these exercise but rather to actually do them will they help you. There was the exercise to put you in a desired state. You find that in life you can hold on to old experiences in life and that experience can eat you from the inside out. I really learnt a lot and particular to reframe some things that you would not think will ever leave you. There was also an exercise on writing your goals and what you like to achieve in life. I can say that all of the exercises were really helpful to me as they brought that power in me to reach out to the community and have that personal development of my mind and necessary for taking action on my goals in life to reach success I desire.

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.

None

Ratings:

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

 

 

Leadership for Dummies

Assessment by Enock Pedze (South Africa)

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

The worlds we are accustomed to we are meant to believe that if you are bound to be a leader you have to be born with those qualities and traits of a leader. But after reading the book I really saw the idea that leaders are not only born to be out bound leaders but in fact leaders are made. Leadership is everywhere, whether at home you are a parent, at school you could be a teacher, at a community center you could be a volunteer and it is those skills that we should posses in order to be capable to take the responsibility to lead people to a desired goal.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. If you are to be a successful leader you need to elicit the cooperation of others, listen to people and put others before yourself. These are qualities we can learn to develop in our everyday work. It does not take a lot to master these qualities but if one is willing to embrace leadership on does not need to be selfish and think of his or her own need only but of others. Listening to other people is very important. If we can not take others into account how are you going to lead anybody? It takes a lot of dedication to listen to the needs of others and take them seriously into action. If you are bound to lead you have to elicit the cooperation of other people and this does not mean to buy people in order to be in an influential position but the cooperation of people willingly and with their humble approval can you be a real influential leader. I can say for me I have been in position of leadership but one that I cherish for ever is my own family. It takes a lot to be able to bring a family together and everyday is a challenge because you learn a lot. If you are able to bring a family together you have to be able to handle the responsibilities that come with the family. They look up to you for guidance and that journey to a common goal and some of the things you learn from your own mistakes to be a real influential parent.

ii. Leaders are made and it is the fact that one can acquire those skills to be called a leader. All leaders go through a period of training, of taking on increased responsibilities and increased learning and no leader rises to the top without the assistance and sometimes the patronage of people who will give a potential leader the encouragement and opportunities needed to take that leadership role. In Africa, there is a perception mostly in heads of state that I have seen. If they are put in leadership positions they tend not to be willingly to relinquish power to others even they see that their time is up. It is that belief that has robbed Africa in term of democracy when the so called leaders rule with an iron fist to remain in power. That belief that there can be nobody else to run a country because they were born to be leaders is not correct. Leaders are made and if we can learn that and be able to embrace that culture we certainly will see a different continent that is free and fair for all. I can say that this was an eye opener for me and this idea is an important to me because we are learning to embrace leadership not only from the older generation but also from the young leaders too. We have to pass that leadership position also to others and not let dictators rule our world.

iii. Leadership begins with the willingness to embrace responsibility. In order to take up the position to have influence on a group or anything you have to be able to take that responsibility on yourself and be able to be willing to take on whatever that responsibility comes on with. I ca say that to be a leader you have to be trained, require a goal and need followers. You certainly can not wake up one day and say I am a leader when you absolutely do not have any knowledge, or idea how things are handled or done. If you can take that responsibility and have a vision for what you believe is true and attainable you will definitely be able to take a mission to the attainable goal. You defiantly need the cooperation of others as a leader you can not take up a task alone but share that responsibility with people that are also trained and have knowledge of what goal you need to attain. If it means you lack some kind of experience as a leader you can have that edge to solicit the help of somebody who has an experience in that field. That I can say is a responsibility that we can build a true leader and leadership that can build a network of responsible people who are able to meet their responsibilities.

iv. I have witnessed the creation of organisations and the downfall of those organisations because of poor or inconsistent leadership brawls. I have seen the types of leaderships that exist and have learnt a lot from them because in reality people believe that leadership should be lifelong but in fact leadership in particularly in organisations may be temporary or situational or transitional leadership. If people have different personalities we have a lot to do for some positions that people can be put to task. I worked with some volunteer organisations and would see people argue or mislead people for the sack of gripping on the leadership board. It will be really healthy for people to take the opportunity to teach others because there comes a time where you will have to leave that position for others to take that position. It really sad to see in particular if I look at volunteer organisation loose in terms of revenue, assets and even volunteers because there is that lose of training on how to run particular office just because there was that lose in terms of leadership training. If we can have that will to let go in for the sack of survival of organisations we will really go a long way but if people are in for the sack of enriching themselves I think that they rather leave. I can say that volunteer organisations go through a lot of strain and that will not do any good for the organisation if we tend to focus on in house squabbles that can cause the downfall of the organisation. Commitment is needed be it from the board down to the volunteers and I can say that if we loose that particular commitment the survival of volunteer organisation is at risk. Leadership needs to be handed over to others and good leaders are needed to change the way organisations are run, even the way resources, or facilities for a vision and responsibility to making those adjustment should not lie in one particular individual but in a group. Change is needed and that action you take can have a new great effect for the organisation and if we can have leaders that provide a climate necessary for creating growth and success.

v. If you are to be a leader I have learnt that you have to be equipped with a mission plan. This mission should be shared among your team or group and have a particular goal or objective you would like to acquire or reach to. Its no use have a mission and you are not well informed or equipped with what exactly you would like to accomplish or expected outcome of the mission. I would say that this is leadership that we should try to empower especially the young people of our communities. I can see it in communities and there is need to empower visionaries that need that guidance for the future. If we can bring that direction setting in them, facilitate them to do things that they want to do and realistically setting goals that they are able to reach and give them the support they need. There is bound to be some failure and if it leadership we must have an exception for error as this is a learning process. Let us instill that sense of leadership be it in the family, instill that sense of values to the children that is productive, test them by giving them some kind of responsibility and allow them to test themselves by accepting responsibility. There is nowhere that we can say everyone is perfect all the time. You are bound to make some kind of mistake but one must be responsible enough to take on that mistake and learn from it. I can see also the culture of particularly blaming people fro mistakes is not productive. A person should learn from the mistake and be given chance to explain himself and chance to use their leadership capabilities. I have seen people being changed in their lives as we have been empowered to bring change to people that we would not expect things to be brought out of. We can be people that are vision oriented that will bring you several short term goals to achieve something that the group or team will always be known or remembered with.

vi. There are places that I have worked and had to endure the kind of leadership that was do insensitive to the needs of the people at the bottom. It was a lesson learnt is that if you are at work there should be that sense of team ship. We can learn a lot if people really are able to bring up teams and be able to learn whatever those people have got to say. I can say that if there is something that I have learnt I have embraced leadership in terms of building teams that are able to work in harmony and to a desired goal. It should be a learning lesson if we can be able to form some teams or groups in which we are able to learn from each other and benefit the kind of leadership that each person possesses. We are like in a kind of war where the leader is in full command instead of delegating duties there is that military kind of leadership that you take what I say or you hit the road. This is needed for leaders to be flexible be it with the employees have a heart to listen to their concerns and address them by any needs if possible. This is turn can lead to a healthy work relationship instead of insubordination that will lead to squabbles and loss of time in some things that can be resolved through better means. I think after reading the book there is that idea that stuck to me. Leadership is all about cooperation of people, listening to people and putting the needs of others before yours. Do not be sensitive see things as what you only see them only there are things that need to be addressed and that is true leadership that a true leader needs to address.

vii. There are characteristic of a true leader I have learnt and would work on. Leaders are honest, eager, cheerful, resourceful, persuasive, cooperative, altruistic, courageous, supportive and assertive. There are things we try to work on everyday if we are not able to adopt these characteristics we are not able to work with other people even try to elicit their cooperation. I can try to say this about our own community leaders or politicians who may begin with true motives and later on feel the comfort and forget the needs of the people. They inherit some kind of characters that they would not have shown their true colours before taking office and when they are comfortably in their seats they forget to build that relationship with the people. In a lesson for me these characteristics are everyone’s responsibility and we can inherit them and build a culture of true leaders who put the needs of their people first. These characteristics are a test of true leadership and we can be in the possession of some of these and we definitely can learn more of these characteristics be it in our family, homes, communities and society at large for the better of tomorrows leaders.

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?

These ideas have taught me to take leadership as a concept that is truly realistically and everyday event. You can never be in an influential position or position where you make decisions until and unless you decide to take every step of your day with serious decisions that you got to make. There are things we tend to live to others to make but if we can shape our lives with one day decision we make we shape a better life for ourselves and others.

In my own personal life I can say that leadership has taught something for my family and community at large. We have kids and we are responsible for their bringing up and it is up to us to instill that leadership character and responsibilities. Let us catch them young and help them grow to be true leaders that we will be proud of tomorrow. There will be bound to be mistakes and let the children learn from them. We were given also that opportunity to grow and let them express themselves, even in our communities we have to instill that volunteer spirit and we can do that if we build that concept of volunteer leadership to the young. We seem to be busy in our schedules and not notice what kind of leadership we instill in the kids even if we do not take that spare moment to spend with our families. Let us take that moment to practice with them be it at school sports, reading a book to them, helping in raising some funds for the community project, we should be exemplary leaders to them for they look upon us everyday of their lives.

Leadership is a set of disciples involving the formulation of a vision, the development of plans, the execution of a mission and the reaching of a goal. I have been able to develop as from reading these books and the form of leadership concept that I did not seem to be versed in comes to light. If it is a better world that I would like to see it world that we create young people that are able to help others in need. Let us listen to other peoples needs and put them before our own. We ca be the change in this world and be an agent of change in our communities, school or villages we can reach more people by providing some volunteer service for the needy yes there can be strain in resources or finances but we can bring a smile to someone each day if we are willing to be that change. I can say for me I have a vision one day to be able to bring people together be at local or regional or nationwide together to help others in need. We can help out in our communities just to talk and listen to others in need can make a difference to that person’s life. This will need true commitment and dedication and if it is possible to bring a group or team together I certainly will work hard to get that vision a reality.

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.

“ Leaders have the ability to inspire people to go beyond what they think they are capable of doing, making it possible for a group to attain a goal that was previously thought unattainable”

To me this was an true inspiration as it build the kind of leadership I feel needs to be executed in today’s youth. They think that the world owes them a favour and they can not do anything but sit home and relax while others have to work for them. If we can have leaders that can address the needs especially for the youth to go beyond hope and come to face reality that nobody is going to do them any favour unless they pick themselves up. We need people to motivate youths not only by words but also with action too. We can be good leaders with we have some form of inspiration and acting consistently we can develop a better youth leadership for tomorrow.

“Leadership doesn’t happen naturally, and it doesn’t occur overnight. Leadership is a happy joining of someone who has the desire, training and circumstances to lead, with a group of people that requires leadership.”

I believe that true leaders are not born only but they are made. If we can be able to let these

leaders the kind of training that is needed to enable them to lead in this world we will definitely make a difference in people lives. Leadership should be able to be harnessed especially where there is potential let these people that show the commitment and will to lead get the proper training and let it not end there only it should be further enhanced to others and that cycle to train other should be passed on. Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.

“A good leader also is responsible for being the catalyst in making changes in an organisation internal environment. The changes make it possible for the organisation to achieve its vision or reach its goals. Being an agent of change can mean taking on the responsibility for making adjustments in personnel, resources or facilities to make the vision achievable.”

There are people that we might feel that are not supposed to be in leadership position but those people can be good for the organisations. I have seen it where people are stuck with one form of tradition to run volunteer organisations and will not adopt some change that will benefit the organisation. If we can be able to hear them out and have a look at what is being put forward for the good of the organisation. In this world we are living there is change that is coming in be it in terms of running the organisation, technology or even the way functions of organisations have to change to the needs of people out there. We must be able to accept change to the survival of volunteer organisation especially in Africa where we should adopt change to move forward not backward.

iv. “Neither the grandest vision nor the simplest one materializes by itself. Nearly anything that you want to do and that is worth accomplishing takes time and effort. It also requires careful planning so that you can determine exactly what resources your team needs, when it needs them, where they will get them and what outcomes are expected at each step along the way.” In leadership we need to have people that are able to have a vision and be able to plan how to get that vision on until you reach a desires goal. Being the leaders you have to be able to source some funds, resources to be able to achieve the desired goal. No one is going to do that for you until and unless you sit down plan and work hard to achieve that short term or long term goal in your life.

v. “People change themselves for the better all the time. They change jobs, improve their education at night and on weekends, change where they live, change how they live (and with whom), all at the drop of a hat. If you make those changes with some method, the chances are that you’ll improve your life each time you make a change.” There is something I learnt when I was reading this book. It is all about change in us. If we can be that responsible enough to accept change, change that will do us good not for today but the future we definitely will build a better world. If we can accept to get education, improve how we do things we will definitely bring change to our families, community and world at large. Let us embrace that change in our lives and do not be afraid to let go of that job when you see you are not going any further but back. I can say that the book has brought on some responsibility to my leadership role and will apply it for the better.

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?

None

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 there was an exercise that you had to evaluate yourself. To me it was a helpful exercise as I had and experience to see my own personal inventory of skills in learning, physical, financial and social skills. You will not get anywhere if you do not improve yourself to serve others, taking responsibility, listening and taking into consideration other people needs. I can say that by being able to rate myself you will be able to see yourself what level of leadership you fall under. There are things that we need to do to improve ourselves in our skills department. Everyone can be able to improve and be that agent of change to be a true leader.

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.

None.

Rating:

A. How interesting was it to read? 7
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