Ibijemilusi Adewumi John – Assessments

As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Ibijemilusi Adewumi John (Nigeria)

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

The main idea being taught in the book “As a Man Thinketh” is that a man’s thought birth his character. Every fulfilments ,joy, pains, circumstances a man goes through does not occur based on chance or by trials and errors; but all is linked to the kind of thought a man yield himself to. Just like a man’s thought is likened to garden, the man’s mind is filled with all manner of thoughts, innovations and ideas which could either be pleasant or unpleasant. A man’s mind if well cultivated, will give good yield. Otherwise, it gives rise to bad yield. So, either well cultivated or abandoned to grow wild; it will surely produce a yield after its kind. In addition, the book also revealed man as being the maker and lord of his destiny, environment, so nothing happens to him by chance because he has the power to influence his own character, sharpens his destiny and as well build his environment. The thought of a man affects everything about his being, our thought hath made us and whatsoever thought we yield ourselves to over time forms our character, for instance, if we give ourselves to good, pure and desiring thought, this will so much affect our being and we will end up being good and if otherwise we will inherit a bestial character. So whatsoever we yield our thought too with time sharpen our essence and purpose as well as its fulfilment which may either be good, pure and pleasant character or bad character.

We were taught to always conceive good thought with which we are assured of peace of mind, comfort and joy and if we fail in conceiving good and desiring thoughts which lead to peace, we will end up being confused with a troubled mind. The book also emphasized that man made or unmade himself in the place of thought he prepares the devices with which he either build or destroy himself. By the right decision and correct application of thought he enters into a state of divine perfection and by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends to the level of the beast.

As the moulder and lord of his destiny and character, man is always the master, even in his weak and most abandoned state he made and as well unmade his destiny, he is the only being who can help himself, man is a very sensitive being, he becomes an object of power and great achievement when purpose is rightly defined by him, he begin to live and walk according to purpose and that drives him toward perfection. Again when purpose is not known abuse is inevitable, so for man to come to that point of being an object of great influence positively, he needs to do a personal introspection, define a just cause to live for and a true cause to die.
I also learnt that everyman has varying definition for what they call true and ability to rightly defined this either gives him a sense of hero or makes him inferior.

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

A. We can lift ourselves out of ignorance.

If only we see ourselves as a creature of excellence and virtue, it will help lift us from our ignorance into knowledge. Knowledge they is power and it’s strengthen.

B. We can find ourselves as creature of excellence, intelligence and skill
All we need to do is to look within for a true discovery of our person; it will really be great if we can come into this reality.

C. Finding definition to our lives.

Who is more responsible than a man who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? So we all need to come into this understanding as well for living to be purpose.

D. Our thoughts birth our actions.

Our character and attitude are sharpens out of our thought. Our thought is a very powerful tool which made or unmade us. So we need to give crude attention to our thoughts.

E. Man made or unmade himself

This is because no man can be blame for others misfortunes or for what they fail to achieve; man possess great attributes and these can only be birth out of thought.

F. Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamond obtained, man can find every truth about his being if only he can consciously burry himself in purposeful thoughts.

G. A man’s mind is likened to a garden.

If well cultivated it gives back a good yield and if let uncultivated, it grows wild. Cultivated or not, it must surely, produce and the kind of produce is based on how much cultivation done. So there is need for man to keep his heart, minds and thoughts free from wrong thoughts else he becomes very wild in wrong deeds.

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?

That I need to be give earnest attention to my thoughts, having understood that my thoughts can either make or mar me, I need to start conceiving good thought which will make everything about me desiring and good with time. And again conceiving good thought is nothing when the determination for change is lacking. I need to build up strong will and a great deal of determination for me to be of good virtues. As a Man Thinketh indeed so is he! So to find definition to my life, fulfil purpose and leave my handwriting in people’s heart I need to start conceiving good thoughts.

Again I have learned that all, I mean all I needed to satisfy my needs are all buried in my thoughts, so I need to devote all attention into refining and mining of soul.

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.

“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must and will bring forth. Just as a gardener cultivates his plots, keeping it free from weeds and growing whatsoever he desires; so is the man’s mind it will produce according to its kind.”
“Thought and character are one and as character can only manifest and discover itself through the environment and circumstance the condition of a person will be found related to his inner being.”

In view of this, we don’t need to look far for definition about our person, personalities and essence; because all we are seeking answers to lies within us. All we need to do is look inward and begin to live in the reality of our true person as this will lead us to what I called freedom.

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?

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, my heart has really learned so much from reading, now I can see in a new light and all the exercises were helpful and I am still dwelling in the knowledge obtained. I have been really blessed. I have been made to see how creative I could be and how destructive I could be as well if I don’t give myself to good and pleasant thoughts.

That I can be what I want to be, can Move Mountains even in the faces of ups and downs, all I need to give more attention to is my thoughts. With it can build the world, no man should be blame for what I achieve or fail to achieve.

Again, nothing happens based on chance; our character, attitudes and ways of life are all sharpen and fashioned by our thoughts and that reveals our true person to us. Every secret about a man is hidden in the realm of his thought. And that complement the title of the book As a Man Thinketh. So no man can act solitary outside of his thoughts, either good or pleasant, desiring and noble all of these are born out of thought. The definition we all sought after is in our thought.

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

No.

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

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

 

 

Jonathan Livinston Seagull

Assessment by Ibijemilusi Adewumi John (Nigeria)

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

This book was based on a seagull by name Jonathan who believes so much in the reality of a world where everything is possible. Jonathan, as different from other seagulls do not only believe in flying but he believes in flying with a difference, flying with a defined purpose, flying to a point of perfection which he called Heaven. Jonathan was a great seagull who sees failure as a guarantee of his success, irrespective of the number of times he fell, he still gathered great momentum to fly on, and he never stopped trying even in the midst of great depressions, objections and abject rejection. He still believes so much in exploring new and unique ideas by himself and teaching it to other seagulls like himself. Jonathan due to his way of life never really made for himself friend because he was committed to the fulfilments of his concepts as well as its actualities. He would kill and die for the realities of his dreams. Jonathan saw great strength in every weakness. He would commit great deal of time, passion, energy and commitments to his dreams. He believes in achieving the unachievable, in the reality of a world where everything is possible. Jonathan stood differently and saw differently from every other seagull. Jonathan came in contact with purpose that defines everything about him. He learnt to associate with people of like minds. The kind of thinking, he found, is not the way to make one’s self popular with other seagull. Jonathan learnt to spend time alone and learnt great flying skills all by himself. So, there is a little Jonathan Livingstone seagull in me. Every great and desiring achievement comes from a conscious and persistent effort. Just as Jonathan held through in all, I will never give up on my beliefs, dreams, ambitions and myself. I have learnt never to live like a commoner because purpose defines my living. I have also learnt that in life, I don’t need too many people, all I need is just the selected few who believe in me who can buy into my dreams though, sometimes it might even look hard to get any encouragement but all that is important, is holding on to my strong will to live with a difference. Jonathan in spite of his great achievements still kept aspiring for new discovery and ways of flying, committing himself more each day to unlearn and relearn new ways of living. I also believe for me to actually function at the peak of my potentials I need to be dissatisfied with little achievements and see new chances to aspire more and gather the strong will to carry through in all things. Lessons learnt will always serve as watch words to live by. Exercising positive attitude in all my doings, being the change that I will like to see in others. In addition, I have learnt never to give up on my dreams no matter how scary they might look because if they are not big enough to scare me, that implies that they are not big enough. I have also learnt never to be contended with little achievements but to always see the need to do more.

I need to know if that I am committed to now is really worth it, that is, purposeful. I have taken it as a standard, to always seek purpose in all I do. Because an adage says abuse is inevitable, when the purpose of a thing is not known. a man of propose is defined by his attitude towards life and his commitment towards his dreams. Every acts demonstrated by Jonathan were purposeful, tough, challenging though but worth it. I believe I need to look within for just one reason to want to live another day. I need to know if that I am committed to now is really worth it, that is, purposeful. I have taken it as a standard, to always seek purpose in all I do. Because an adage says abuse is inevitable, when the purpose of a thing is not known.

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.

Doing something new most times comes with a price.

Just as Jonathan who believes there is more to flying other than flying for food alone. He saw differently from every other seagull and at the same time bear the circumstances that surrounds the fulfillment of his dreams. Exercising positive attitude in all my doings, being the change that I will like to see in others. In addition, I have learnt never to give up on my dreams no matter how scary they might look because if they are not big enough to scare me, that implies that they are not big enough. I have also learnt never to be contended with little achievements but to always see the need to do more.

B. Purpose defines what we do.

A man of propose is defined by his attitude towards life and his commitment towards his dreams. Every acts demonstrated by Jonathan were purposeful, tough, challenging though but worth it. I believe I need to look within for just one reason to want to live another day. I need to know if that I am committed to now is really worth it, that is, purposeful. I have taken it as a standard, to always seek purpose in all I do. Because an adage says abuse is inevitable, when the purpose of a thing is not known.

C. To achieve something new there is need to look beyond the ordinary.

Jonathan in the middle of his struggles lifted his eyes beyond what he could see and start to believe in what are not, as if they were. He began to believe in the reality of everything being possible. He had a positive attitude to every acts, he demonstrated, even in the midst of failures he saw great triumphs.

D. To be passionate about one’s dream.

Jonathan spends more time doing what he loves most which is flying. so, I see the need for me to do a personal introspection, to come to the knowledge of what I love doing and be consistent in it till I become perfect in it just as Jonathan stayed committed to his dreams and beliefs, making for himself history at the very end, I must be persistent to follow whatsoever I dream about.

E. Never to be contented with little achievements.

Jonathan in spite of his great achievements still kept aspiring for new discovery and ways of flying, committing himself more each day to unlearn and relearn new ways of living. I also believe for me to actually function at the peak of my potentials I need to be dissatisfied with little achievements and see new chances to aspire more and gather the strong will to carry through in all things.

F. Always create and find solutions to problems.
Jonathan saw a need to create and proffer solutions to problems by asking questions, taking out time to think of possible way-out. I see that I need to start asking purposeful questions like how? When? What? Why? And so on.

G. To always be the change you want to see in others.

Jonathan learned to live by great and admirable rules. He became what he gave himself to overtime till those good principles became an asset and began to flow out the abundance of his inner being. He eventually became what he wanted to see in others, leaving behind good and admirable standards. Whatever I give myself to becomes my legacy.

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?

Lessons learned will always serve as watch words to live by. Exercising positive attitude in all my doings, being the change that I will like to see in others. In addition, I have learnt never to give up on my dreams no matter how scary they might look because if they are not big enough to scare me, that implies that they are not big enough. I have also learnt never to be contended with little achievements but to always see the need to do more.

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.

None.

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, I did and they were really helpful. I do appreciate every principle the books taught me.

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

No.

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

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