As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Dahunsi Olanrewaju (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The intent of the book being to stimulate us to the discovery and perception of the truth that “we our ourselves are makers of ourselves” by virtue of the thoughts which we choose and encourage, that the mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and as we may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain we may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.
* The book emphasis the “power of the thought” we encourage, has a man thinketh in is heart so is he.
* Positive thinking, Possibility thinking and the power of the thought we encourage.
The Book is divided into seven unique chapters/themes in which the author shows the power of the mind and the ability of man to control his life outcomes by controlling what he allows to go into his mind.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts. The author lays emphasis on the effect of thought on our character.
CAUSE AND EFFECT
Man is a growth by law, and not a creation by artifice. Cause and effect are as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. Man is made and unmade by himself. By the right choice of true application of thought, man ascends to the divine perfection. By the abuse and wrong application of thought he descends below the level of the beast.
Newton’s’ first law of motion states that; a body continues to be in its state of rest unless is acted upon by an external body. This is can be related to the thought we allow in our mind, what we see is what we get. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. What we sow is what we reap. In Life, our input determines our output, he that seeketh, findeth.
Whatever happens to me in life is as a result of the thought i encourage to my mind. Our thought determines our character, our character determines our destiny.
EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON CIRCUMSTANCES
Man is the master gardner of his soul, the director of his life. He also reveals, within himself, the flaws of thought, and understands with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of character, circumstances and destiny.
The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations; it falls to the level of its unchastened desires, and circumstances are means by which the souls receive its own.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY
What we see is what we get (WYSIWG), garbage in garbage out. Our thought pattern determines what happens to us. Nigeria is a country with the largest concentration of black people in the world, we are blessed with vast human and natural resources but both is underutilized as a result of many challenges such as corruption, bad leadership, eroded value system. Nigerians are very hardworking people but with these challenges, the nation is going through “Growth without development. For me, I have decided to put my destiny into my hands because of my understanding of the effect of thought on circumstance.
I am starting from the inside out, by practicing personal leadership, by being the change i want to see in the world. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly. yet surely shapes his circumstances. Our circumstance is rooted in our thought pattern, good thoughts is equal good circumstance while bad thought is equal to bad circumstance.Gabage In Garbage Out.
EFFECTS OF THOUGHTS ON HEALTH AND BODY
The body is the servant of the mind. Strong pure and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own good or bad, upon it. Disease and thought are rooted in the thought we allow in our mind.
The Key to Long Life
The understanding of the concept of possibility thinking and pure thoughts in our mind, enhances the longetivity of we humans. A sick mind is equal to sick thoughts which results in sick body while a pure mind is equal to good thoughts which results in pure/healthy body.
The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will sooner shatter the nervous system.
A pure thought therefore is a sure recipe to long life, with the understanding of the effect of thought on my health bad body, i have cultivated the habit of ensuring my mind is filled with pure thoughts all the time, this have been doing by associating with right people, listening to pure music, reading life-changing book and resting as much as i can. The state of our health is rooted into our thought pattern.
THOUGHT AND PURPOSE
Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force. Until thought is linked to purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment.
GOAL SETTING
A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder. For anybody to achieve anything meaningful in life there is the need for the individual to understand their definite purpose in life. A goal is a dream without a deadline, for us to set worthwile goal we need to understand our purpose.
THE THOUGHT FACTOR IN ACHIEVEMENT
There can be no progress or achievement without sacrifice, and a man’s worldly success will be the measure that he sacrifices his confused animal thoughts, and fixes his mind on the development of his plan, and the strengthening of his resolution and self-reliance. The higher he lifts his thoughts, the greater will be his success, the more blessed and enduring will be his achievements.
PERSONAL SACRIFICE
For us to achieve anything worthwhile in life, we need to sacrifice greatly. The need to pay the price for a success driven life requires that we sacrifice. The sacrifice could include delayed gratification, paying for seminars, conferences and buying quality materials.
VISION AND IDEALS
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve. Our vision is the promise of what we shall one day be; our ideal is the prophecy of what we shall at last unveil.
VISION
Vision is a picture of a desirable future; the greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. Dreamers are the saviors of the world, we become as small as our controlling desire, as great as our dominating aspiration. We need to continuously feed our heart with pure thoughts, the vision we glorify in our mind, the ideal that we enthrone in our heart, this we build our life by; this we become.
Do not see the long arduous journey, but only behold the pleasant goal and call it “good fortune”. Don not understand the process, but only perceive the result, and call it “chance”. Do not feature in a future, you can not picture.
SERENITY
A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved being. For such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as he develops a right understanding, and see ever more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, he ceases to fuss, fume, worry, and grieve. he remains poised, steadfast, and serene.
The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Self-control is strength. Right is mastery. Calmness is power.
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 Law of cause and effect is always undeviating; my input to the world determines my output. A good understanding of cause and effect will make me more deliberate with my actions because what i sow is what i reap.
Having complete control of the thoughts i encourage in my mind, will make me more deliberate with my acts and action.
There are no limits to what i can achieve in life, what i can conceive and believe, i can achieve.
Setting high goals and determining my true purpose in life.
Taking personal responsibility for my life.
Casting vision and staying focused in my pursuit of happiness.
As a man thinketh in his heart so is he, what i want in life i can get by setting my eyes on the big picture. Input determines output.
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.
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his character.
“He that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
“The soul attracts which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations, it falls to the level of its unchastened desires and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.”
“Circumstance does not make the man, it reveals him to himself.”
“A man may be cursed and rich; he may be blessed and poor.”
“Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used.”
“Law, not confusion, is the dominating principle in the universe; justice, not justice, is the soul and substance of life.”
“A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstance.”
“The world is our kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colors which at every succeeding moment it presents to us are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of our ever-moving thought.”
“Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment.”
“Strength can only be developed by effort and practice.”
“The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them ,who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every stem.”
“Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force.”
“Achievement of any kind is the crown of effort, the diadem of thought.”
“All achievements are the result of definitely directed thought.”
“To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve.”
“Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”
“You will become as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration.”
“Don’t see the long, arduous journey, but only behold the pleasant goal and call it “good fortune”. Do not understand the process, but only perceive the result, and call it “Chance”.
“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his power for good.”
“Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery, Calmness is power.”
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?
No
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No
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 Limits.
What a man can conceive and believe, he can achieve.
Blame Nobody. Expect Nothing. Do Something.
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? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Dahunsi Olanrewaju (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea the author is trying to convey in the book?
The importance of seeking a higher purpose in life.
It is a story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a young seagull who is bored with the daily squabbles over food, seized by a passion for flight; he pushes himself, learning everything he can about flying.
Possibilties. Daring to be different. Posibility thinking.
It is a story about the importance of seeking a higher purpose in life, even if our society, tribe, or neighborhood finds our ambition threatening. By not compromising our vision, we get the ultimate payoff of self-awareness/purpose which is transcendence. It is a story of daring to be different and the faith to become whatever we want to be. It is a story of extraordinary ordinary. It is a story about a seagull who dared to be different, a non conformist of societal tradition, he disrespected status quo and broke barriers which ultimately leads him to discovering himself.
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.
RISK TAKING/DARING TO BE DIFFERENT
Young Jonathan Seagull frustrated by the conformity and limitation of the seagull life. “Most gulls didn’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight- how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating for Jonathan, it was not eating that mattered, but flight.
Jonathan was a seagull who aimed to seek a higher purpose in life. He loved to fly, he was passionate about flying but is lack of conformity to societal norms leads him into conflict with his flock, and they turn their backs on him, casting him out of the society. Not deterred by the challenges posed to him by his society, Jonathan dared to be different, defied tradition persevered on his goal and he eventually overcomes the obstacles.
We need to follow our heart in whatever we belief in, I have always wanted to be a serial entrepreneur but i come from a society which is certificate centric (JOB Mentality), that is “Go to school, Get good grades, Get a good JOB, Get a good wife and Live happily after”. I have resolved to follow my heart desire of being a problem solver and solution provider.
It has been very challenging being an entrepreneur in Nigeria but by having a personal resolve to be different among the flock, I have taken personal responsibility for my life by experimenting with my ideas and learning from my mistakes. I have dedicate my life to life-long learning by reading widely, listening to quality audio programs, attending life changing seminars and experimenting with my ideas on in a bid to prepare myself for the challenges ahead.
If it is not me then who, if it is not now, then when…Distinct or Extinct are my guiding principles for daring to be different.
PASSION
“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For Jonathan Livingston Seagull, though it was not eating that mattered but flight. More than anything else, he loved to fly. He was very passionate about flying; he had the burning desire to fly. Even when his mother turned her back against him, he said: Mum, I just want to know what i can do in the air and what i can’t, that’s all. I just want to know.
With passion and a burning desire to succeed, we can achieve everything we can set our mind on.” Accepting the criticism from those closest to us is very hard” but against all odds jonathan was still able to actualize and pursue is passion. Jonathan tried so hard to be like the gulls but the desire/passion for flight could just not leave him.
This part of passion is very important because we need passion and enthusiasm to succeed. I am very passionate about adding value to peoples life, no matter how hard i try, I just can’t help it. My personal mantra is “Value per Excellence”.
PERSEVERANCE
Jonathan was exposed to a lot of obstacles such as limitations of his body, societal norms, tradition, self-limiting belief but with tenacity and perseverance he was able to achieve his goals and overcome the obstacles. Jonathan tried very hard to learn more about speed than any gull alive, in the process of learning about flight, he was able to discover many things about flight, learned from his mistakes, he persevered and he attained his goal ultimately. In the process set and broke record.
Calvin Coolidge opined that Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
The story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull as a semblance of most of the great people that lived the surface of the earth, people like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi,Magaret Thatcher, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison etc. These are people that dared to be different, they we severely criticized but by not compromising their values, they persevered and they eventually actualized there goal.
Seeing the end in mind is key, that is seeing the big picture and persevering to achieve my most cherished goal is paramount.
LEARNING/CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
It was Aristotle that said :”we are what we repeatedly do,excellnce then is not an act but a habit. Jonathan was a seagull who continuously wanted to see the possibilities of life. He continuously improved himself by practising, hear what Jonathan said to one of his students (Sullivan): “we choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome.
By continuously learning and improving we understand our true meaning and purpose in life. Learning is a relatively permanent change in the behavior which is demonstrated by people implementing knowledge, skills, or practices derived from education.
According to Richard Bach,” Learning is finding out what we already know. Doing is demonstrating that we know it. Teaching is reminding others that they already know just as well as you know. We are all learners, doers, and teachers. When the learner is ready, the teacher is available.
I am an advocate of self-education through life-long learning. I love reading books, listening to quality audio books and a urge to add value to anything i come in contact with. The need to continuously learn and improve my self is very important to me because i have come to the understanding that “Success is a journey and not a destination.”
The road of success is always under construction.
SHARING
In the words of Jonathan’s teacher (Chiang): “Keep working on love. Jonathan thought about these words for a very long time, he kept wondering if there was any gull who might be struggling to break out of his limits, to see the meaning of flight beyond a way of travel to get a breadcrumb from a rowboat. These part of the story emphasis the need for us to share and give back to the society. It cost a candle nothing to light another candle. By becoming a teacher (Sharing), Jonathan learns more about flight and impacts the people around him.
In the year 2007, i joined Junior chambers International, University of Lagos collegiate chapter. JCI is a worldwide federation of young leaders and entrepreneurs, for people between the ages of 18 to 40 years. The organization is a not for profit organization with a mission of being the leading global organization of young active citizens.
In JCIUNILAG,i was elected as the vice president of the organization on campus. it has really strengthened my orientation towards service to humanity and my value orientation to people around me. In JCI, we carry out various community development projects; as the vice-president i put in my all into the organization although we were not paid but after my tenure i was given the following awards: The most outstanding member JCIUNILAG 2008/2009 LOM year and also the Best project award for organizing the Annual Leadership and Entrepreneurship Lecture 2009.
SELF-SACRIFICE
Jonathan sacrificed a lot towards achieving his goal which is seeking a higher purpose for meaning in life. He defied tradition, became an outcast. Against all odds, he pursued self-perfection, overcame barriers, changed the people around him and in the process understands the concept of possibility thinking.
He was willing to pay the price of his non-conformity, he followed his heart and he traveled the road less travelled.This ultimately proved to be the difference between mediocrity and greatness. The ability to apply ourselves/pay the price is the major difference between the successful and the not too successful.
I have dedicated my self to life-long learning because i have discovered that to be great, I need to apply myself, challenge my limitation (Self-limiting beliefs) and grow. By sacrificing, we take stock of our lives and put our destiny into our hands, we awaken the giant within us. Personal Sacrifices such as sleepless nights, attending life-changing seminars, investing in our Mental Bank Account through books and audio programs would soon lead to the desired goal.
LOVE AND KINDNESS
Jonathan Seagull was born to be an instructor, and his own way of demonstrating love was to give something of the truth that he had seen to a gull who asked only a change to see truth for himself. As advised by his teacher: “keep working on love.” In spite of his lonely past showed his flock the true meaning of love and kindness.
The Law of karma states that do unto others as you want to be done unto you. If we can all endeavor to see the good in everyone and help others to see the best in themselves the world would be better place for everybody. By seeing the best in everyone i come in contact with, it would enhance my resolve to be a value-creator and solution-provider.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way both your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? if so how?
It would make me set more audacious goals because what a man can conceive in his heart and believe he can achieve.
As John F.Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. By taking personal responsibility for my life, i would be of service to the world and my immediate environment.
There are no limits to what i can achieve in life.
No Pain, No Gain. No Thorne, No Throne. I need to persevere and persist on my heart most cherished goals and ambition.
Blame Nobody, Expect Nothing, Do Something.
Understanding the role of mentors in our lives and the impact to wish a mentorship relationship can have in our lives, as Jonathan had with chiang and what he had with is students.
Volunteering to solve societal and global issues.
To leave the world better than i met it.
Better understanding of the concept of possibility thinking.
Moving beyond the blame game and daring to be different.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“We choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and leads weights to overcome.”
“What we learn and the decision we make now, determines what happens to us in the future.
We are a constantly evolving being, by going the extra-mile to learn about our self, we make quality decisions in the future.
“Heaven is not place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect.”
The need for us to seek for higher purpose in life and to understand our definite purpose in life. It is reminiscent of the belief of the Chinese, that there is no heaven but a better world found through perfection of knowledge.
“Because any number is limit, and perfection does not have limits. Perfect speed,my son is being there.”
“The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly.”
those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere instantly.”
“It always works, when you know what you’re doing.”
“The gull sees farthest who flies highest.”
We can not take people farther than we’ve gone.
“If our friendship depends on things like space and time, then when we finally overcome space and time, we’ve destroyed our own brotherhood. but overcome space and all we have left is here. Overcome time, and all we have left is now. And in the middle of here and now, don’t you think we might see each other once or twice?.”
“Your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip.” Jonathan would say other times, is nothing more than your thought itself, in a form you can see, break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body too…”
“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.”
“You’ve got to understand that a seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, an image of the great gull, and your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought yourself.”
We are an image of GOD and he has given us the ability to choose freely (freewill). We have to look deep within our self to awaken the giant within us.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
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?
No
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No
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.
Possibility Thinking.
Total disrespect for status quo.
Rating
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? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Giant Steps
Assessment by Lanre Dahunsi (Nigeria)
1. What is the Main Idea that the author is trying to convey in the Book?
The Small changes that make a big difference in our lives. A set of daily discipline in the process of Self Mastery. The author gives tips, insights and strategies for making the daily small steps that leads to self mastery and the ways in which these strategies can help us awaken the giant within us. The book challenges us to take baby steps to make a difference in our society. By changing our focus we have an enriching life style because we are what we think about all the time.
The Author further talks extensively on the power of our belief system and changing our belief system from our usual self limiting belief to empowering beliefs that makes us achieve our utmost potentials. We are all potential geniuses, only if we can look deep within ourselves. The right use vocabulary make us focus on the right things for us to get the best result that we can get.
Success is not a one and off thing, we need to do it consistently over a long period of time.By forming the right habits associating the with right people, using the right sets of global metaphors and focusing on the right things; we begin awaken the giant within all of us.
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. Making Public Commitment.
One of the most insightful suggestions made by the author is on the power of public commitment. We need to “ Realize the power of a single decision acted upon immediately and with utter conviction. The secret is to make a public commitment, one so forceful you cannot turn back on it.” Make a public commitment on a project you want to achieve, believe it with utmost conviction and it will surely be achieved.
ii. Neuro Association
Neuro-Associative Conditioning (NAC) is a technique which implores us to associate pain with not taking the action that we know we should take, and associating pleasure with taking action. Our Mind is constantly seeking short-term pleasure and avoiding short-term pain. The key to success therefore is associating a DEEP pain to not taking action and associating a rewarding sensation to taking the actions that are necessary to getting the result that we want.
By making the things we want so compelling, we tend to achieve it. In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche “He who has a why can endure any How”. By starting with why and aligning the things we want with our most cherised goals and aspiration we can achieve our goals.
iii. The Power of Focus
What we focus on for a particular period of time or consistently amplifies that is if you think of the bad things in your life,the bad things increases while if you think about the good things in your life for a particular period of time it amplifies. It is a universal law as stated in the Holy Book of the Christians: As a man thinketh in his heart, so his he.
iv. The Power of Our Belief System
One of my favorite take away from the book is the authors’ classification of certainty into three parts: Opinion(A transitory Perception),Belief (Which can be shaken because it is not highly emotional) and Conviction(Highly emotional beliefs which are hard to shake) .Our Belief system drive every part of our behavior and until we take our certainty from an opinion to a conviction, which is a very highly emotionalized level of certainty. We might not be a able to follow through on some of our most cherished goals and aspirations.
v. Asking the right questions
By consistently asking the right question, we get the right answers. Ask and you shall find, seek and you shall get. Successful people are the people that have asked the right questions over a long period of time and have gotten the right answers. To utilize our potential, we need to right the question until we get the right answers. Questioning helps change what we focus on and it enables us to feel better which enables us to affect the people around us and the world at large. To improve the quality of your life, model the question asked by the people you love and admire.
vi. Vocabulary of Success / Global Metaphors
Global Metaphors are a set of unique and creative metaphors we create to shape our lives and how we view the world. One of the Global metaphor that I use is: when someone ask me how I feel, my response is usually- It is the best time to be alive. This metaphor has had a profound effect on me and the people around me because optimism is contagious.
vi. Consistency
It was aristotle that once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Things don’t just happen it takes consistency, focus, hardwork and a little bit of luck to get things done.
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?
Taking Personal Responsibility
If it is going to be, it is up to me. Nobody owes me anything and I need to take personal responsibility of life and my actions. Blame Nobody, Expect Nothing and Do Something. Taking personal responsibility for myself will makes me know that nobody can change me but my self and I need to be the change that I want in the World. The Government will not do it, the society is not either, it is my life and have got to live it.
Giving
Most of the people that have really made the difference in the world are ordinary people who got dissatisfied with the status quo and they decided to make a difference in their own little way. Give and you shall receive, the giving principle states that the more you give, the more you receive (The Law of Instant Karma).
Taking Baby Steps
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single steps. The main theme of the book is for us to make small changes that make a big difference in our lives. It is the little big steps that we take which eventually leads to the actualization of our goals.
Asking the Right Questions
Questions are the answers, ask the right questions and get the right answers. Questions are the triggers to changing the things I want to change. By consistently asking questions like How can I be of value? How can I make this better? How can I help in my own little way? These questions help redirecting my focus towards making a world a better place.
Changing Belief Systems
By having a strong belief in our self we get the result we want. Nobody will belief in you if you don’t belief in your self. Vision plus Passion plus Action leads to unstoppable momentum. By having a strong conviction of what we truly belief in and taking baby steps to make our dreams come true.
Gratitude
By having an attitude of gratitude, we have a sense of giving back to out society and in the long run we leave the world a better place than we met it. No matter what position I find my self, I need to be grateful because no matter what am going through some one is either having it harder or smoother.
Consistency
Getting to the top is not the hard part of getting there but staying there. Top achieve long lasting success it requires that I become consistently consistent at what I do over a long period of time.
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?
* Set Goals that ignite your passion and excite your imagination.
* Never leave the sight of a goal without taking a single step to make you follow through.
* We under estimate what we can do in a year and overestimate what we can do in ten years.
* Age is more a matter of focus and physiology than Chronology.
* What the mind can believe and Conceive it will achieve
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?
No
6. Did the Book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, the book contained exercises and one of them is making public commitment on a goal you want to achieve. I have made public commitments on a number of goals and I find the principle very useful because I have observed that I usually follow through on those goals because of the pressure that I have told so many people.
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.
Nothing
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? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating that you would give it? 8
Psycho Cybernetics 2000
Assessment by Lanre Dahunsi (Nigeria)
1. What is the Main Idea that the author is trying to convey in the Book?
The main theme of the book is self image. Dr Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon discovered through his research work that it was not the physical operation that changed the individuals’ personality. He discovered that “self-image,” the individual’s mental and spiritual concept or “picture” of himself, was the real key to personality and behavior.
His Discovery
The dramatic and sudden changes in character and personality which often resulted when a facial defect was corrected. Changing the physical image in many instances appeared to create an entirely new person. Psycho Cybernetics consists of creative mental picturing, creatively experiencing through your imagination, and the formation of new automatic reaction patterns by “acting out” and “acting as if.”
The Word Psycho Cybernetics is the fusion of two words : Psycho From Psychology and Cybernetics explains “what happens” and “what is necessary” in the purposeful behavior of machines.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List
i. Having a Positive Self Image
Our “self-image” is the key to our personality and behavior. By Change our self-image ,we change our personality and the behavior. Our “self-image” sets the boundaries of our individual accomplishment. It defines what can be done and cannot be done. Expanding our self-image, expands our “area of the possible.” The development of an adequate, realistic self-image will seem to imbue an individual with new capabilities, new talents and literally turn failure into success.
Our Self-Image was learned and it can also be unlearned. Since we were in elementary school, a lot of programming had been done to us which forms the core of our self-image. Thoughts like you “ You Can not do that”, “That is wrong” “That is unrealistic”. All this programming from our parents and teachers forms the core of our self image. To change this de-programming, we need to form a new self image while throwing out self limiting habits while imbibing a good self image.
ii. Remembering Success Experiences
Trying to be “a success” in terms of acquiring prestige symbols and wearing certain badges leads to neuroticism, and frustration and unhappiness. Striving to be “successful” brings not only material success, but satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness. Man is by nature a goal-striving being. And because man is “built that way” he is not happy unless he is functioning as he was made to function-as a goal-striver. Thus true success and true happiness not only go together but each enhances the other.
It doesn’t matter how many times we have failed in the past. What matters is the successful attempt, which should be remembered, reinforced, and dwelt upon. The habit of remembering past successes, and forgetting failures takes us closer to our goal and reinforces our belief that we can achieve whatever, we want to achieve. Success is the Progressive realization of a worthwhile goal.
iii. Self-Acceptance
To really “live,” that is to find life reasonably satisfying, you must have an adequate and realistic self image that you can live with. You must find your self acceptable to “you.” You must have a wholesome self-esteem. You must have a self that you can trust and believe in.
You must have a self that you are not ashamed to “be,” and one that you can feel free to express creatively, rather than to hide or cover up. You must have a self that corresponds to reality so that you can function effectively in a real world. You must know yourself-both your strengths and your weaknesses and be honest with yourself concerning both.
Until we start accepting our self and being true to our DNA by doing what we are genetically encoded to do. That is when we begin to achieve what we have always wanted to achieve and it breeds self confidence and belief in our self.
iv. Creative Imagination
“Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind’s eye and you will be drawn toward it,” said Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick. “Picture yourself vividly as defeated and that alone will make victory impossible. Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would like to do or be.”
Our nervous system cannot tell the difference between an “actual” experience and an experience imagined vividly and in detail. What the mind can conceive and belief, it can achieve. In either case, it reacts automatically to information which we give to it from our forebrain. our nervous system reacts appropriately to what “we” think or imagine to be true. In Computer Terminology, Garbage In, Garbage Out. What You see is What You Get (WYSIWYG).
v. Self De-hypnosis
We have all be hypnotized by either the society or the schooling system to some extent, either by ideas that we have uncritically accepted from others, or ideas that we have repeated to ourselves or convinced ourselves that are true. These negative ideas have exactly the same effect upon our behavior as the negative ideas implanted into the mind of a hypnotized subject by a professional hypnotist.
Within us right now is the power to do things we never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to us just as soon as we can change our beliefs. Just as quickly as we can dehypnotize ourself from the ideas of “I can’t,” “I’m not worthy,” “I don’t deserve it” and other self-limiting ideas to “I can”, “I am worthy” “I deserve it.
vi. Developing the habit of Happiness
Happiness Is a Mental Habit Which Can be Cultivated and developed. Many times we create confusion when we add our own opinion to facts and come up with the wrong conclusion. A man does not simply “find” success or “come to” failure. He carries their seeds around in his personality and character. By developing an happiness habit, we need to keep reminding ourself that all our self-limiting beliefs are opinions, not facts.
vii. Psychic Umbrellas
By building our own psychic umbrellas, which will screen out disturbing stimuli. We can tranquilize ourself against this sort of disturbance, not by something we “do”-but by something we don’t do-our refusal to respond. As far as our emotions are concerned, the proper response to worry pictures is to totally ignore them. Live emotionally in the present moment. Analyze your environment-become more aware of what actually exists in your environment- and respond and react spontaneously to that.
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?
Having a positive self-Image
Our Actions are always consistent with the way we see our self ~ “act like” the sort of person you conceive yourself to be. Not only this, but you literally cannot act otherwise, in spite of all your conscious efforts or will power. The man who conceives himself to be a “failure-type person” will find some way to fail, in spite of all his good intentions, or his will power, even if opportunity is literally dumped in his lap.
The person who conceives himself to be a victim of injustice, one “who was meant to suffer,” will invariably find circumstances to verify his opinions. The self-image is a “premise,” a base, or a foundation upon which our entire personality, our behavior, and even our circumstances are built. Because of this our experiences seem to verify, and thereby strengthen our self images, and a vicious or a beneficent cycle, as the case may be, is set up.
By having a very positive self image about how i can make a difference in my own little way. A positive image enhances our self-confidence and how we see the world and the people around us.
Remembering Success Experiences
Success begets success, the more we fill our consciousness of our past success, the more we can belief in our self and the latent powers and talent we have got in us.
Self-Acceptance
Nobody will belief in me, if i cannot belief in my self. By accepting who I am. It will enable me to be true to my DNA while do what am genetically coded to do. Self Acceptance is very critical in my personal quest to crack my passion/life purpose code.
Creative Imagination
What the mind can conceive and believe it will achieve. By Imagining what will be, before it happens will enhance getting there. A firm eye on the prize without losing sight of the price to be paid will ensure that we achieve our goals.
Self De-hypnosis
We hypnotized ourself into most of our self limiting believes and we can also de-hypnotize ourself from those self limiting belief. Self De-hypnosis especially when we want to follow our internal voice, we have being hypnotize from a very young age to be robot/automatons. Self de-hypnosis enables us to re-program ourselves and get things done.
Developing the habit of Happiness
Aristotle once said Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. The major thing we are all striving for is to be happy and by developing an happiness habit, we get more done.
Psychic Umbrellas
Building a psychic Umbrella is very essential, especially in this age of social media. We are constantly been bombarded with information, marketers and everyone trying to get our attention. Building psychic umbrellas will help in the elimination of non essentials and getting the right things done.
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
“When you change a man’s face you almost invariably change his future. Change his physical image and nearly always you change the man-his personality, his behavior -and sometimes even his basic talents and abilities.”
* Beauty is more than skin deep.
* Truth is where you find it.
* Constant exposure to the object of fear immunizes against the fear.
“Any breakthrough in science is likely to come from outside the system. “Experts” are the most thoroughly familiar with the developed knowledge inside the prescribed boundaries of a given science. Any new knowledge must usually come from the outside-not from “experts,” but from what someone has defined as an “inept.”
Comment: There are no right answers just enlightened opinions. We can all make contributions in our own little way, we don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
“The self-image is changed, for better or worse, not by intellect alone, nor by intellectual knowledge alone, but by “experiencing.” Wittingly or unwittingly you developed your self-image by your creative experiencing in the past. You can change it by the same method.”
Comment: Our Self-Image was learned and it can also be unlearned. Throw out bad habits while imbibing good habits.
“FAITH is not believing something in spite of the evidence. It is the COURAGE to do something regardless of the consequences.”
“Self-acceptance is easier, however, if we realize that these negatives belong to us-they are not us.”
“Actual, real-life experience can be a hard and ruthless teacher. Throw a man in water over his head and the experience may teach him to swim. The same experience may cause another man to drown. The Army “makes a man” out of many young boys. But there is no doubting that Army experience also makes many psycho-neurotics.”
“Nothing succeeds like success.”
Comment: We learn to function successfully by experiencing success. Memories of past successes act as built-in “stored information” which gives us self-confidence for the present task. We are what we repeatedly do and excellence is then not an act but a habit.
“If you can remember, worry, or tie your shoe, you can succeed.”
It sounds simple but it requires practice and “experience.” Visualizing, creative mental picturing, is no more difficult than what you do when you remember some scene out of the past, or worry about the future. Acting out new action patterns is no more difficult than “deciding,” then following through on tying your shoes in a new and different manner each morning, instead of continuing to tie them in your old “habitual way,” without thought or decision.
“Success has nothing to do with prestige symbols, but with creative accomplishment. Rightly speaking no man should attempt to be “a success,” but every man can and should attempt to be “successful.”
Comment: Success is a journey and not a destination. Success is subjective.
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?
No
6. Did the Book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, the exercises were very helpful.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Psycho Cybernetics 2000
Assessment by Lanre Dahunsi (Nigeria)
1. What is the Main Idea that the author is trying to convey in the Book?
The main theme of the book is self image. Dr Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon discovered through his research work that it was not the physical operation that changed the individuals’ personality. He discovered that “self-image,” the individual’s mental and spiritual concept or “picture” of himself, was the real key to personality and behavior.
His Discovery
The dramatic and sudden changes in character and personality which often resulted when a facial defect was corrected. Changing the physical image in many instances appeared to create an entirely new person. Psycho Cybernetics consists of creative mental picturing, creatively experiencing through your imagination, and the formation of new automatic reaction patterns by “acting out” and “acting as if.”
The Word Psycho Cybernetics is the fusion of two words : Psycho From Psychology and Cybernetics explains “what happens” and “what is necessary” in the purposeful behavior of machines.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List
i. Having a Positive Self Image
Our “self-image” is the key to our personality and behavior. By Change our self-image ,we change our personality and the behavior. Our “self-image” sets the boundaries of our individual accomplishment. It defines what can be done and cannot be done. Expanding our self-image, expands our “area of the possible.” The development of an adequate, realistic self-image will seem to imbue an individual with new capabilities, new talents and literally turn failure into success.
Our Self-Image was learned and it can also be unlearned. Since we were in elementary school, a lot of programming had been done to us which forms the core of our self-image. Thoughts like you “ You Can not do that”, “That is wrong” “That is unrealistic”. All this programming from our parents and teachers forms the core of our self image. To change this de-programming, we need to form a new self image while throwing out self limiting habits while imbibing a good self image.
ii. Remembering Success Experiences
Trying to be “a success” in terms of acquiring prestige symbols and wearing certain badges leads to neuroticism, and frustration and unhappiness. Striving to be “successful” brings not only material success, but satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness. Man is by nature a goal-striving being. And because man is “built that way” he is not happy unless he is functioning as he was made to function-as a goal-striver. Thus true success and true happiness not only go together but each enhances the other.
It doesn’t matter how many times we have failed in the past. What matters is the successful attempt, which should be remembered, reinforced, and dwelt upon. The habit of remembering past successes, and forgetting failures takes us closer to our goal and reinforces our belief that we can achieve whatever, we want to achieve. Success is the Progressive realization of a worthwhile goal.
iii. Self-Acceptance
To really “live,” that is to find life reasonably satisfying, you must have an adequate and realistic self image that you can live with. You must find your self acceptable to “you.” You must have a wholesome self-esteem. You must have a self that you can trust and believe in.
You must have a self that you are not ashamed to “be,” and one that you can feel free to express creatively, rather than to hide or cover up. You must have a self that corresponds to reality so that you can function effectively in a real world. You must know yourself-both your strengths and your weaknesses and be honest with yourself concerning both.
Until we start accepting our self and being true to our DNA by doing what we are genetically encoded to do. That is when we begin to achieve what we have always wanted to achieve and it breeds self confidence and belief in our self.
iv. Creative Imagination
“Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind’s eye and you will be drawn toward it,” said Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick. “Picture yourself vividly as defeated and that alone will make victory impossible. Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would like to do or be.”
Our nervous system cannot tell the difference between an “actual” experience and an experience imagined vividly and in detail. What the mind can conceive and belief, it can achieve. In either case, it reacts automatically to information which we give to it from our forebrain. our nervous system reacts appropriately to what “we” think or imagine to be true. In Computer Terminology, Garbage In, Garbage Out. What You see is What You Get (WYSIWYG).
v. Self De-hypnosis
We have all be hypnotized by either the society or the schooling system to some extent, either by ideas that we have uncritically accepted from others, or ideas that we have repeated to ourselves or convinced ourselves that are true. These negative ideas have exactly the same effect upon our behavior as the negative ideas implanted into the mind of a hypnotized subject by a professional hypnotist.
Within us right now is the power to do things we never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to us just as soon as we can change our beliefs. Just as quickly as we can dehypnotize ourself from the ideas of “I can’t,” “I’m not worthy,” “I don’t deserve it” and other self-limiting ideas to “I can”, “I am worthy” “I deserve it.
vi. Developing the habit of Happiness
Happiness Is a Mental Habit Which Can be Cultivated and developed. Many times we create confusion when we add our own opinion to facts and come up with the wrong conclusion. A man does not simply “find” success or “come to” failure. He carries their seeds around in his personality and character. By developing an happiness habit, we need to keep reminding ourself that all our self-limiting beliefs are opinions, not facts.
vii. Psychic Umbrellas
By building our own psychic umbrellas, which will screen out disturbing stimuli. We can tranquilize ourself against this sort of disturbance, not by something we “do”-but by something we don’t do-our refusal to respond. As far as our emotions are concerned, the proper response to worry pictures is to totally ignore them. Live emotionally in the present moment. Analyze your environment-become more aware of what actually exists in your environment- and respond and react spontaneously to that.
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?
Having a positive self-Image
Our Actions are always consistent with the way we see our self ~ “act like” the sort of person you conceive yourself to be. Not only this, but you literally cannot act otherwise, in spite of all your conscious efforts or will power. The man who conceives himself to be a “failure-type person” will find some way to fail, in spite of all his good intentions, or his will power, even if opportunity is literally dumped in his lap.
The person who conceives himself to be a victim of injustice, one “who was meant to suffer,” will invariably find circumstances to verify his opinions. The self-image is a “premise,” a base, or a foundation upon which our entire personality, our behavior, and even our circumstances are built. Because of this our experiences seem to verify, and thereby strengthen our self images, and a vicious or a beneficent cycle, as the case may be, is set up.
By having a very positive self image about how i can make a difference in my own little way. A positive image enhances our self-confidence and how we see the world and the people around us.
Remembering Success Experiences
Success begets success, the more we fill our consciousness of our past success, the more we can belief in our self and the latent powers and talent we have got in us.
Self-Acceptance
Nobody will belief in me, if i cannot belief in my self. By accepting who I am. It will enable me to be true to my DNA while do what am genetically coded to do. Self Acceptance is very critical in my personal quest to crack my passion/life purpose code.
Creative Imagination
What the mind can conceive and believe it will achieve. By Imagining what will be, before it happens will enhance getting there. A firm eye on the prize without losing sight of the price to be paid will ensure that we achieve our goals.
Self De-hypnosis
We hypnotized ourself into most of our self limiting believes and we can also de-hypnotize ourself from those self limiting belief. Self De-hypnosis especially when we want to follow our internal voice, we have being hypnotize from a very young age to be robot/automatons. Self de-hypnosis enables us to re-program ourselves and get things done.
Developing the habit of Happiness
Aristotle once said Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. The major thing we are all striving for is to be happy and by developing an happiness habit, we get more done.
Psychic Umbrellas
Building a psychic Umbrella is very essential, especially in this age of social media. We are constantly been bombarded with information, marketers and everyone trying to get our attention. Building psychic umbrellas will help in the elimination of non essentials and getting the right things done.
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
“When you change a man’s face you almost invariably change his future. Change his physical image and nearly always you change the man-his personality, his behavior -and sometimes even his basic talents and abilities.”
* Beauty is more than skin deep.
* Truth is where you find it.
* Constant exposure to the object of fear immunizes against the fear.
“Any breakthrough in science is likely to come from outside the system. “Experts” are the most thoroughly familiar with the developed knowledge inside the prescribed boundaries of a given science. Any new knowledge must usually come from the outside-not from “experts,” but from what someone has defined as an “inept.”
Comment: There are no right answers just enlightened opinions. We can all make contributions in our own little way, we don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
“The self-image is changed, for better or worse, not by intellect alone, nor by intellectual knowledge alone, but by “experiencing.” Wittingly or unwittingly you developed your self-image by your creative experiencing in the past. You can change it by the same method.”
Comment: Our Self-Image was learned and it can also be unlearned. Throw out bad habits while imbibing good habits.
“FAITH is not believing something in spite of the evidence. It is the COURAGE to do something regardless of the consequences.”
“Self-acceptance is easier, however, if we realize that these negatives belong to us-they are not us.”
“Actual, real-life experience can be a hard and ruthless teacher. Throw a man in water over his head and the experience may teach him to swim. The same experience may cause another man to drown. The Army “makes a man” out of many young boys. But there is no doubting that Army experience also makes many psycho-neurotics.”
“Nothing succeeds like success.”
Comment: We learn to function successfully by experiencing success. Memories of past successes act as built-in “stored information” which gives us self-confidence for the present task. We are what we repeatedly do and excellence is then not an act but a habit.
“If you can remember, worry, or tie your shoe, you can succeed.”
It sounds simple but it requires practice and “experience.” Visualizing, creative mental picturing, is no more difficult than what you do when you remember some scene out of the past, or worry about the future. Acting out new action patterns is no more difficult than “deciding,” then following through on tying your shoes in a new and different manner each morning, instead of continuing to tie them in your old “habitual way,” without thought or decision.
“Success has nothing to do with prestige symbols, but with creative accomplishment. Rightly speaking no man should attempt to be “a success,” but every man can and should attempt to be “successful.”
Comment: Success is a journey and not a destination. Success is subjective.
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?
No
6. Did the Book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, the exercises were very helpful.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9