As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Michael Misenheimer (USA)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
In this wonderfully written and thought provoking book, the author reminds us all that one must be willing to improve him or herself if they really wish to change their circumstances in life. The way to improve ourselves is to change our way of thinking. Our thinking influences everything that happens in our lives. If we think good thoughts, good thinks will come to us. If we think negative thought, that is what we will attract into our lives.
As the book goes on, Mr. Allen tells us that our thinking influences our health and bodies. He tells us that when we are thinking bad or negative thoughts, this impacts our bodies in negative ways and we can attract or manifest disease or illnesses into our bodies. He also tells us that fear can attract the same thing. On the other hand, he tells us that if negativing thinking can attract disease and illness, positive thinking can attract healthily and vigorous bodies.
Mr. Allen also points out that it is important to have a purpose in life and work toward making that purpose a reality in our lives. So many of us go through life thinking we have to do this or that because that is what our parents want and/or that is what our parents did. The author offers freedom in telling us that our purpose is our own and we can make it happen if we set a clear path to make it reality. We should do this with steadfast determination and positive thinking and not our of fear or doubt.
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. Man is master of his own thought. What a concept. I think this idea was important to me because it really puts the control of my thoughts and thus actions into my own hands. While it is easy to say someone did this or someone did that, ultimately, it is me who chose the thought and thus the reaction to whatever may or may not have been done. Thinking about my own life, I can see when I allowed others to get the best of my thoughts and hinder my mood when I could have easily changed the way I thought about a situation and moved on.
B. Self-analysis. I think the idea of self-analysis is one that I never really thought about until reading this in the book. They say we have over 2,000 thoughts per day or 3 per minute. When I sat with that awhile, I realized that my thoughts are mostly unconscious and I do not chose those thoughts that I think about it. Self-analysis can give me the way to do just that. When I have a thought, ask myself where the thought is coming from and why and if I do not like the answer, I can change that thought. The power is mine.
C. Be patient. While it is easy to say I will change or have the power to change a thought, I know that there will be times, perhaps many, that are not positive because positive thinking is a skill and not a skill that I personally was taught as a child. When these moments arise, I should acknowledge them and be patient with myself as I work on growing.
D. I am where I am so I may grow. Once I learn the lesson, new opportunities will arrive at my door. This is an interesting concept. Most of go through life thinking that life happens to us and we should react on it. However, if we take the time to learn the lesson in each situation, we will be free to learn that lesson and move on to higher and greater good.
E. “The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears.” Wow. This made me literally stop and ask myself, if this stuff is true, if I will attract to me that which I am thinking about, do I want to attract that which I am now thinking. Certainly, I would love for my soul to attract that which I love. However, I would not want to attract that which I harbor or fear.
F. When we focus on attention and thoughts on that which we want, that is what we will get. As we get what we want, we become fulfilled inside and out. The opposite used to be true for me, I would focus on that which I did not want and as I know for sure that is more of what I attracted into my life. So, now, the challenge, as we said before, is that I must focus my thoughts and attention towards my own goals and aspirations.
G. We do not attract what we want but what we are. I had never stopped to think about how that which I wanted related to what and who I am as a person. I simply go through life without much focus on who I am. So much so that when I stopped to ask why am I, instead of answering the questions, I launched into what I am. I am a law student. I am a son. I am a friend. Then I took some time to say, no, that is not who I am. What I am is a child of God which means by birthright is to love and be loved and to give out what I expect others to give me.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
These ideas and lessons will help me in a practical way in that they will change the way I approach myself and others in my everyday life. On a personal level, as previously mentioned, I will start to monitor my thoughts more closely and challenge those thoughts that bring about negativity and find ways to resolve that conflict within me. In terms of how I interact with others, I think it will be more of a learning tool in that I now know that people do and say things based on what is going on inside of them and I should not judge that or try to understand it. Instead, I can try and help them make things better within themselves knowing that when we do the work on the inside, the outer will start to change.
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.
This book was chalked full of quotes that are inspirational to me. Among them include:
A. “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.” Prior to reading this book, I did not think about my thoughts influencing or defining my character. Now, I realize the two go hand in hand and without one, there could not be the other.
B. “In the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself.” This was a tough pill to swallow. By not focusing my thoughts and/or reacting to others instead of changing the way I can think about a situation, I take a little piece of my soul and or contribute to my own demise.
C. “That he is the maker of his character, the molder if his life, and the builder of his destiny…..” I love this quote because it places the power in my own hands. Whatever it is that I have the desire to fulfill can come true if I choose to take responsibility for my own life and make it what I want it to be.
D. “Man is the master gardener of his soul.” I love this quote for the same reason as above. Most of my life, I have let others tell me who I am and what I should do but this quote reminds me that the reality is I am the only one who can garden and tend to my own soul and my own life.
E. “Thought and character are one.” This is simply another way of saying, that as a man thinks, his character becomes. I just love knowing that with my thoughts, I can create and reinvent myself to be whoever I choose to be. If I want love, I must be love. If I want peace, I must be peace. If I want happiness, I must be happy.
F. “He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it.” This quote gives one permission to be whatever or whoever they so choose. All to often, we allow others tell us who we are or what we should do with our lives and forego our own desires. No matter what the vision or idea is, if it is within you, go forth and make it happen. Your happiness depends on it.
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?
While I understand where the author is coming from and that our thoughts do become our reality, I have a difficult time with the fact that the power is ours and ours alone as to whether or not someone becomes ill. Certainly, I think that our fears and negativity play a role in our bodies and overall health but fully believing that our thoughts manifest things such a cancer, AIDS, etc. is not something I can fully believe. On the other hand, I can see how positive thinking can play a role in combating such diseases. I am torn really with this concepts as I think about those I know in my own life who have suffered terrible battles with life-ending diseases.
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?
It did not have exercises for the reader to complete persay but the book does issue a challenge to readers to consciously become aware of what they are thinking and why they are thinking. I plan to put into use these concepts because I believe seeing the good is much better than seeing the bad in things. It will be a challenge but one I am willing to take on.
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.
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? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Michael Misenheimer (USA)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
For me, the book’s main idea was no matter who you are or where you come from, you have the power to rise above and really, truly, become who and what you want to be despite what others think. Further, I think this book is living proof that sometimes you have to lose until you win. When you are down, get back up, learn from it and try again. Eventually, you will get it right and with each try, you grow stronger and stronger and it encourages you to work for your goal even harder. I also think this book is about not forgoing your own dreams and desire because it is not in alignment with the norm. The book really shows that you do not have to give into fear and can rise above that fear to make things happen for your life.
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 are all leaders in our own right. Each of us brings to the table certain gifts to the table and these gifts should be valued. At various times in my life, I have worked with and for people who did not take advantage of the unique gifts that their employees had. Instead, they found fault with employees and only told them what they were doing wrong instead of honoring the gifts and what they did correctly. We are all leaders with our own gifts and they should be valued.
B. We must cultivate those gifts within us. I love that Jonathan did not allow what some would perceive as failure instead he chose to cultivate the gift within himself. He knew, at his core, that there was more to life than what appeared and he kept trying until he got it right. This is something we can all learn as we often give up when things do not go our way instead of pushing through.
C. Once you cultivate your gifts, you must continue to improve your skill set. It was not enough that Jonathan realized that he could do what other seagulls could not; it consistently pushed himself to attain greater height and speed. The same can be said about us as human beings. Once we cultivate a gift, we must not stay stagnate but should search to find ways to further cultivate our talents and skills.
D. We often limit ourselves. It is easy to give in and listen to those around us who can’t see the bigger picture. Yet, at our core, we feel a higher calling, but we limit ourselves by thinking that we can’t do this or that. The reality is, we can do whatever we wish to do and if we feel something inside ourselves should be done, we should recognize that it was put there for a reason and thus we must not limit ourselves. Instead, we must do what we can to see that we live a limitless life as we have unlimited potential.
E. We also limit others, whether we mean to do so or not. When we limited others or try to hold them down, they feel a little defeated. Instead, we must believe in others and encourage them to fulfill what it is they feel they are meant to do with their lives. We must believe in them, even when they do not believe in themselves.
F. The impossible is possible. This story reminded me that no matter what others may say or do and what obstacles may be put in our way, we can achieve anything that we set our minds to do. I love that Jonathan could have given up, time after time, yet he allowed his determination to shine through even when we wanted to give up. It takes that kind of strength and courage to change our own attitudes and beliefs about what we are capable of.
G. Follow your heart. Throughout this entire story, Jonathan could have easily gone back to what he knew, hunting for bread and crumbs day after day. Instead, he knew in his heart that there had to be more than life to what the others were living. Even when he was outcast by his flock, he still kept going because he felt in his heart that he could do what he set out to do. And he did. In my own heart, I can see where I have felt one thing in my heart but defied that because I was afraid of what others may think.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
I think the main theme that I found within this book was that our dreams are instilled in us for a reason and we should follow those dreams despite what obstacles may get in our way. What I will take from this book is the courage, wisdom and perseverance that Jonathan had to move in the direction of his dreams and desires. With that said, I must do the same. Even if I do not know the “how”, I know that if I have faith and work toward making it a reality, the “how” will reveal itself in ways that I never imagined.
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. “Seagulls, as you know, never falter, never stall. To stall in the air is for them disgrace and it is dishonour.” I liked this quote because it reminds me of the pressures that our families and societies can put on us to be perfect. Perfection, in my mind, means that we have and know it all and there is no room for improvement. I disagree with this notion. I think we can always improve. Even when we have it all or have reached our goals and dreams, I think it is important to find that next thing which gives life meaning.
B. “Such promises are only for the gulls that accept the ordinary.” Going with the ordinary is fine for some people but it is not a place that I have ever felt comfortable. Going with the ordinary, in my opinion, means not questioning the how or why things happen and I love the inquiry because it gives more meaning to why I am doing something.
C. “We can life ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!” For me, learning to fly is a continuous process. I feel at this time in my life, I am learning to fly despite my ignorance, in all areas of my life.
D. “Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life?” I think searching for that purpose in each of our lives is why we are here and that higher purpose, whether we realize it not, is put within each of us although most that I know have not found this higher purpose. For me, I know I am on my way so that is a great feeling.
E. “They were magnificent birds, all of them.” I love this because it is a gentle reminder that we all are magnificent and powerful beyond measure, we just have to acknowledge this within ourselves and then tap into the realness of it. It is not enough to recognize this power within us, we must strive to put it to use in our everyday lives.
F. “Keep working on love.” It all comes down to love. No matter what we do for a living or in our lives, if we come from love, we have the power to change 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?
There were not. I thought it was cute story about going against the grain and making it happen for yourself even if others do not understand or try to push you in another direction.
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?
The book did not contain such exercise.
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.
There were not.
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? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9