As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Rita Odoom (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the writer is trying to convey in the book?
Whatever happens around us is as a result of the thought in our mind. From what I have learnt from James Allen about thought and character, it is obvious that the poor man is poor because he thinks of poverty and impossibilities, and blames others for his predicament. Whiles the rich man is rich because he takes charge of his life and thinks of prosperity.
No one can hide his or her thought because it will definitely show up in one’s actions. Circumstances surrounding us are as a result of thought, thus we cannot change the circumstances unless we change our thought, and situations we find ourselves in whether blissful or sorrowful are hatched in our hearts, and therefore mean that we can only change the situations if we change our thinking faculty. In my local (akan) language, there is a proverb that “koto nwo anoma” meaning the crab does not give birth to a bird. A healthy thought produces a healthy and a strong body. Let us take this scenario for example, a person may be HIV/AIDS positive without his/her knowledge and live a very happy and a healthy life, until he/she get to know about his health condition then he/she start deteriorating physically, this is as the result of his awareness of the deadly ailment in his mind, so then I can say that the author is telling me to fill my mind with positive thinking. It is a taboo to live this life without a sense of purpose, it makes the mind very vulnerable to deadly thought.
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 is important to you?
Train the mind towards positive thinking
From where I grew up and the circumstances surrounding my growing up, with all the failures and the heartache I have been through, I had no option than to think that nothing good was ever going to happened in my life. After knowing the author’s mind I believe by training my mind towards positive thinking, i.e. focusing on what I want and not what I don’t have, will change my present situation in every facet of my life.
Everything is possible
I used to think that everything is possible for those who have everything at their beck and call, I sometimes have arguments with my friends making sure that I prove to them that it is easier said than done, but I think I bet to differ not that everything is possible to them that think and believe!
The mind can make or unmake a person
Before I read the book, “As A Man Thinketh” , I was always having a frowned or should I say a sad face, I was thinking of how impossible life has been towards me. My mind made me loose a lot of things and friends, because life around me was terrible. It was like the end of the world has come. I had a lot of aspirations in my heart but they were not coming forth because of my attitude towards people around me.
A person’s life is controlled or ordered by his or her thought
I appreciate this idea that a person’s life is controlled by his/her mind, this is a fact because whenever I think of something, whether good or bad, my actions automatically follows it and the result is what I have in my mind. It is therefore very essential for a person to work thoroughly on his/ her mind to think positively for a positive result.
Negative thought affect the body
It is obvious from all indications that, every negative thought of a person goes a long way to affect the person’s body. A little research I made on this topic proved that, thought of fear, anger, jealousy just to mention but a few, really cause nervous tension on the mind which eventually affect the beauty of the body. In other words, graceful thinking refreshes the mind and nourishes the body.
Keeping the mind busy with positive thought takes away boredom and makes life good
It is often said that the idle mind is the devil’s workshop. I want to buttress this point by quoting what the author wrote “a man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild.” For me it is has been a daily act of cultivating my mind with positive thinking keeping it busy with purposeful thought.
A healthy thought makes one looks younger then the age.
Looking good and healthy everyday is as a result of the mind, if you are conscious of your health you think of way of keeping healthy by way of exercising the body, eating well and affecting your generation by doing what you enjoy doing.
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, why?
I was once a person who easily coils-in at any little misfortune in my life. But I have come in to terms that how I feel actually does not stop challenges from coming my way, I have to ignore those challenges and focus on training my mind unto positive thinking.
I am renewing my mind each day with thought of possibilities, knowing that everything that has a name is possible on earth, no matter how big or small it is, the fact that I think of it I am going to achieve it.
I have established in my mind that my thought has the power to make or unmake me, what I think of is what I find myself acting accordingly, so why wont I think positively? The mind can make me feel positively or negatively depending on what I put in at a point in time.
I realize that my life is controlled by my mind, the fact is negative thought easily come to mind but one must develop the mind in such that the circumstances around will respond positively.
I can perfectly agree to the fact that my actions are the exact replica of my thought, when am afraid it manifest in the things I do. The only way I have been able to overcome is to keep my mind busy with positive thought daily.
The facial expressions are what are in ones mind. A cheerful face is as a result of a cheerful heart which results in good health.
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 is literally what he thinks”
Its re echoes in my mind that thinking well, will surely put me in the right path in life.
“As the plant springs from and could not be without the seed, so every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of thought”
My daily actions are as a result of my thinking, there is no way I will think of negative thought and have positive results.
“Act is the blossom of thought”
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What ever one has in mind will definitely manifest.
“A noble and God-like character is not a thing of favour or chance”
Things do not just happen; a devout character is nurtured by the individual. And it does not just happen; effort must be put into the development of the thought.
“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weak is willing to be helped”
No matter the amount of effort someone will put in helping the poor, the sick or any weak person, if the person in need does not realize that he or she needs help or has to change from any unsatisfied situations, it will not work. The change must be from within.
“Circumstances does not make a man, it reveals him to himself”
Surely, it is obvious that we most at times blame people around for our predicament, but the fact is these predicaments are caused by ourselves.
5. Is there any thing in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are their ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
I have enjoyed developing my mind after reading the book, but am not very clear or better still do not agree that “a man does not come to the alms-house or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance but by the pathway of groveling thoughts and base desires” Most people go to jail not because of any fault of theirs, circumstances that has not been created by them, like false accusations push them to life imprisonment and sometimes death.
I also believe from my religious point of view that Gods mercies sometimes makes our prayers heard and answered even when our thoughts are not right.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If, so did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
There were no exercises on it.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in previous questions? If so, please comment
I have taken note of the fact that, dreamers are the savious of the world, and I also think that it is a taboo to walk on the face of the earth without a sense of purpose. It makes life very difficult and stressful.
The best way to enjoy this life is to be focus on achieving something that will affect our generation.
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? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Rita Odoom (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the writer is trying to convey in the book?
After reading the success story about Jonathan L. Seagull, I have become conscious of the fact that if you are passionate about a dream or an idea, and you diligently pursue it you will have it. No matter how big or impossible the dream may sound, or the discouragement and the challenges that may show up, it can be achieved.
We all have big dreams and desires in our heart to be successful or to achieve something positive that will affect our generation, the only “fuel”, if I should say; that will help us and our generation to achieve our desires is to be passionate about our dreams.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull was a different bird among the flock, and he was able to achieve his desire to fly and be separated from the other birds and have a good taste of life. Instead of fighting for food everyday, he focused on his PASSION. He had it (dreams) in his heart, but he could not do it without the zeal for success. He had a lot of challenges and rejections, discouragement and faced opposition from his own family that could have prevented him from attaining his ambitions, but there was always an inner voice, that I will say a passion that keeps him going.
I have accepted the fact that no matter how big or small my dreams may be, there will be something that will challenge me. That I call it the “test of time” it does not go well or sound convincing if you succeed without a challenge or a hindrance. I think it is part of the success story. Yes! You must be tied, discouraged, be rejected at times and even, in my part of the world, you must sometimes go without food or even worse issues than these, but I have learn from Richard Barch’ story about the seagull that if the passion is in you, your dreams cannot be buried with you.
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 is important to you?
Success does not come by lazing about
The story or Jon Seagull has prove that success does not come by, unless one is hardworking and determination. I have learnt to be diligent and work harder everyday to achieve my dream. The end result of every hard worker is success.
Separate oneself from the lot
The idea here is that, I cannot be with the majority and think that I can also achieve my purpose, it once happened in my life in the office, when we had to purchase equipment for office use, I had to stand tall and defend a particular brand and eventually it worked perfectly compare to the other brands.
Breaking the tradition of the society
The world around us will have some do’s and don’t which may be positive or negative. I think it is always necessary to break some negative traditions and rules if it is working contrary to our dreams or causing hindrances to us.
Be prepared to be different
The only mindset that helped Jon was that he decided to be different. I do not think I can achieve my dream when I do not put down practical principles that will make me different from others. I have to think differently and not according to the majority.
Being a pacesetter
Jonathan Seagull was a pacesetter among his colleagues, he had no mentor but he decided to set the pace and mentor others.
Being a planner
Being a planner is being someone who looks into the future and know the which, why, where, when and how to get there on daily bases. That is what Richard Barch talks about Jon everyday he flies a higher.
Giving back what you have learn
How can you succeed without a successor? I have the idea after reading this book that I have to impact into people’s life. It is important to me because it really boost my desire to help develop the less privilege in my generation.
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, why?
All these ideas mention above is going to help me tremendously in every facet of my life. I have a dream, a bigger one of cause, and like Jon, I think I need to separate myself from some actions and even some people if only I want to achieve what I have in my “belly”. Success comes to the diligent and the hard working people, it does not just happen it needs discipline, planning and organizing oneself appropriately.
Breaking traditions of the society means a break with the past, previously it was said that a woman cannot go beyond the bedroom and the kitchen, but I bet to differ, in my world today, I believe a woman can be a career woman, be a wife , a mother, a sister ,a friend and even own a multimillion dollar business.
In the world today, pacesetters are the people needed to make a beautiful world, they are the ones to show the way for people to follow and am happy to say that, my thirst for achievements, has been boosted by the ideas in the book.
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?
“Boredom and fear and anger are the reason that a gull’s life is so short”
A light is thrown on this statement on the fact that it does not really pay to be idle, just being there without a purpose for your existing on earth. Being idle brings about boredom which leads to the fear of the unknown, and everyone who is afraid always get angry at the little things which is not healthy to the body. This is important to me because I have learnt that to be happy and enjoy life is to have a purpose driven life.
“Any number is a limit and perfection does not have a limit”
I think this contradicts the saying that “the sky is the limit” I can convincingly say that the sky is actually the starting point; there is nothing like “I have arrive!” it’s all about pressing towards daily till you can do beyond your expectation. I love my favorite quote the holy book (Bible) that says “just one thing I do, to forget about the past and press on toward the goal for a victorious crown” (paraphrased) Ref: Phil 3:12
“Perfect speed my son, is being there!”
I have an inspiration in this statement that it is the end result that matters, it does not count how you start, it is how you finish that determines who or what you are. The process does not really matter but the success results that make me fulfilled is all that I need to focus on.
“The gull sees farthest who flies highest “
Doing ordinary things does not pay a dime; I have to be an extraordinary person for extraordinary results.
“You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self”
Nobody can determine or predict who I can be, how and even when I am going to be what. Everything depends on me. My success or failure in life is not in the hands of the society or any superior, it’s in me. I have the right to be happy or sad, succeed or fail in this gift called life.
“The only true law is that which leads to freedom”
Whatever doctrines or a philosophy that does not give me freedom to be what I want to be, or prevent me from achieving my purpose in life is not worth following.
“There is a reason for life”
There is a reason for producing every product in the market for customers to patronize. The God who created me knew there was a need in the “market” and I am the only person that can meet that need.
“We can list ourselves out of ignorance”
Being ignorance does not spare us from the consequence that comes with it. We can research, develop and discover our ways out of ignorance.
5. Is there any thing in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are their ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
The author, Richard Barch did well by igniting the seagull in me. Personally I think it has encouraged my passion and the desire to dream again. But I did not really appreciate the comparison Sullivan made with Jon. I think everyone has his style or way of learning and the process which we all go through to reach our destination. I felt Sullivan was jealous of Jonathan.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If, so did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
There were no exercises.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in previous questions? If so, please comment
I will like to comment on two vital points which attracted my attention. The mind if allowed can make or unmake a person, Jon nearly gave up after entertaining negative thought after his accident, he thought if he meant to fly in the night, he would have had the eyes of an owl and charts for brains all these thought could have stopped him from flying higher but he directed his thought positively and eventually used the negative thought as a stepping stone.
There will be instances in one’s life that he or she may go through thought of discouragement, but I am of the view that, it must not overcome the good thought that we cherish so much.
The fear of the unknown or failure can consume the wonderful dreams we have; I have come to agree with the author that the things, we normally are afraid of are not in existence.
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 content? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it 9