As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea is that every man in his totality is a product of his thoughts.
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. Every man is in control of his thought and thus needs to create a positive mind set.
A man is said to be a thinking being and the gift of reasoning abides within every man. Therefore there is need for one to be in control of his thought and learn to take in positivity. At a bus stop one day I met a beggar and gave him a naira note. On getting to another bus stop I heard that the beggar I gave money is fetish, I was afraid a little but on a second thought I told myself that these people can believe whatever they wish. I gave the money because I have and I want to give and it is right to give, so nothing will happen to me. And so it was.
ii. Man is to an extent responsible for whatever comes his way in his life.
Our deepest thought, fear and hopes always reflect in our daily life and determine what we accomplish. So for whatever we come across in the path of life, it is a reward of actions stimulated by our thought. When I failed two courses in school, I buried the fears believing that I will excel in spite of my failure and with such thought I pushed forward and yes I succeeded.
iii. Every man needs to cultivate a healthy and unselfish habit of thoughts.
A healthy thought depicts a healthy life and an unhealthy thought depicts an unhealthy life. We should be able to appreciate and think positive of ourselves for people to appreciate and think positive of us. The state of the body I believe is a thing of the mind. Being around medical personnel, I am sometimes caught up in their midst when they discuss about certain diseases and how horrible some can be and also how it kills the patients. After such conversations I will always become sick, afraid that I might have one diseases or the other. I will start listening to myself feeling restless. When I complain to my sister she always tells me that it is my psyche and invariably means my thoughts and once I removed such thought totally from my mind I regained myself almost immediately.
iv. The life of a man is designed with abilities and capabilities above fear and doubts.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are extraordinary. Our ability to become extraordinary is achieved when we are able to subdue fear and a doubting spirit. When I registered for French language program I was afraid I will drop out. I doubted my ability to keep up with the school pace but whenever I remember how much I paid for the program, I tell myself it is not going to be a waste. So I always strive to keep up and work hard and I think am doing well.
v. The spirit of excelling beyond bounds lies within every man.
We all have a driving force that burns deeply within us. The way we extract and channel our thought determines who we are and who we can become. I have always seen myself as an extraordinary being that is born to achieve and so whenever I get home, am always faced with the same question; what new thing are you doing now? This is because I believe in venturing and trying new things.
vi. Every man has the power to give life to his dreams.
Man is endowed with an enormous power to make real whatever he conceives within. Therefore our visions and aspirations are immaterial until we are able to make our dreams come true. I once dream of speaking and understanding another language apart from English language and right now I understand French and can speak it though not perfectly well.
vii. Every man should develop and maintain a peaceful and strife free life.
Keeping the strife out of one’s life is one of the best and healthiest ways to live. Our ability to control our temper and maintain a peaceful co-existence goes a long way in building a strong and strife free future. One day I confronted a man that rudely stepped on me and I was surprised at his reaction that I ended up saying sorry to avoid more problem. I told myself I should have just kept quiet and overlook him. Keeping the peace is ultimate.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to crate a better world? If so, how?
Each of the ideas will help me to be careful of my thought and what goes on, on the inside. They will also help me in disciplining my thoughts and actions. The saying that, ’Out of the abundant of the heart the mouth speaks’ becomes more glaring. Hence my actions and inactions will always be in check till I am well groomed in thinking in a healthy way. Also, as a person whose dream is to make an impact in the society and make a change in the world, I have to start from disciplining my inner self.
4. Quotes: Are there any statement which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“Man is made or unmade by himself.”
Not what he wished and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.
“He who conquers doubt and fear has conquered failure!”
Good thought and action can never produce bad result; bad thought and action can never produce good result. In all human affairs, there are efforts and there are results. The strength of the effort is the measure of the result.
“Man is buffeted by circumstances so long he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow; he then becomes the rightful master of himself.”
From the quotes I come to realize the power of my thought on my daily life and the need to be in control of my thoughts. Thus our outer life depends on what we conceive on the inner part. Nothing good gives birth to something bad and nothing bad gives birth to something good. The reward of our actions can be a result of our positive thinking. What we get out of life is solely that we have sown on the inside. We can achieve when we believe we can and we can excel if we believe we can. Man can equally fail if he believes within himself that he cannot achieve. Also the challenge of life is most time created by man, knowingly or unknowingly.
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?
Everything is clear and very well understood and I agree with the ideas and how they are portrayed.
6. Did the book contain exercise for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No, the book does not contain any exercises for the reader to complete.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
There is nothing to comment on.
Please rate the following questions on a scale of 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 read? 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 Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
Within every being lies a hidden potential and therefore the need to discover and harness those potentials against all odds and using them in selfless service to others.
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. We have all it takes to be better so the need for one to discover oneself and keep pressing forward.
No man is born empty. We therefore need to discover what our capabilities are and keep practicing experimenting and practicing without loosing concentration. When I was younger, I was always called upon to teach or direct other children in church.
I found out that when I talk the children listens. So from there I started getting involved in children executive meetings and I realize that I can really make a change by teaching, encouraging and helping. Then I discovered who I am and who I want to be.
ii. Fighting the fear of failure or stalling in the quest for perfection.
No man is perfect but strives towards perfection. In our daily lives we are mostly confronted by failure but that only means that success is on the way. When I failed the two simplest courses in school, I understood that we are bound to fail at one point or the other but when focused can rise up and excel.
iii. Silencing the little word that is filled with negative words and admonition.
In our mind there are two little voices that are always in constant battle, so there is a need to silence the little negative voice that keep saying we can not and listen to the one that says we can. Sometimes I wake up in the morning feeling like a failure because the little negative voice filled my head with thoughts like it will be bad day for you. You cannot achieve Anything!
iv. Living above discouragement, especially ones from loved ones.
Whenever one tries to step out and achieve, discouragements most times rises either from family or friends but how we handle such drawback makes or mar us. My parents are the over protective type that will like to provide everything you need provided you do as they say. One day I decided to move out of my comfort zone and venture into things even without their support.
v. Being receptive that is the ability to assimilate new things at any given time.
Learning is a continuous process.
We need to be open to new ideas. We can learn anywhere, on the street, in church, in school, at home even in a bus. Learning something good and new is a very important tool of achieving greatly. I learn everyday from my smart little cousins, like the pronunciation of some words. I am an extra curriculum lesson teacher to promising young girls in fourth grade and fifth grade respectively. One evening instead of teaching as usual they wanted to teach me how to play scrabble. When I learnt it and we started playing I found out that I have been exposed to so many new words that will improve my vocabulary within a short period of time. I concluded then that it is really good to be receptive and open to new things.
vi. Extending help and encouragement to those who seek for it or are in dire need of it.
This idea is important because it is an act of love, concern and unselfishness. One should always be able to help and encourage others when needed for it goes a long in relieving the burden of he that needs such help. Encouraging, helping and standing beside my friend in school when she fails her exams thought me that love goes a long way in putting one on a road to success.
vii. Bring out the best in people.
It is always good to share our knowledge and not hoard or bottle them up. Throughout my years in the university, I handled a tutorial class of seven. Whenever we write exams and pass, I realize that it is one thing to know and it is another to use our knowledge wisely especially by teaching, instructing or guiding others.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to crate a better world? If so, how?
These seven ideas will help in reshaping my thoughts and actions and strengthen my belief in myself. They will help me to try out new things everyday and venture into them. With that I can be able to be a good motivator, a good leader, a good instructor and guardian and as such help other people overcome their limitations and weaknesses, and when this is achieved, I believe a better world is achieved.
4. Quotes: Are there any statement which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“There is no way around it. I am a seagull. I am limited by my nature. If were meant to learn so much about flying. I‘d have charts for brains. If I were meant to fly at speed, I’d have a falcon’s short wings, and live on mice instead of fish. My father was right. I must forget this foolishness. I must fly home to the Flock and be content as I am, as a poor limited seagull.”
“How much more there is now to living! instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to life! we can lift 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!”
Each of us is in truth the idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom, and precision flying is a step towards expressing our real nature. Everything that limits us will have to put aside.
“Your whole body from wingtip to wingtip 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.”
We are free to go where we wish and be what we are.
“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.”
The quote explains the true nature of man. It is not always strange for us to nurse certain negative thought within ourselves. Especially when we might have tried severally and always confronted with failure. It is equally not strange to be discouraged, but we have every will power to rise up and disengage ourselves from what ever it is that keep holding us back or our limitations. Man should not dwell in those limitation or his weaknesses, instead should break free from them. This is because we can excel and be great beyond our imaginations and against all odds.
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?
Nothing in the book is unclear and I do not disagree with anything. I love the way they were portrayed.
6. Did the book contain exercise for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
There were no exercises in the book for the reader to complete.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
There is nothing in the book that I will like to comment on that was not covered in the previous question.
Please rate the following questions on a scale of 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 read? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Psycho-Cybernetics
Assessment by Ude Nkechika (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea of the author is that the greatest assets of any man are majorly his image of himself.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas following by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
The seven ideas are below as well as why these examples are important to me:
a. Every day has its own opportunity lying in wait for us.
Is it true that opportunity comes only but once? I do not think so. A new day brings forth new opportunities. The only problem lies on the fact that we do not avail ourselves to these opportunities. When we know what our goals are and have plans on reaching them, we will then seek for opportunity that will drive us towards our goals. Daily we will learn to see the things we need, places we need to be and things we need to do in other fulfill our goals. By so doing we start availing ourselves to them and acknowledge them when they come.
b. The strength and enthusiasm to reach our goals can be manifested strongly in the way we boost the image of ourselves.
Most times we have strong desires to attain certain height and be fulfilled but lack the confidence in doing that, all because we lack a good self image. We fail to see ourselves as a great package of God and these undermines our goal attainment. So for one to reach one’s goal, one has to build up a very strong image of oneself. Truly, the way in which we view ourselves is exactly the way people will view us. Whenever I am faced with certain responsibility I fidget because I lack the confidence and belief in myself. What I see is just someone who will climb the stage and falter but that is not true because most times I end up doing good. So my image of myself begins to increase though I still have much work to do on that.
c. The simple habit of understanding can turn a bad day into a better and hopeful day.
What makes a bad day most times is things not turning out the way they should or the way we planned them to. It seems the universe is just against us. When my friends tell me how horrible their day was, I smile and tell them that some days are like that. When I encounter such days I totally forgets that some days are like that. Thus a good and clear understanding that such days are bound to come sometimes in life will help in alleviating the destructive impact of such days and embrace the clearer vision or notion that it might be a bad day but is surely not a “bad you.” I woke up one day more confused than confusion. Trying to clear my mind, I suddenly realized that my yesterday was not in any way a wonderful day so I slept unhappy and woke up confused. I then repeatedly told myself that I might not have been at my best yesterday but it must not determine my today. It was not easy convincing me but I finally get to understand with the help of two pages of Psycho-Cybernetics that I can live pass it and grab the opportunity that the new day offers.
d. For every action, there should be a well dedicated and rational thinking.
We are accountable for our actions and therefore before acting, we must first of all dust our mind and have a clear vision of what we are about to do before doing them. A bus conductor comfortably denied that he owes me a sum of money as my balance for boarding the bus. He was raining abuses on me for even asking for my balance. I got very angry and talked back at him and that was a very wrong impulsive action. At the end even as I finally got my balance, I felt so bad for as much as opening my mouth to talk back at that young man. Silence would have been the best solution. So it is good to think well before acting to avoid regrets.
e. The greatest therapy any man can receive is Leisure.
“All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy.” The question is, is it just Jack? The pulse of every man should be “work, leisure, work, leisure.” It’s a form of stress management which prevents the breaking down of the body system especially the mental aspect of our system. Leisure energizes one fully. In relaxation we are motivated to push further. Travelling on a two weeks trip to Benin Republic for a French vacation program gave me a clearer view of what leisure can do to any man who knows how to take it.
f. The power of imagination is the greatest power of invention, innovation, achievement and self fulfillment.
The gift if imagining things is a wonderful gift to mankind. The constructive use of these imageries in our mind makes us higher animals, great achievers and goal getters. Our ability to translate our imaginations into reality for the benefit of all is the simple definition of greatness.
g. Accepting who we are is a giant step away from loneliness and a good step towards success and happiness.
When we are able to accept ourselves for who we are, then we are able to reach out and the opportunities that life have to offer and be happy. Whether slim or fat, beautiful or ugly, dull or intelligent, etc, we should know that we the creation of the Almighty and within us lies tremendous potentials lying to be discovered. Accept yourself today and you accept the will to succeed.
3. How will these ideas help you in practical way, both in your daily life and in helping you to create a better world? If so how?
These ideas or lessons will help me so much in seeing myself better than I do before. I will be able to engage in clear and uninterrupted thinking and reap its benefit. It will help me in changing my attitudes towards the activities of my daily personal life knowing that to be fulfilled I have to be an image builder, confident, relaxed and happy. When I am able to achieve these, my goals are already achieved and a beautiful and better world is sure.
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?
“You learn how to move towards your goals when you negotiate with your fears and bring about the retreat of negative feelings.”
“You atone for your blunders not by succumbing to horror of guilt but by forgiving yourself and rising above them.”
“You cannot expect perfection either in yourself, others, or in circumstances.”
“Move on your goals, move on them in spite of conflicts, imperfections, troubles, cries, move on them and do… even if you fail, you will feel more relaxed because you will know you have done your best….and if you succeed, well you may just feel great.”
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 are no ideas in the book that is unclear and I disagree with none.
6. Did the book contain exercise for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercise and did you find them helpful?
No, the book does not contain any exercise for the reader to complete.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
None.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8
Keys to Success
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to covey in the book?
With a purpose and measures on how to achieve our purpose, we live rather than just exist.
2. What are the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
The seven ideas and why these ideas are important to me are:
a. With a mission or purpose in life we can be future builders.
For every man who dares to dream, dares to achieve. A purposeless life is an empty life. A future builder will dream and then go all the way in bringing his/her dreams to reality. Therefore with our purpose well tailored in our mind, we can go all the way to becoming future builders. When I was a school teacher, as a corps member serving my country, the vice principal of the school once said to me. “Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best and make it better. If it does not exist, create it.” I have those words always at the back of my mind for I want to live a life with a purposeful life.
b. No one can swim to the shores of river success all by himself.
I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me. The bible also instructed that we seek counsel of wise men. This simply means that for us to succeed, we must come in contact with two or more people that will help in transforming our dreams into reality. We need good, wise and knowledgeable people around us to motivate and push us to the shores of success. I love the saying, “united we stand.” If we stay united with the right people, we will swim to the shores smiling. Having started a Reader’s club in my school, I needed to give it a broader outlook because I want to expose the students in any way that I can. It was then that I started meeting likeminded people and the journey is on.
c. Who you are determines who comes around you and what happens around you.
When you look in the mirror who do you see? Is it an ugly, annoying, dumb, weak, and a failure or a beautiful, talented, extraordinary, intelligent, strong and successful person. What we feed the mirror is what it feeds back to us. The way we see ourselves is just the way the environment will see us. Thus the need to portray an admirable personality so that anyone that comes in contact with us will always appreciate us. Two years ago, I was very unsure of what I look like. I always depend on compliments to access my look but that is totally wrong. For now I do not need you to compliment me. I know I look good and I love my life more.
d. A healthy life is a productive life.
Our quality or level of productivity can be measured by our physical strength. A healthy man is a wealthy man. We should always take absolute care of our health starting from what we take in to our environment. Constant check- ups and healthy lifestyle will go a long way in getting us to our dreams. I am very sensitive to my health because I hate drugs and because I hate them, I try to prevent anything that will make me take them.
e. The bulk of the work is on us.
Our destiny solely lies in our hands. No one can be successful for the other. It is a do it yourself thing. We can only need the help of people that shares our dreams. Making decisions, persevering and hard work will always come from us. The will to be successful comes from within and it is only how hard we worked that can make the dreams come. Once I thought of not continuing with the institute, why? Because I feel lazy to write assessments, on a second thought, I found out that there are so many reasons why I should continue and I felt very bad for even thinking of it.
f. Learn to manage the two great tools of achievement.
Time and money are two delicate tools of achievement. The misuse of these tools gives an undesirable result. If one wants to achieve every bit of his daily set goals, one has to be able to construct a list of what needs to be done using a scale of preference. With this you can comfortably account for every tick of the clock in a day and how well it was used. Same goes to money. If we consistently put this action into play, it becomes a habit and we will certainly be able to maximize the utility of our time and money. I was advised by my sister to adopt the ‘To do list’ method. When I started, I found out that no day passes without me being able to achieve at least 65% of my list. Though am still struggling to make it a habit.
.
g. The magic of life is not in being successful but in staying successful.
Everyone wants to be successful. No one really wants to be a failure. The truth here is that the struggle is not all about being successful but the ability to maintain success. Keeping oneself on track is not easy but it is achievable and that is success. Coming out first in his class In his first year in school, my little brother was very happy, but my dad was quick in telling him that the work just started. He needs to maintain the position and guard it more. I picked that up that day. That’s it, if we are able to maintain success no matter the obstacles, it becomes a part of us and life becomes much easier, happier and fulfilling.
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 seven ideas are interesting and will be very helpful to me because they will always shape my thoughts and actions. Also, they will help me In talking to others. I can now comfortably make good decisions and be happy I did. Therefore these ideas will always help me in living a more fruitful and less stressful life. I will also be able to give back to the society as much as I can.
4. Quotes: are there 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.
“All plans, purposes and achievement are created by thought….Your thought are the only thing over which you have complete control. You can use them wisely or unwisely, but however you do it, your thought has power.”
“If you can see an opportunity as quickly as you can see the faults of others, you will soon succeed.”
“Knowing what you want will help in decision making, of course, because you can always judge whether or not it will contribute to your goals.”
“If you make your prayers an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving for the blessing you already have, instead of request for things you do not have, you will obtain results much faster.”
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 is nothing in the book that I do not understand and there is nothing unclear about the book. I also agree basically with the ideas in the book.
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, it does not contain any exercise for the reader to complete.
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. None at all.
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
Keys to Success
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to covey in the book?
With a purpose and measures on how to achieve our purpose, we live rather than just exist.
2. What are the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
The seven ideas and why these ideas are important to me are:
a. With a mission or purpose in life we can be future builders.
For every man who dares to dream, dares to achieve. A purposeless life is an empty life. A future builder will dream and then go all the way in bringing his/her dreams to reality. Therefore with our purpose well tailored in our mind, we can go all the way to becoming future builders. When I was a school teacher, as a corps member serving my country, the vice principal of the school once said to me. “Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best and make it better. If it does not exist, create it.” I have those words always at the back of my mind for I want to live a life with a purposeful life.
b. No one can swim to the shores of river success all by himself.
I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me. The bible also instructed that we seek counsel of wise men. This simply means that for us to succeed, we must come in contact with two or more people that will help in transforming our dreams into reality. We need good, wise and knowledgeable people around us to motivate and push us to the shores of success. I love the saying, “united we stand.” If we stay united with the right people, we will swim to the shores smiling. Having started a Reader’s club in my school, I needed to give it a broader outlook because I want to expose the students in any way that I can. It was then that I started meeting likeminded people and the journey is on.
c. Who you are determines who comes around you and what happens around you.
When you look in the mirror who do you see? Is it an ugly, annoying, dumb, weak, and a failure or a beautiful, talented, extraordinary, intelligent, strong and successful person. What we feed the mirror is what it feeds back to us. The way we see ourselves is just the way the environment will see us. Thus the need to portray an admirable personality so that anyone that comes in contact with us will always appreciate us. Two years ago, I was very unsure of what I look like. I always depend on compliments to access my look but that is totally wrong. For now I do not need you to compliment me. I know I look good and I love my life more.
d. A healthy life is a productive life.
Our quality or level of productivity can be measured by our physical strength. A healthy man is a wealthy man. We should always take absolute care of our health starting from what we take in to our environment. Constant check- ups and healthy lifestyle will go a long way in getting us to our dreams. I am very sensitive to my health because I hate drugs and because I hate them, I try to prevent anything that will make me take them.
e. The bulk of the work is on us.
Our destiny solely lies in our hands. No one can be successful for the other. It is a do it yourself thing. We can only need the help of people that shares our dreams. Making decisions, persevering and hard work will always come from us. The will to be successful comes from within and it is only how hard we worked that can make the dreams come. Once I thought of not continuing with the institute, why? Because I feel lazy to write assessments, on a second thought, I found out that there are so many reasons why I should continue and I felt very bad for even thinking of it.
f. Learn to manage the two great tools of achievement.
Time and money are two delicate tools of achievement. The misuse of these tools gives an undesirable result. If one wants to achieve every bit of his daily set goals, one has to be able to construct a list of what needs to be done using a scale of preference. With this you can comfortably account for every tick of the clock in a day and how well it was used. Same goes to money. If we consistently put this action into play, it becomes a habit and we will certainly be able to maximize the utility of our time and money. I was advised by my sister to adopt the ‘To do list’ method. When I started, I found out that no day passes without me being able to achieve at least 65% of my list. Though am still struggling to make it a habit.
.
g. The magic of life is not in being successful but in staying successful.
Everyone wants to be successful. No one really wants to be a failure. The truth here is that the struggle is not all about being successful but the ability to maintain success. Keeping oneself on track is not easy but it is achievable and that is success. Coming out first in his class In his first year in school, my little brother was very happy, but my dad was quick in telling him that the work just started. He needs to maintain the position and guard it more. I picked that up that day. That’s it, if we are able to maintain success no matter the obstacles, it becomes a part of us and life becomes much easier, happier and fulfilling.
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 seven ideas are interesting and will be very helpful to me because they will always shape my thoughts and actions. Also, they will help me In talking to others. I can now comfortably make good decisions and be happy I did. Therefore these ideas will always help me in living a more fruitful and less stressful life. I will also be able to give back to the society as much as I can.
4. Quotes: are there 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.
“All plans, purposes and achievement are created by thought….Your thought are the only thing over which you have complete control. You can use them wisely or unwisely, but however you do it, your thought has power.”
“If you can see an opportunity as quickly as you can see the faults of others, you will soon succeed.”
“Knowing what you want will help in decision making, of course, because you can always judge whether or not it will contribute to your goals.”
“If you make your prayers an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving for the blessing you already have, instead of request for things you do not have, you will obtain results much faster.”
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 is nothing in the book that I do not understand and there is nothing unclear about the book. I also agree basically with the ideas in the book.
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, it does not contain any exercise for the reader to complete.
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. None at all.
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
Success through a Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to covey in the book?
The benchmark for success can be attributed to adopting a positive mindset.
2. What are the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
a. Every man has the ability to attract or completely repel success.
Without the knowledge of many, we have within us what it takes to attract success or completely repel success. Some people born rich ends up poor while some born poor ends up very rich. Success comes to those who desires and works for it. We hear daily of rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer but is this totally true? With the right mindset, hard work, faith, and belief in the Supreme Being, the very poor can attract riches and more. I love making friends with older, rich, intelligent and wise people. This is because one word from them is always motivational.
b. Fight fear and the bullies in your life and you have changed your world for good.
Fear is the slayer of destiny. Bullies are obstacles that inhibit fear in us. Once we are encamped with fear and allows the bullies to frighten us, our goals and aspirations become the horrors of our life. These fears can come from within or externally but how we handle these fears goes a long way in setting us on a road to success or failure. Standing up to our fears is a great breakthrough and fighting it is success itself. My greatest fear is failure and death. Seriously, these two things have always dragged me back but I think I know better now.
c. We only need to know what we want for us to know where to look.
Truly, most people do not know what they want out of life. Grading it in my environment is 78%. You can ask a grown up man or woman or even a university graduate what he/she wants out of life and you will see obvious confusion and uncertain answers. It is only when we know what we want that we know where to look, be able to recognize the opportunities, and know who to ask. I was a victim when I was younger. I knew that I do not want to be just an ordinary woman but do not know exactly what to call it or what exactly it is I want to be. That is why I keep thanking God for life, growth, knowledge and educational systems.
d. Always let your light shine.
The motto of my school choir back in school is “Let Your Light Shine.” When we let our light shine and manifest the glory of God within us, we unknowingly allows others to do same. Thus we can only shine by hard work and being positive at all times. Handling a tutorial group of four in school, I realized that it is good to be generous with your knowledge. For in knowing I was shining and in being generous with it, I let people around me shine and the feeling is great.
e. Silent meditations, working beyond prescription and ability to perfectly see can complete the puzzle.
We should be able to see both near and far fetched opportunities. When we see and silently meditate on what we have seen In whatever way we could, then we can be able to place the missing puzzle and make the world better. Being a lesson teacher to two naughty girls has been a challenge. It was in teaching them that I started adopting the principle of working beyond prescription and knowing the best time to enforce corrective measures. I always go home weak and tired thinking of the best way to ‘tame’ the girls. It took me close to a year to get them on my side and since then things has been cool with them. They even call me on phone to say hi. I am totally happy because I did not give up and was able to solve the puzzle.
f. Action speaks louder than voice.
This idea came to me as I was reading the chapter eight of this very book. The self-starter was highly motivational. It is simple, enough of the thinking, planning and talking about what you want to do. Start acting on them and you will definitely see that you do not need the talking but needs more of the planning and acting. People hold us more for our actions thus the need to act zealously and positively towards our goals. Procrastination was my second name, but am happy I am using was now because am struggling to overcome the deadly habit.
g. No matter how much we plan, we should always seek the Divine.
Proverbs 16:1,3 and 9 ‘We may make plans but God has the last word…’, ‘Ask the Lord to bless your plans and you will be successful in carrying them out…’, ‘You may make your plans but God directs your actions’ I therefore repeat that no matter how much we plan, we should always seek divine guidance, directions and endorsement. Day by day I see the effectiveness of prayers and clean conscience. For all my good plans and goals, success is my name.
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 usefulness of these ideas cannot be over emphasized. Daily I work hard to become a better me. I am totally ready to explore the opportunities which before now I am too blind to see. I am working hard towards developing a positive mindset and making it a character that I will love to exhibit in my environment. These ideas will also help me in tackling other people’s problem the best way I can. I can say that these ideas will give birth to a brand new me. Regarding my environment which can be very discouraging with some hindering factors, I definitely will see them as bullies and will not relent till I come out victorious and equally successful. My dream to make a positive impact in my society can be achieved armed with these ideas. I am happier than I was before I started up with these motivational books. So as I become a better me, the world will become a better place.
4. Quotes: are there 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.
“Because you know what you want, there is a tendency for you to try to get on the right track and head in the right direction. You get into action.”
“Hope is the magic ingredient in motivating yourself and others.”
“It is better for people to do something and pay nothing, than to pay dues and do nothing.”
“Sow an action and you reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap a character, sow a character and you reap a destiny.”
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 is nothing in the book that I do not understand and there is nothing unclear about the book. I also agree basically with the ideas in the book.
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 it does and I did complete them. I am also repeating the exercise at interval. I must confess that they were helpful because I was able to personally assess myself.
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 there is none at all.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
Influence is cultivated.
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. Resist the urge to nail others
The world is full of blamers. Sometimes we are either too fast or too eager to crucify people for a misgiving or disagreement. Some sees it as a corrective mechanism. The truth remains that we are often inclined to explode at slight provocations without considering how our actions can affect others. The ability to remain silent, listen attentively in the face of provocation makes us higher individuals. Latching out or attacking people with our words has never in the history of conflict resolution solved any issue. It rather escalates the problem and automatically blows it out of proportion thereby straining future collaborations, connections and relations with the recipients. Sometime ago, I had a boyfriend who has a nasty way of answering questions. Several times I tried to ignore him but on that fateful day, I could not take it any longer. I scolded him like a baby and insulted his life. Our relationship ended that day and no matter how much I try to make him understand that my words where anger-motivated, it falls on deaf ears. I lost a good friend that day and the incident thought me a great lesson in my life: “You can never change or correct a man by criticizing or nailing him with words.”
ii. Be dispel good relationships when we ask too much of others
When I read this part of the book, I was shocked because it was speaking directly to me. I am fond of expecting too much from people. My story above is a good example of my expectations of my friend to be more reasonable and logical. This formed an opinion about him in my mind leading to anger, which exploded in my actions/words and consequently leading to a bad break up. Asking too much of others put a blindfold on us that makes it rather impossible for us to see the great things our partners, friend, spouse or even siblings are doing. Before long we act upon these unsatisfied expectations which dangerously smear our relationship. There is truly no influence in that.
iii. Influence rather than manipulate
A good number of people often think that to influence means to coerce someone to follow us or to manipulate someone to do what we want them to do. That’s a big fallacy. One of the major culprits in the category of manipulation called influence is politicians. Never the less it is more authentic of us to influence people through our actions, attitudes and behaviors. These serve as a model which people look up to and are willing to identify with. In school, we had a course representative who tried all he could to make people fall in love with him or identify with him. For the moment he held the position, he had quite a number of ‘fans’. However when he lost the re-election as a course representative, his followers dwindled and before long he fizzled out in the class. Therefore, influence is tested not as at when all is going well for a person but when it seems one has not what it takes to drive people to him/herself.
iv. Always step out wearing your best accessory – a smile
Oh I love smiling. Someone once tagged me as the lady with the smile. For me it is more fun and refreshing to smile than to frown. I was travelling one day with my sister, and along the road our bus broke down. Everyone in the bus was mad at the bus driver and where seeking for an alternative means of continuing their journey. Sitting with my sister waiting for the driver to repair his bus, we were chatting and laughing, really having a great time. The driver walked up to us and advised us to probably follow others and go if we cannot wait but with a beautiful smile, my sister told him to continue with the repairs while we wait. The driver was so touched and happy. On our way home, he told us we just made him a better person as he saw the way we approached the whole incidence with a smile. Yes, it was not funny waiting but it was worth it. Smile even on your worst days and your best days. It is a healing therapy and a great way to influence people.
v. Be silent and listen
Have you noticed that silent and listen have the same words? Yes they do. This signifies that you cannot be listening and talking or talking and listening at the same time. It is a great virtue and an amazing skill to be a good listener. It is one of the best qualities of a good leader. Also being confrontational and having your voice heard at all times has its own disadvantage because you might not listen enough to understand ones perspective and can misquote someone. This can result to frictions or conflicts which if not managed might escalate. I love the saying, ‘you cannot quote silence’. I have a habit of interrupting people while they talk and trying always to put my voice out. I guess I know better now.
vi. Let our every human encounter warm their hearts
The best way to influence people is through our actions. I have heard words like, you are the worst thing that happened to me today or statements like meeting you is nothing but bad news. For the addresser, something prompted those words and for the addressed he/she might just have been a bit hard on encounter. We neglect these things sometimes because we think ’Oh I am not going to meet him/her again so what is the point of being nice’. We live in a small world where what goes around comes around and people might not remember everything you said but they never forgets how you made them feel.
vii. Always avoid the acute angle
My father will always ask me, “must you be right?” Even in someone’s house we try to show off our knowledge, to teach them how to behave, what to do and what not to do. It eventually does not make us any more impressive or influential. Rather it creates unnecessary tensions that can negatively affect our relationship with people. The quest to be right is inevitable but ability to be reasonable enough to withstand it makes us more powerful and influential.
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?
It will help me build better mutual relationships and improve my ability to work effectively with people especially in a team.
4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.
“When we attempt to use criticism to win an argument, to make a point, or to incite change, we are taking two steps backward.”
“Don’t give up easily. Stay the course. Despite what you’ve been told, you matter and you can accomplish something great”
Although this was a reference quote from Ali in the book, it equally penetrated me. It only reveals the need for one to persevere in whatever course he/she has chosen provided the passion and skills required to make it happen is there.
“We are all united by one single desire; to be valued by another.”
“Influencing others is not a matter of outsmarting them. It is a matter of discerning what they truly want and offering it to them in a mutually beneficial package.”
“People are attracted to people who care about what interests them. We are more often than not caught up in the me, myself and I syndrome that we have no time for others. Thus a shift in this perspective will make a huge difference.”
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, there is none
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No, there is no exercise in the book.
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, none at all.
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? 10
Real Magic
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
We are nothing but soul clothed with human body.
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. Readiness is a Prerequisite for Growth
Often times we step out of our door without a clue on what to expect maybe due to lack of certainty or just confused on what comes. This lack of readiness creates doubts and dampened spirit in the face of challenges perchance we are caught up in one. The saying that ‘Winners make progress and Losers makes excuses’ demonstrates our inability to most times undertake our daily activities unready with the tendency of making excuses when things fail to work out as planned. However, winners make progress not because they do not face challenges but because they are thoroughly READY even in the face of the obstacles to win. Readiness in essence means openness to new knowledge at every point in time without forming resistance. This will enable us learn, unlearn and relearn for a more balanced approach towards achieving our purpose. When I graduated from the university, I knew I was not ready for the women I have always dreamed about. I needed to learn and grow and become. I seek for information and opportunities that I could grab to grow. Little wonder becoming a member of IIGL community was a step towards being ready and growing to become.
ii. Subject yourself to becoming a perpetual student of life
Quite a number of people in this part of the world do not believe in education. Talk about education and their mind go to school. Education, learning does not end within the four walls of a school only. Every day we enroll into a fresh day of learning and if we fail to open our minds to these new knowledge, we wither out and become like products ‘obsolete’. A man once says that the day one stops learning is the day one dies. It is refreshing and mind blowing to learn new things every day. It changes one’s life and perspective giving one the ability to stay relevant and purposeful. As a perceiver, I am always hungry for knowledge. For no matter how hard it is or how bad I feel about certain occurrences in my life sometimes, I genuinely try to figure out the lessons in it so I would not repeat the mistakes. Funny enough at that point, I literally feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Life itself is a school in which we can only graduate from when we seize to breathe. Thus, the best way to make a good student out of it is to subject ourselves to becoming lifelong learners, accepting the teachers presented to us at every epoch.
iii. Focus on purpose
In a world of social media and the need to attract likes and get people to know that you are doing well or living the life, a lot of people drift away from their purpose just to fit in. the parameter for measuring their happiness, growth and peace becomes the outcome of their actions. As we journey through life it is never enough, we always want more, more and more. Man is truly insatiable and the needs of man cannot be met completely. Therefore we can only enjoy peace and experience real magic in our life when we focus on purpose which is solely why we are here. Purpose makes it easier for us to live one day at a time and living every bit of the moment. It creates room for us to flourish without the burning desire to impress people. There are so many examples of my life where I truly felt the pressure to live based on outcome. It does not mean I have overcome it but I know it is not as it used to be. The need to impress people, the need to always be the center of attraction, just so many needs but all drains me. It then seems like I have always been trying to be someone else. Now, I know I am a work in progress and I feel fulfilled each day knowing am on purpose.
iv. Spirituality transcends religion
“You can only be spiritual when you go to church,” that’s my mother scolding me on a day that I missed church. She is right but not totally right. The thing is not all church goers are spiritual being. Spirituality is attained and it starts from inner zeal through work and decision to align oneself with the power that flows within us and not outside of us. This means then that spirituality is not religion or denomination. Every man is born spiritual provided he is a soul with a body but not every man identifies the spiritual self. We should not use religion to excuse ourselves or pretend that we are spiritual beings. I was having a conversation with my sister one day and she told me that we can only experience the presence of God in our lives when we have a personal encounter with Him. She said that not every body that comes to church has that encounter. I believe her 100%
v. Our relationship with others is a reflection of how we relate with ourselves
I love happy environment and I always work for happiness around me. Our attitudes are a reflection of who we are on the inside and how we either talk to ourselves or feel within. Attitudes are experienced by others and not us and if we exhibit bitterness then possibly we are always hard on ourselves or always feel we not good enough. Of course, you cannot give what you don’t have they say. A free soul relates with people freely and vice versa
vi. We are living in a world of abundance
The headlines on the news almost on daily basis are how the economy is dwindling, recession, inflation and so on. This frequent negative-based information keeps us on the edge of our seats and worried about the future. It makes it rather impossible for us to believe anything else rather than lack, and scarcity. Fortunately, the good news is that we live a world of abundance. The world is in order with its flow and it is left for us to tap into the abundance of nature and create a life of purpose and fulfillment.
vii. The you in you is the you, you are
It might sound strange but it is definitely true. Who we are on the inside is who we truly are. If one tries to pretend about it, it will certainly backfire someday. This is because I have never seen a lion becoming man’s best friend or a cat chasing after ants. These animals exhibit their inert traits and so do humans. However, we have the opportunity to transform our lives for better at every point in time. This idea was a statement from my French teacher in secondary school during one of our moral instruction classes. I wrote it down that day and it has been a reference point for 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?
They will help me to always strive for peace and joy day after day for that’s what purpose and true success is.
4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.
“When there is great love there is always miracle.”
“The great and glorious masterpiece of man is how to live with purpose.”
“Replace the belief that something you are capable of imagining in your is impossible with the belief that it is possible.”
“Empowerment is the inner joy of knowing that external force is not necessary to be at harmony with oneself.”
“Become detached from the outcome of your actions and paradoxically your level of performance will climb.”
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?
Not at all, I understood everything.
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 sure it does and I did complete them one at a time. They were absolutely helpful and refreshing.
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, there is absolutely none
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
The New Dynamics of Winning
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
Success comes with a rigorous process of self awareness, self belief and commitment.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. The road to victory is often a lonely ride
ii.
When I decided to start up a pet project in my community, I was so excited and passionate about it. Most of my friends, colleagues and family members all believed in my dream and I believed I would not have a problem getting started unlike most people I have read about or heard their stories. However, I got the shock of my life when I realized that I am not just running this project alone but I am not getting the “wows” and “great one” I was expecting. For the first time in my life I was truly LONELY. Our vision is only ours and not someone else’s. We can only influence people and make them buy into our vision but before that we must accept to walk the lone path. This can actually take months, or even years but being steadfast and persevering we would not just get hands but a team. It’s truly a lonely road to victory and we must be ready get our hands “dirty” working and paying the price.
ii. Nothing worthwhile comes easy
My mum will always tell me and my sisters that nothing good in life comes easy. There is always a price tag or work tag, whichever one we must be wise enough to know anything worthwhile does not just appear but rather we make it happen. This advice from my mum has become my consoling chants when things get so rough and out of hand. You know before now I believe in miracles, and as much as I believe in my mum’s advice a part of me believes in fairy tale, magical thing. What I actually fail to understand early enough was that miracles and magic do not just happen. No, they don’t. It takes strong belief and hard works and the right moment given the right time. No matter how the current lifestyle of people and social media makes it looks, Nothing Worthwhile Comes Easy.
iii. It takes commitment to discover the champion within
During my service year as a corps member, a friend of mine led me to a book store where I bought a book by Joel Osteen “Become a Better You.” This book came at a time when I was seeking to discover who I truly was and how to live a fulfilled life. The book opened my mind to a world of possibilities that every human being is born with a certain purpose. It intensified my search for the woman within and that was when I met a friend that introduced me to the IIGL community. I was committed to unraveling who I am. I lose sleep, pay for conferences and attend seminars seeking for one thing “Knowledge.” Although still on the process of becoming, I truly believe that we begin to live rather than exist the day we decide to commit to discovering the mystery of our being and living it out.
iv. Do not let your actions be in contrast with your principle
Most people are raised with certain family values. These values sometime translate to their personal principles that guide their actions. Nevertheless, we often times falls victim of letting our actions contradict our principles. The bottom line is our actions speak of who we are, we cannot say that we hold certain principles and values when our behaviors and attitudes speak otherwise. True winners embrace their values and rather than changing like the weather conform to its guidance and are ready to learn and unlearn new ways of doing things with the purpose of achieving the greater good. I had a friend who is a habitual latecomer in every occasion, however I see him criticize people at events for the same crime that he commits virtually every day. When I confronted him to know his life principle he said ‘always be on time”. Then I said. ‘But you are never on time”. Then he gave me an epic reply, “it is better to be late than to be the late.” Although I tried not to scream my disappointment, I realized that he is only trying to make excuses for acting in contrast with his ‘principles’. The consequence of this for a winner is fast forwarding doomsday.
v. Believe in the unseen
According to the author, most people are of the opinion that seeing is believing. If you do not see, then there is no point believing. This line of thought eschews the main point of believing. Jesus Christ once told his disciples that “Blessed is he that did not see but believes.” The physical realm is controlled by the spiritual and if we are more physical than spiritual it becomes rather impossible to see and to believe. I know a write up that goes thus; I believe in the sun even when it is not shining; I believe in love even when I feel it not; I believe in God even when it seems He is not answering. This sums the magic of believing in the unseen. Before my sister got married she has already gotten a name for her daughter. She will always say that she truly believes her first child will be a baby girl and when that happens it got us all believing more.
vi. Real success is peace of mind
When I was meditating one day, I had a strong question from within. What do you want in life Nkechika? I was confused because I wanted so many things but eventually my reply was Peace. Peace of mind, peace in my marriage, peace in my family, peace in the world, just Peace. I have grown to know that no matter who you are, how much you win and how many material things you acquire but this one word is missing in your life then you have ended up existing rather than living.
vii. The ultimate win is living
Every day I wake up in the morning praying to God for the ability to be a blessing to my generation. To touch lives, be a great daughter, an amazing wife and a great mother. To be a solution and live a fulfilled life, for I have come to acknowledge that the ultimate win is not the amount of money in my account, the number of children I have or how many houses and cars I have. Rather, the ultimate win is living a quality life one day at a time.
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 are like a propeller to help me through life winning and living. I believe that if I live a quality life that positively affects everyone around me and these people lives a better life because I live, and then the world will be a better place.
4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.
“Success depends on your ability to combine physical or technical skill with mental process in a stressful environment.”
“Champions survive because its ten percent talent and ninety percent guts and determination. Talent is not always enough, because it takes rigorous process of smelting of fire to form a real gold.”
“You can’t love or hate something about another person unless it something you love or hate about yourself. Our actions are a reflection of who we are on the inside and not otherwise.”
“Expect the best, plan for the worst and be prepared for a surprise. There is always room for balance in other to avoid frustrations.”
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 there are none.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes it does which I found quite interesting and they are truly helping me especially with stress relief.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
None
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
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
Giant Steps
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
We live or die by the decisions we make or fail to make
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. Decisions determines the outcome of our lives
One of the hardest thing in life is taking a decision, no matter the issue at hand. Once a decision is made, we wheel the course of our life towards a certain direction. It becomes really important to reflect on whatever decisions we make at any point in time as it has the capacity to make or mar our future. Additionally, there are several circumstances that pushes us to take a stand on something. Hence, before saying “I have decided to.” We must be able to know or assess the consequence(s) of such decision. The fruit of good decision can be as life transforming as the fruits of bad decisions. Our decisions position us to a certain choice and a certain saying goes thus, “we are not winners or losers, we are born choosers.” Hence the moment a decision is made, we chose to either become better or vice versa.
ii. The propellers of our dreams are our set goals
Sometimes it seems really hard to follow through with our set goals. It is even harder to set them perfectly. I realized that whatever you think about or dream about but do not work towards becomes an ordinary dream like we normally have when coming down with fever. Our whole life is formed by imagination. Eternity, peace, love, joy, sadness are all products of our imaginations replicated in our thought process. Now the earlier we begin to pen down these beautiful dreams and thoughts for our lives, they gradually forming our reality. When we work towards them judiciously, we experience them and enjoy every bit of our imagination come true. Our set goals are what turns our dreams and imagination into reality and life experiences. I could not agree less with the author and I am propelled to set smart goals and follow through judiciously.
iii. The future does not end with achieving our set goals
I love the part of the book that discusses this idea. I have a friend that just wanted to get a job, a well paid job. When it was not forth coming immediately she became irritated. I remember asking her “if you eventually get this job what next?” She said she is going to make investments. Then I asked, ’what next?. She kept going on and on until she exhausted and at that point calculating what she has said, she will be like 53 years old. Then I asked what if you are destined to live to hundred years old what becomes of you after 53 when you must have achieved all your goals. That sank in that day not only to her but I was also touched by my own words. As long as we set smart goals for ourselves, we must know that our future is not tied just only to our goals. In fact the best goals achieved are those legacies that would outlive us long when we die.
iv. Embrace the power of pain in actualizing our dream
I hate experiencing any form of pain. I really do not want to even feel it, nut the more I run away from it the more I experience. Tony Robbins in this book has made it clear that we can transform our pain to our gain. We have the choice of either letting our pain break us or using it as a stepping stone to grow and become. Whenever we caught ourselves feeling any form of pain, hen it could mean that there is a learning experience in it that can help us in actualizing our dreams.
v. What’s your state of mind?
We cannot act beyond our thought. Also, our thoughts are affected or influenced by our state of mind at every point in time. These things work hand in hand. Our state of mind in most cases defines how we react to occurrences around out. Whenever I am happy, really happy, nothing gets at me or make me feel otherwise because at that point I have chosen to be happy and the funny thing is that it is equally same with when am sad. I once had a quarrel with my fiancé as I was reading this book and I was telling myself one hundred and one reasons why I should not let the argument determine my joy but it did not work. In fact I felt terrible because I have this notion that I am not learning. However, when I read about the state of mind part, I recognized that my actions was fueled by the state of mind at that time. So, whatever answer I give to the question above becomes how I respond to circumstances around me. The bottom line is that we strive everyday to keep a positive state of mind and make the best out of it.
vi. Our reality is formed by our belief
Belief system -the bane of every decision we make in our life. Since our decision shape our lives, then it means that what we believe in or do not believe or choose to believe in shapes our decision. This reveals the firm grip that belief has in our reality. I have an experience on the believing that I cannot do business. Everyone normally say to me, “No you cannot run a business, it is not your thing.” In the long run I believed it and that became my reality. However, I am out shutting down that belief over years and gradually moving out to do something different in my life. Something like running a business and being successful at it.
vii. Living a better life requires taking giant steps
Discovering who we are is one aspect of achieving our desired end but taking a much bigger step, giant steps actually in putting what we know about ourselves to our advantage is huge shift from living a normal life to living a better life, a fulfilled life. Every aspect of our lives requires conscious steps to make it better. Be it setting smart goals, changing our belief system, being conscious of our state of mind, believing in our future and building great relationships in our life step, setting one step in front of another is the way to living the ultimate successful and desired life.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
The ideas in this book will help me discover more who I am, and make better decisions and choices, living everyday aware of the impacts of my actions and inactions.
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 cannot always control the events in our lives but we can always control our response and the actions we take as a result.”
This powerful quote has redirected my focus on things I feel I can control. It makes me understand that I truly have control over my thought and ways I respond the happenings around me.
“Whatever you consistently think about and focus upon, you move towards.”
The more we focus on things that does not matter, the more the drain us and limit our chances of moving towards the things that matters most to us.
“There is a huge difference between achieving to be happy and happily achieving.”
“One of the miracles of being humans is that we can decide what causes us pain or pleasure.”
“Decision making is nothing but value clarification.”
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, there is none.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, there are exercises in the book and I completed them. They were not just helpful but also very significant as it relates to me personally.
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, none at all
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Giant Steps
Assessment by Ude Nkechika Perpetua (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
We live or die by the decisions we make or fail to make
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. Decisions determines the outcome of our lives
One of the hardest thing in life is taking a decision, no matter the issue at hand. Once a decision is made, we wheel the course of our life towards a certain direction. It becomes really important to reflect on whatever decisions we make at any point in time as it has the capacity to make or mar our future. Additionally, there are several circumstances that pushes us to take a stand on something. Hence, before saying “I have decided to.” We must be able to know or assess the consequence(s) of such decision. The fruit of good decision can be as life transforming as the fruits of bad decisions. Our decisions position us to a certain choice and a certain saying goes thus, “we are not winners or losers, we are born choosers.” Hence the moment a decision is made, we chose to either become better or vice versa.
ii. The propellers of our dreams are our set goals
Sometimes it seems really hard to follow through with our set goals. It is even harder to set them perfectly. I realized that whatever you think about or dream about but do not work towards becomes an ordinary dream like we normally have when coming down with fever. Our whole life is formed by imagination. Eternity, peace, love, joy, sadness are all products of our imaginations replicated in our thought process. Now the earlier we begin to pen down these beautiful dreams and thoughts for our lives, they gradually forming our reality. When we work towards them judiciously, we experience them and enjoy every bit of our imagination come true. Our set goals are what turns our dreams and imagination into reality and life experiences. I could not agree less with the author and I am propelled to set smart goals and follow through judiciously.
iii. The future does not end with achieving our set goals
I love the part of the book that discusses this idea. I have a friend that just wanted to get a job, a well paid job. When it was not forth coming immediately she became irritated. I remember asking her “if you eventually get this job what next?” She said she is going to make investments. Then I asked, ’what next?. She kept going on and on until she exhausted and at that point calculating what she has said, she will be like 53 years old. Then I asked what if you are destined to live to hundred years old what becomes of you after 53 when you must have achieved all your goals. That sank in that day not only to her but I was also touched by my own words. As long as we set smart goals for ourselves, we must know that our future is not tied just only to our goals. In fact the best goals achieved are those legacies that would outlive us long when we die.
iv. Embrace the power of pain in actualizing our dream
I hate experiencing any form of pain. I really do not want to even feel it, nut the more I run away from it the more I experience. Tony Robbins in this book has made it clear that we can transform our pain to our gain. We have the choice of either letting our pain break us or using it as a stepping stone to grow and become. Whenever we caught ourselves feeling any form of pain, hen it could mean that there is a learning experience in it that can help us in actualizing our dreams.
v. What’s your state of mind?
We cannot act beyond our thought. Also, our thoughts are affected or influenced by our state of mind at every point in time. These things work hand in hand. Our state of mind in most cases defines how we react to occurrences around out. Whenever I am happy, really happy, nothing gets at me or make me feel otherwise because at that point I have chosen to be happy and the funny thing is that it is equally same with when am sad. I once had a quarrel with my fiancé as I was reading this book and I was telling myself one hundred and one reasons why I should not let the argument determine my joy but it did not work. In fact I felt terrible because I have this notion that I am not learning. However, when I read about the state of mind part, I recognized that my actions was fueled by the state of mind at that time. So, whatever answer I give to the question above becomes how I respond to circumstances around me. The bottom line is that we strive everyday to keep a positive state of mind and make the best out of it.
vi. Our reality is formed by our belief
Belief system -the bane of every decision we make in our life. Since our decision shape our lives, then it means that what we believe in or do not believe or choose to believe in shapes our decision. This reveals the firm grip that belief has in our reality. I have an experience on the believing that I cannot do business. Everyone normally say to me, “No you cannot run a business, it is not your thing.” In the long run I believed it and that became my reality. However, I am out shutting down that belief over years and gradually moving out to do something different in my life. Something like running a business and being successful at it.
vii. Living a better life requires taking giant steps
Discovering who we are is one aspect of achieving our desired end but taking a much bigger step, giant steps actually in putting what we know about ourselves to our advantage is huge shift from living a normal life to living a better life, a fulfilled life. Every aspect of our lives requires conscious steps to make it better. Be it setting smart goals, changing our belief system, being conscious of our state of mind, believing in our future and building great relationships in our life step, setting one step in front of another is the way to living the ultimate successful and desired life.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
The ideas in this book will help me discover more who I am, and make better decisions and choices, living everyday aware of the impacts of my actions and inactions.
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 cannot always control the events in our lives but we can always control our response and the actions we take as a result.”
This powerful quote has redirected my focus on things I feel I can control. It makes me understand that I truly have control over my thought and ways I respond the happenings around me.
“Whatever you consistently think about and focus upon, you move towards.”
The more we focus on things that does not matter, the more the drain us and limit our chances of moving towards the things that matters most to us.
“There is a huge difference between achieving to be happy and happily achieving.”
“One of the miracles of being humans is that we can decide what causes us pain or pleasure.”
“Decision making is nothing but value clarification.”
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, there is none.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes, there are exercises in the book and I completed them. They were not just helpful but also very significant as it relates to me personally.
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, none at all
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10