As A Man Thinkth
Assessment By Wondwosen Teka (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the writer is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea the author conveyed in the book is, mainly about the influence of thought on the overall life of a person. The human is made or unmade by him/her self. Which means our character depends on our thoughts. If a person has good thoughts its fruit will be sweet and if he has bad thoughts the result will be bad. The chance is in our hand to be a good or a bad master of ourselves. Our thought will build our character and our character and personality also have a relation with our circumstances. As the author indicates the outer condition of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. Here if some ones inner state is built by positive thoughts the outer world circumstances will also shape itself. Thought has also an influence in human health. So change of diet without change of thought will not result in health as desired. But if someone has a pure thought he will no longer desire impure foods. Utterly the author showed us the influence of thought on character, circumstances, health and achievements etc…
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.
As a Man Thinketh has a number of ideas that delivered in a summarized way. This 20 page book can be a gigantic book if every idea explained in detail. Just like from the sea in spoon I am going to explain the seven ideas which I found most important.
i. The power of thought
From the book I understood the power of thought in building the character of the person. Everyone has a chance to be a good or bad master of him. If someone cultivates and nurtures good thoughts its fruits will be joy and if someone cultivates and nurture bad thoughts its fruits will be suffering. As the book clearly explained it act is the blossom of thoughts and joy and sufferings are its fruits. So nothing happened by chance. If we have the right thinking we going have the right character and behavior and a good result in our life and suffering is the effect of wrong thinking. Here I understood that how thought impacted someone’s life. I have tried to check my life journey and I had been good in my life success during times I had a good thought and bad life where my thoughts had been bad.
ii. Thought and circumstances
A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, can surely shape his circumstances. Men don’t attract that which they want, but that which they are. A good thought determines men’s character and the character impacted their life. In this way if a person has positive thoughts and has a good inner state the outer circumstances will always be harmoniously related. This idea has made me to understand that I cannot choose the circumstances surrounding my life and family directly, but I can shape my circumstances by shaping my thoughts.
iii. Thought and Purpose
Life without purpose is like a traveler who doesn’t know his destination. So knowing owns life purpose is very important. To have a clear life purpose a right though is a precondition. Those who have no central purpose in their life fall in worries and trouble. So as the book stated we need to have the right thought and purpose. Thought can be shaped through practice as the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.
iv. Thought and Achievements
All that a person achieves and all that person fails to achieve is the direct result of thinking. A man’s weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his own and not another ones. They are brought about by himself. So having the right though is necessary to have an achievement. As the book said a man can only rise, conquer and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. If he refuse or unable to lift up his thoughts, he will result in weakness and measurable life.
v. Thought and Vision
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Columbus and Buddha are missioned as visionary of the spiritual and finder of another world. The greatest achievement is if someone meets his vision. Without a vision any success can be an achievement. Setting a vision and working towards that can make a person visionary. The effort and the path to meet the vision may not be straight line, it is spiral and has ups and down and pain. But it cannot be as painful as being visionless and weak.
vi. Hard work
Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained. Just like that a man can only find knowledge and wisdom by working hard, searching it deep inside his soul. If the man digs in to deep he can make his character and mold his life. Someone can achieve or get the wisdom by patience, practice and ceaseless importunity.
vii. Thought and Health
Thought and health are highly related. Sickly thoughts resulted in a sickly body. As it is indicated in the book and I believed thought of fear have been known to kill a man as speedy as bullet. A person who is not in a right thought will not be healthy even though he is in a big house and having all available foods. Change of thought is important than change of diet. Because as it is clearly stated if a person has a pure thought he no longer desire impure food. And we should now that clean thought will help us to have clean habit and healthy 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?
Frankly speaking I found all my problems inside this book. And I can say there is no a person who can benefit more than me from this book. I believe ideas in this book will help me to change completely my way of thinking and I believe this will have a big effect on my life and my health. I am going to keep practicing ideas and I believe they will have a perfect impact on my live. I am going to develop my vision and stick it in my bed room. All qualities mentioned in the book are important for human beings to be good for himself and the world.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
“As a man thinkth in his heart so is he.”
This aphorism shows me if I think big and exert my endeavor towards that, my life status should have been in a big status than I am now.
“Men don’t attract that which they want, but that which they are.”
No one can achieve what he dreams just by over thinking about it. But we have to fight towards what we want to be with clear thoughts and we can realize our dream.
“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results.”
We have to make sure having good thoughts and we will have good life. My thought is the reason for the life I have. During the time I have good thoughts my life was good and vice versa.
“Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his life.”
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. I understand all ideas in the book and I agree with all points.
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 would have been good if the book has exercise to be filled at the end of each chapter. Anyway the book is understandable and the ideas are unforgettable absence of exercise has no big impact.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
Please rate the following questions on scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Assessment by Wondwosen Teka (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the writer is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea the author tried to conveyed in this book is how shaping thought, thinking and acting out of the box important for achievement. I understand that everyone is perfect and limitless. The only limit a human being has is its thought. The author shows us anybody can reach where he wants to reach by having a good dream and exerting all the efforts necessary. Jonathan Livingston seagull has faced several challenges even from his family/ mother & father/, however he patiently over-passed all challenges. The author showed us Jonathan Livingstone Seagull is living in all human being. To win someone should face all the challenges, persistently struggling, not giving up, not depressed, not demoralized and he can achieve it at the end.
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. Getting out from comfort zone.
“Why, Jon, why? His mother asked why it is so hard to be like the rest of the folk.” They all think the nature of Seagull is to be on the water and searching the food, Even his father said don’t you forget that the reason you fly is to eat. However, Jonathan Livingstone Seagull has a dream and decided to get out of comfort zone. He achieved it after ups and downs and pains. So, determination to get out from the comfort zone needs patience, consistence, continuous effort and confronting critics. We all should learn from this we may think that staying in the comfort zone may be safe for someone but no one can bring change and achieve big by this thought. Everybody should know a ship is safe in harbor but it is not the nature of the ship to be cooped in the harbor. This is what we learn from Jonathan Livingstone Seagull experience. We have to leave the harbor and float on the sea and drive towards our dream.
ii. Hard work
“For most gulls it is not flying that matters but eating” which means no need the to engage in thoughts and acts that needs passing through hardship, ups and downs and pains. Usually thinking and acting out of the box needs working hard. This is what I have understood from Jonathan Livingstone Seagull. Many people want to live simple life. Because simple life doesn’t require hardworking and facing challenges, I am one of the persons who fears facing challenges and stayed in the comfort zone. It teaches me much and understood that achievements will never come without hard work.
iii. Fighting Challenges
For Jonathan Seagull there had been a number of challenges that comes from his mother, father, Elder and folk’s council. He all resist and continue his efforts despite all discouragements like elders stand him at center for shame, telling him to fight for food than flying and even after he started they were telling him seagull never fly in the dark and to fly it needs short wings and falcon’s short wing. This is a big lesson for most of us who were hindered by and unable to pass a single challenge. A lesson for those who simply admit as their nature, situation and luck don’t allow them to achieve a lot just by a single attempt or a single challenge.
iv. Strive for the unknown
Strive for the unknown will reward more than simply living what we already had experienced. Jonathan told himself “One day Jonathan Livingston Seagull you shall learn that irresponsibility does not pay. Life is the unknown and unknowable, except that we are put into this world to eat, to stay alive as long as we possibly can.” This is a big lesson for most of us. We have to think beyond eating and living a long age. We have to put our life purpose beyond a simple life and accept the challenges which we going face on the way. Change will not come by just exerting the same thing. A new knowledge, knowing the unknown and taking responsibility can pay us and bring changes in our life.
v. Practice will make perfect
Someone may be naturally gifted in some activities. However, without practice it can’t be outshined. Every person is capable and has no limit the difference is lack of practice. A continues practice will make someone perfect just as we can see from Jonathan. Jonathan’s continuous unstoppable effort makes him achieve what he wants to be.
vi. Love of others
“Keep working on love” Jonathan Seagull has been experienced standing in the center of the council for shame and out-casted from the gull family. However, Jonathan Livingston seagull had been worrying and thinking for those who are on the land. Those who are unfortunate to see what he have discovered. He was sorry for they are unlucky to become one out of the thousand gulls. He aspires for them to become just like him. He doesn’t put in to consideration all the wrong decision they have made on him. Such kind of love is a love that we all lack. Such kind of positive thinking and loving others will help to bring success.
vii. No Limits
The limit is in our thought. If we think that we can’t achieve it we can’t achieve. Jonathan’s experience taught us if you have the right thought there is no limit. We can see the heaven through our achievement because heaven is not a place and it is not a time. We shouldn’t compare our achievement with numbers or some limits. We have to check our perfection. Because as the book explained, any number is a limit and perfection doesn’t have limits. It is our thought that limits us. If we could have the right thought there is no limit and we can achieve our goals and assure perfection. Limiting my self is one of my big illness. Actually heading beyond the limit or becoming limit less couldn’t be achieved simply it needs continuous efforts, working day and night starting before sunrise till past midnight just as Jonathan seagull did.
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 lesson I have got from the book will help me to be a winner than being a winner. Usually fighting up to the end and practicing limitlessness is one of my shortcomings. From Jonathan experience I have learnt that I have to be focused, fight the challenge, practice strongly, love and help others and working hard. Keeping working hard until I become perfect is important and I understood perfection has no limit and I shouldn’t depend on numbers.
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 shall learn that the irresponsibility doesn’t pay. You have to take responsibility and go forward and it will pay you.”
“Life is the unknown and the unknowable, except that we are put into this world to eat, to stay alive as long as possibly can. We have to get out from the simple life and put a gigantic life purpose and go forward to discover the unknown.”
“I don’t mind being bone and feathers Mom, I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can’t. Such kind of determination is important for achievement. People may tell you just by looking your physical but there is a much worth purpose in you than your bone and feather.”
“Number is a limit and perfection doesn’t have limits. We have to go beyond the limit and become perfect. If we count our years of experience, level of education and amount of money or wealth we have as achievements we are limited.”
“You must begin by knowing that you have already arrived. This is a powerful quote that increases commitment and determination help to realize where we want to arrive.”
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
No.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No, it would have been god if the book has exercise to be filled at the end of each chapter. Anyway the book is understandable and the ideas are unforgettable absence of exercise has no big impact
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
No.
Please rate the following questions on scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8