As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Nyagblordzro Moses (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea that James Allen is trying to convey in this book is that a person’s thoughts are the foundation of everything in their life. Allen believes that what a person thinks in their heart is what they become. Their character, their circumstances, their health, and their achievements are all shaped by the nature of their thoughts. He wants the reader to understand that nothing happens by chance or accident. Every condition in life, whether good or bad, is the result of the thoughts a person has been holding in their mind over time. If a person wants to change their life, they must first change their thinking. The author uses the image of a garden to explain this idea. Just as a garden will grow weeds if it is not properly tended, the mind will produce negative results if it is filled with negative thoughts. But when a person carefully cultivates their mind with pure, purposeful, and positive thoughts, their life will reflect that in their circumstances, health, and achievements. Allen also teaches that serenity, which comes from self-control and right thinking, is one of the greatest qualities a person can develop. The book is a call to every reader to take full personal responsibility for their inner life, because that inner life is what creates the outer world they live in.
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. You are what you think.
Allen writes that a person is literally what they think. This idea struck me deeply because it made me examine my own daily thoughts. I have noticed that on days when I wake up thinking negatively about my studies or my abilities, everything seems harder. But on days when I approach my work with confidence and focus, I tend to perform better. This idea showed me that my mental attitude is not just a feeling. It is a force that shapes my actual results.
ii. Thoughts crystallize into habits, and habits into circumstances.
Allen explains that thoughts do not stay invisible. They gradually become habits, and those habits produce the circumstances of a person’s life. This was important to me because I realized that the small daily thoughts I once dismissed as insignificant are
actually building something over time. If I consistently think lazy or doubtful thoughts, those thoughts are quietly constructing a life of failure around me. This pushed me to become more deliberate about my thinking patterns every single day.
iii. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him.
This idea changed how I see challenges. Before reading this book, I sometimes blamed my environment or my background for difficulties I was facing. Allen’s teaching made me understand that hard circumstances are not punishments. They are mirrors that show a person what is inside them. When I faced a difficult group assignment at school and felt frustrated, I began to see that the situation was revealing my patience level and my ability to work with others. Instead of blaming my group members, I focused on improving my own response.
iv. Thought linked to purpose produces achievement.
Allen says that thought without purpose drifts like a boat without a sail. This idea was very meaningful to me as a student. I have often started the semester with good intentions but lost focus halfway through because my goals were not clear or strong enough. This idea reminded me that I need to have a specific central purpose and attach my thoughts to it every day. When I began setting clear academic goals and focusing my thinking on them, I found that I was more productive and less distracted.
v. The body is the servant of the mind.
Allen teaches that health is connected to thought. Fearful, anxious, or bitter thoughts weaken the body, while cheerful and peaceful thoughts strengthen it. I have personally experienced periods of stress during examination seasons where my physical health suffered. I used to think that was purely physical. But after reading this, I understood that my mental state during those periods was contributing greatly to my physical condition. This idea encouraged me to manage my mental health as seriously as I manage my physical health.
vi. Dreams and visions are the seeds of reality.
Allen writes that the dreamers are the saviors of the world, and that every great achievement began as a vision. This idea was deeply encouraging to me. Coming from a background where resources are limited, it is easy to feel that big dreams are not realistic. But Allen showed through examples like Columbus and Copernicus that those who held on to their visions and worked toward them eventually saw those visions become real. This gave me renewed determination to keep believing in my goals even when my current circumstances do not yet reflect them.
vii. Serenity is strength.
The final chapter on serenity taught me that calmness is not weakness. Allen says that the calm person has learned self-control, and that this self-control is the source of real power and influence. I used to think that the most forceful or loudest person in a room was the strongest. But this idea showed me that true strength is quiet and steady. I want to build the kind of character that people trust and feel safe around, and this idea gave me a clear picture of what that looks like.
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?
In my personal life, these lessons will help me in several practical ways. First, they will help me take greater responsibility for my own progress. Rather than waiting for better circumstances before I work hard or think positively, I now understand that I must create better circumstances through better thinking. This will help me stay consistent in my studies even when conditions are not ideal.
Second, the idea of thought and purpose will help me set clearer goals and stay committed to them. Instead of drifting through semesters, I will make it a habit to define my purpose at the start of each term and use it as a daily anchor for my choices and effort.
In terms of contributing to a better world, I believe that these ideas have great value for young people in Ghana and across Africa who often feel that their circumstances limit their potential. As someone studying education, I hope to one day teach young students that their minds are their greatest resource. If I can help even a small number of young people understand that their thoughts shape their future, I will be contributing something meaningful to my community. A society of people who take responsibility for their thinking and their actions is a society that can develop itself from within, which is exactly what is needed.
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.
The first quote that stood out to me was: “Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.”
This is important because it completely changes how a person should respond to difficulties. Instead of feeling like a victim of circumstances, a person can use hard times as a tool for self-discovery and growth. This quote gave me a new way to understand challenges I have faced.
“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be.”
This was important because it gave me confidence. I come from modest circumstances, and it is easy to feel that big ambitions are out of reach. But Allen reminds the reader that the vision itself is a promise. Holding on to it faithfully is what allows it to eventually become real.
The third quote that moved me was: “Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power.”
This is a powerful summary of the entire book. It shows that the real battle in life is an inner one, and that winning that inner battle produces everything good on the outside.
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?
Overall, I found the book clear and meaningful. However, I think there are moments where Allen’s teaching can seem too simple, as if all suffering is entirely self-caused by wrong thinking. In real life, some people face serious hardships like poverty, illness, or injustice that are not entirely a result of their own thoughts. Structural and social conditions do play a role in people’s lives, and I think a fair reading of the book should acknowledge this. That said, I believe Allen’s deeper point is not to blame people for every difficulty but to show them that even within difficult circumstances, they have the power to choose their response and their attitude. When read in that spirit, the book remains deeply valuable.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book itself did not contain formal exercises or activities for the reader to complete. It is written in an essay style with no structured tasks. However, the ideas throughout the book naturally invite personal reflection and self-examination. For example, when Allen discusses how thoughts crystallize into habits, I found myself reviewing my own daily habits and tracing them back to the thinking patterns behind them. This kind of reflective application served as its own informal exercise, and I found it very useful.
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.
What I found most remarkable about this book is how short it is, yet how much it contains. In fewer than twenty pages, Allen covers character, health, achievement, purpose, vision, and serenity. Each chapter builds on the one before it. The book does not speak down to the reader or make the ideas feel out of reach. It speaks to every ordinary person and tells them clearly that they already hold the key to their own transformation.
I also appreciated that the book does not attach its message to any one religion or culture. The principles feel universal, which is why they have remained relevant for so many generations. As a student from Ghana, I found the ideas just as applicable to my own life and context as they would be to anyone reading from a different part of the world.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Nyagblordzro Moses (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea in Jonathan Livingston Seagull is that every individual has the potential for greatness beyond what their society expects of them, and that pursuing excellence, freedom, and self-mastery is the highest purpose a person can have. Richard Bach uses the story of a seagull who refuses to live a life limited to eating and survival to show that there is a deeper, more meaningful way to live. Jonathan is not satisfied with the ordinary life of the Flock. He wants to know everything that is possible through flight, and he is willing to face failure, rejection, and loneliness in order to pursue his calling.
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. Do not let the crowd define your purpose.
From the very beginning of the story, Jonathan refuses to spend his life fighting for food scraps like the rest of the Flock. Even when his parents and peers pressure him to conform, he continues to pursue flying for its own sake. This idea is very important to me because in my own environment, there is often pressure to follow the same paths that everyone else is following, to study what is popular, to avoid standing out. Jonathan’s example challenged me to identify what I truly value and pursue it regardless of whether others understand or approve.
ii. Failure is part of the learning process.
Jonathan crashes many times before he learns to fly at high speeds. Each crash teaches him something new. He does not give up after failure. He gets up and tries again with new information. This idea has practical meaning for me as a student. There have been times when I performed poorly in an assessment and felt like giving up. This book reminded me that failure is not the end. It is part of the process of mastery. The important thing is to learn from what went wrong and keep moving forward.
iii. Rejection by others does not mean you are wrong.
When Jonathan returns to the Flock with his discovery, he is not celebrated. He is cast out. The Flock does not want to hear about a higher way of living. This was a painful but important idea for me. I have seen in my own life that sometimes when a person tries to introduce a new or better way of doing things, they are met with resistance or mockery rather than encouragement. Jonathan’s experience taught me that rejection is not always a sign that you are on the wrong path. Sometimes it simply means you are ahead of where others currently are.
iv. Heaven is not a place but a state of perfection.
When Jonathan reaches the higher world and asks the Elder Chiang about heaven, he is told that heaven is not a place or a time but a state of being perfect. This idea was very meaningful to me. I grew up thinking of success and fulfillment as destinations I would arrive at someday. This book shifted my perspective. The joy of excellence is not something you wait for at the end. It is something you experience in the process of striving, learning, and growing every single day.
v. True freedom begins in the mind.
Chiang teaches Jonathan that he is not trapped inside a limited body. His true nature is unlimited. The moment Jonathan truly understands this, he is able to fly to another world instantly. This idea speaks to something I deeply believe: that the limitations most people live within are mental before they are physical. Once a person breaks free in their thinking, their outer world begins to change. This has encouraged me to challenge the mental limits I have placed on what I can achieve academically and professionally.
vi. Those who learn have a responsibility to teach.
After reaching a higher level of understanding, Jonathan chooses to go back to Earth to help other gulls who are struggling. He does not stay in comfort and enjoy his knowledge alone. He returns to serve. This idea challenged me personally. As I gain education and understanding, I should not keep it to myself or use it only for personal gain. I should look for ways to lift others and share what I have learned, especially in communities where access to knowledge and opportunity is limited.
vii. Love means seeing the best in others and helping them see it in themselves.
Near the end of the book, Jonathan explains to Fletcher what love really means. It is not about overlooking bad behavior. It is about seeing the real potential inside every person and helping them to see it too. This idea is especially meaningful for me as someone studying education. Teaching is not just about transferring information. It is about believing in students, seeing their potential before they can see it themselves, and creating conditions where they can grow into it.
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?
In my personal life, the lessons from this book will help me stay committed to excellence even when it is not immediately rewarded or recognized. Jonathan’s story reminded me that the path of genuine learning and growth is often a lonely one in the beginning. There will be people who do not understand what I am trying to do or why. But if I stay focused on growth and keep learning, the results will eventually speak for themselves.
The idea that limitations are mostly mental will help me approach new challenges with greater confidence. When I face a difficult course or a complex research task, instead of immediately concluding that it is beyond me, I will remind myself that the limitation is something I can work through with patience and effort.
In terms of creating a better world, I see this book as a call to anyone in a position of leadership or education to serve with genuine love and commitment. In Ghana, many young people grow up in environments that tell them to be ordinary, to stay in line, and to not ask too many questions. A society that produces more Jonathan Seagulls, people who dare to think differently, to pursue excellence, and to bring others along with them, is a society that can solve its own problems creatively and independently. As someone who hopes to work in education, I want to be the kind of teacher who sees the Jonathan in every student and gives that student permission to soar.
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.
The first quote that stood out was: “The only true law is that which leads to freedom.”
Jonathan says this when members of the Flock challenge whether breaking the Law of the Flock is acceptable. This statement is bold and important. It challenges blind obedience to tradition or rules that have no real purpose beyond maintaining control. Any rule or norm that prevents a person from growing, learning, and becoming their best self deserves to be questioned.
The second quote I found deeply moving was: “You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way.”
Jonathan says this to Kirk Maynard Gull who believes his broken wing makes flight impossible. Immediately after hearing these words, Kirk Maynard flies. This showed me the power of being told that you are free. Sometimes a person is not held back by their circumstances as much as by what they have been told about their circumstances. Words that affirm freedom and potential can genuinely change what a person believes is possible.
The third quote was Chiang’s teaching: “To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is, you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived.”
This is a profound idea about belief and vision. Before you can reach a goal, you must already see yourself there. This connected strongly to what James Allen teaches about vision and the power of holding a clear mental image of where you want to go.
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?
The spiritual and almost mystical elements of the book, such as Jonathan disappearing and reappearing, flying to different worlds, and passing into a kind of afterlife, can be difficult to interpret literally. I understood them as symbols rather than literal events, symbols of what happens when a person transcends ordinary thinking and reaches higher levels of awareness and understanding. Once I approached the book this way, everything made more sense.
There is also the question of how realistic it is to expect individuals to simply choose excellence and freedom in environments that are very hostile to those choices. Jonathan is cast out and must live alone. Not everyone has the emotional strength to endure that kind of social rejection in pursuit of a higher calling. I do not disagree with the book’s message, but I think it is worth acknowledging that the path it describes requires great personal courage, and that not everyone will find it easy to take that path without support from at least one or two others who share their vision.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book did not include formal exercises or structured activities for the reader. It is a work of fiction that teaches through story rather than through direct instruction. However, the story naturally prompted me to reflect on questions like: What is my equivalent of flight? What am I truly passionate about that I may have been suppressing because of social pressure? Who in my life is a Jonathan or a Chiang to me, someone who has encouraged me to go beyond the ordinary? These reflective questions were deeply useful, even though they arose from the story itself rather than from any formal exercise.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
One thing that moved me greatly and was not fully covered in the previous questions is the relationship between Jonathan and Fletcher. Fletcher starts out as an angry outcast who wants to fight the Flock. But Jonathan does not teach him through force or
argument. He simply shows Fletcher what is possible and invites him to choose it for himself. By the end of the book, Fletcher becomes an instructor himself, passing on everything he learned to the next generation of students. This cycle of learning and teaching is something I find very beautiful and very true to how real transformation works in communities.
I also want to note that the book ends with the real-life obituary of John H. Livingston, the man who inspired the story. He was a real pilot who won races and loved flying. The fact that Bach based his fictional seagull on a real human being who genuinely loved what he did and pursued excellence in it makes the story feel even more grounded and meaningful. It is a reminder that the kind of life Jonathan lived is not just an ideal. Real people have lived it. This book is one of the most memorable short stories I have ever read. It uses very simple language and a very simple setting to carry ideas that are deep enough to stay with a person for life.
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? 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
Success through a Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Nyagblordzro Moses (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone are trying to convey is that every person carries an invisible talisman with PMA on one side and NMA on the other. PMA stands for Positive Mental Attitude and NMA stands for Negative Mental Attitude. Whichever side a person keeps facing up determines what they attract or repel in life. A person with PMA draws success, wealth, health, and happiness toward them. A person with NMA pushes those things away. The book is built around seventeen success principles that show the reader how to develop and maintain PMA. Through real stories of people who overcame poverty, physical disability, and failure, the authors prove that attitude, not background, is what ultimately decides a person’s outcome. The book does not just explain positive thinking. It pushes the reader to memorize self-motivators, set definite goals, and take persistent action.
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. Your mental attitude is the one thing you can always control.
The authors teach that while we cannot control what happens to us, we always control our response. The story of Milo Jones, a paralyzed farmer who built a nationally known business using only his mind, showed me that attitude is stronger than circumstance. I have often felt powerless in difficult situations, and this idea reminded me that my response is always my own choice.
ii. What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
This is the book’s central self-motivator. The authors argue that belief is what turns ideas into reality. As a student who sometimes doubts whether my goals are reachable, this statement challenged me to hold on to what I am working toward rather than talking myself out of it before I have even tried.
iii. Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.
Drifting without a clear goal is one of the biggest causes of failure according to the book. I have struggled with staying focused mid-semester. After reading this, I started writing down a specific purpose for each week and noticed a real improvement in how I handled distractions and used my time.
iv. Every problem carries the seed of an equivalent benefit.
The authors argue that no difficulty arrives without also bringing an opportunity. I applied this when a group assignment I was part of fell apart due to disagreements. Instead of withdrawing, I took charge of reorganizing the work. What felt like a setback ended up helping me develop leadership skills I did not know I had.
v. You are a mind with a body, not a body with a mind.
This idea reframes personal identity around mental strength rather than physical condition. I sometimes let tiredness become an excuse for low productivity. The story of Milo Jones challenged me to push through those moments, because real effort begins in the mind before it shows in the body.
vi. Use self-motivators deliberately.
The book teaches readers to memorize short powerful statements and use them when discouragement hits. I began doing this before examinations and difficult study sessions. Phrases like Do it now genuinely helped me move from hesitation to action, and I found my focus improved noticeably.
vii. Go the extra mile.
One of the seventeen principles is doing more than what is required without waiting for immediate reward. This habit builds a reputation that opens opportunities others miss. I started applying this in my academic work and writing, and the quality of what I produce has improved along with the feedback I receive.
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?
In my personal life, the biggest change is in how I handle difficulty. Rather than looking for something to blame, I now ask what opportunity the problem is carrying. This shift alone has made me more consistent in my studies and my writing. The habit of daily self-motivators has also helped me stay focused instead of waiting to feel ready before I act.
In terms of contributing to a better world, I want to carry this message into education. Many young people in Ghana grow up believing their background limits what they can become. The idea that PMA is available to anyone regardless of where they start is one that needs to reach more classrooms and communities. As someone studying education and involved in ministry and writing, I have real opportunities to pass this message on, and I intend to use them.
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.
The first quote that stood out was from the mother of S. B. Fuller: “We are poor, not because of God. We are poor because father has never developed a desire to become rich.”
This is important because it directly challenges the habit of blaming God or fate for poverty. It places responsibility on desire and attitude, which is a message that many people in my context need to hear.
“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with PMA.”
This is the heartbeat of the entire book. It connects vision, belief, and action in one statement. I have made this a personal daily declaration.
The third quote came from a student in a PMA class: “When I am faced with a problem that involves misunderstandings with other persons, I must first start with myself.”
This is practical wisdom. It is always easier to blame others. This statement reminded me that real change begins with honest self-examination.
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?
The book is clear and engaging throughout. My only reservation is that at times the authors make positive thinking sound like a complete solution to every form of hardship, including structural poverty. In communities where access to education, healthcare, and opportunity is severely limited, attitude alone cannot overcome everything without some external support. The examples in the book are mostly American, and not every context offers the same doors to knock on. I believe the authors’ deeper point is that attitude determines how a person uses whatever opportunities are available to them. With that understanding, the message remains honest and valuable.
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. At the end of every chapter the book includes a set of reflection questions and action steps called Pilots. These questions ask the reader to apply the ideas from that chapter directly to their own life and goals. I engaged with them honestly and found them very useful. They prevented me from reading passively and pushed me to think about my own habits, attitudes, and direction. The exercises are simple but effective because they require personal honesty rather than just intellectual agreement.
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.
What I appreciated most about this book is that it balances inspiration with practical instruction. Many motivational books leave a reader excited but unclear on what to actually do. This book gives specific tools such as self-motivators to memorize, principles to apply, and stories to learn from. It is designed to be acted upon, not just read. I also valued the fact that the authors ground the book in moral responsibility. They consistently remind the reader that goals must not violate the laws of God or the rights of others. This gave the book an integrity that made its message feel trustworthy. For someone from a faith background like mine, that mattered. This is a book I will read again.
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? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9