As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Agboola Janet Oluwatosin (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea the author was trying to convey is that “Power encroached in Man’s Thought.”
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal example from your own life.
i. Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstances, the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.
Thought has either positive or negative effect on any circumstances. It depends on how one shape or guide his thought flowing within himself. The inner thought of a man is not an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development. Thus; the inner thought of a man would definitely be revealed in his character; for every man is where he is by the law of his being: the thoughts he has built into his character have brought him there. This idea is very important to me because it has helped me to understand how powerful the thought nursed in my mind is to affect my outer conditions of my personality. For example, I should begin to harbor good thoughts whatsoever so as to achieve my purpose/goals in life.
ii. A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thought.
“As a Man Tthinketh, so is he.” It is of great importance for a man to have a valid plan; i.e. conceive a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish those good plans. the purpose could be best accomplished or achieved once it is solid and validated; this would drive man to make it the central point of his thoughts. Self evaluation in daily activities could be of help in achieving the purpose such as passing judgment on his activities before bedtime, that would make the purpose ringing in his mind and be his center focus each day as the sun rises until it is accomplished. Having conceived a legitimate purpose in my heart made me to achieve some targeted goals despite difficulties and challenges on the way, but with the help of valid plan, I was able to accomplish them. So, it is very important to conceive a legitimate purpose in the heart.
iii. To put away aimlessness and weakness and begin to think with purpose is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one the pathways to attainment. Who makes all conditions serves them and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly and accomplish masterfully.
One of the major ways of attaining greatness and to do more exploit in life is to take failure as part of what a man need to encounter before breaking through. Doubts and fear should be rigorously excluded, which means one should not be afraid of failure or making a mistake but rather recognize failure as one of the pathway to attainment. Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a straight pathway to its achievement. Therefore, it is very important to put away aimlessness and weakness and begin to think with legitimate purpose in order to enter the rank of success achiever. For as the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can then make strong by exercising himself in right thinking.
iv. A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped and even then the weak man must become strong to himself. He must by his own efforts develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition.
Having an adage that says “Heaven helps those who help themselves.” Before a strong man could help a weaker to become strong to himself, there must be self determination, he must aspire to achieve the strength and develop the strength which he admires in another. With the efforts he put in place, would make a strong man to help him to become strong. Nobody can change one’s decision unless one desires changes. It is very important for someone to desire changes and better condition from where he is presently. He should also desire to learn from those who are knowledgeable and strong more than his own ability. For instance, I personally love to learning from experienced people in order to acquire more knowledge and be strong in line of my purpose. For it is easy for those who have no mentor to be tormented by a mentor.
v. There can be no progress nor achievement without sacrifice and a man’s worldly success will be by the measure that he sacrifices his confused animal thoughts and fixes his mind on the development of his plans and the strengthening of his resolution and self-reliance. The higher he lifts his thought, the greater will be his success, the more blessed and enduring will be his achievements.
Sacrifice is the act of giving up something important, valuable to you in order to get or do something seems more important for oneself or for another person. Before one could be great or achieve success in life, there must be some prices to pay, selfless efforts are involved and self determination is very important. This type of sacrificial act may not be on monetary aspects alone but rather in all facets of life, one has to give up something before he can get the better. This idea is very important to me because it enlightens my mind more on how to make a tangible sacrifice and being valiant in anything which leads to great success and achievement
vi. Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, and cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts. For out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
To cherish can be simply understood as to keep an idea, a hope or a pleasant feelings in one’s mind for a long time. For a man to cherish his visions, ideals and the likes, he must develop the right thoughts and gravitate towards that which he secretly love most. Thus; keeping pleasant feeling in mind always. As the writer said ‘he who cherishes a beautiful, lofty ideal in his heart will one day realize it. Many are still in the world battling with how they will get through with their dreams and aspirations. Many are still living in a confused world. Until man understand his vision and how to achieve it. He will keep wondering in the valley of frustration.
vii. You cannot change your thoughts without changing your life in the process. Either for good or bad immerse yourself in the right thoughts and you will become the person you long to be.
It is impossible for a man to change his thought without changing his life because the two such as thought and character are one and they affect each other, the thoughts one conceived in his heart would reflect in his life in the process, either good or bad. Therefore, it is very important for a man to deep himself in the right thought and he would become the person he long to be. For as a man thinketh so is he. Right thought is mastery.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?
These ideas which I have gathered and learned will help me in my personal life by applying them in my day to day activities, keeping them at the back of my mind will help me to overcome any challenges I might encounter day by day. It will also help in boosting my reasoning faculty. In addition it will help me to focus towards creating a better world. Making impossibility become possible through a beautiful visions and lofty ideals in my heart. Just as the men and women of valor have been able to realize and create a better world of theirs.
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.
“Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind and to take root there produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit and bad thoughts bad fruit.”
This quote links with a general slogan “whatever a man sows, that he shall reap” which means, every thought is likened to seed and the result of it is the germination. Thus every thought a man allows to fall in his heart and nurture will bring out the exact result of that thought either good or bad. It is what a man harbor in his heart that will reflect in his outer world. The attitude of a man determine his altitude. Therefore, it is of great important for a man to guide his thought jealously, for whatsoever man’s thought is, either good or bad is looking for an opportunity to take charge and control his entire being.
“Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body.”
This is an essential quote which makes one to understand how relevant the heart is to a body and kind if thoughts conceiving in the heart either clean or unclean. For thought is the fount of action, life and manifestation: make the fountain pure. Therefore, my thoughts portraits my entire personality, which means the body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind.
“Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment. With the majority the bark of thought is allowed to drift upon the ocean of life.”
It is possible for a man to have purpose but has no right thought that will make it a reality. Until men learn how to link the right thought towards the plans he has. Achievement may be difficult for him. Good thought gravitate the legitimate purpose that leads to mega accomplishment.
“He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain high must sacrifice greatly.”
He that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully and he that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly. The more sacrifice a man make, the more he would achieve in life. Sacrificial act is deposited in individuals, it’s now left for an individual to discover the areas in which he can maximize his potentials to have a very good impact on others. Whatsoever a man does positively into the life of others that will make a change could be sacrifice. It might not be on monetary aspects alone. This is very important because it allows one to have more knowledge on how to give whatever he has to bless other lives.
“The vision you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart, this you will build your life by; this you will become.”
A man becomes whatever he desires through his vision and positive thoughts conceived in his heart, his attitude towards the ideals flowing in his mind. Journey to stardom is a process and conscious effort of a man towards his goals and aspiration in life that will help him to get to the top.
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?
A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought evolved being. For such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as he develops a right understanding and sees ever more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, he ceases to fuss, fume, worry and grieve. He remains poised, steadfast, serene. I need more explanation on this.
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, I completed all the assignment given and found them helpful to every facet of life. They add values to my life and personality.
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 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? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Agboola Janet Oluwatosin (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
I am seeing the author’s main idea in three different ways namely:
1) Ability to see beyond one’s limitation.
2) Power in creativity and originality
3) You can if you believe you can
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 example from your own life.
i. We can lift ourselves of ignorance. We can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skills. We can be free! We can learn to fly.
This simply means that we can seek or search for knowledge, digging deep in search if new ideas with enthusiasm which requires a lot of energy and strength. Finding ourselves as creatures of excellence deals with the type of thought we conceive in our mind. For whatsoever thought concealed in heart is achievable. This entails taking the right action towards the imagination and ideas harbor in mind to be excellent. Also learning to fly and be free is a matter of choice and it requires a lot of sacrifice and determination to break even and to attain the best height in life. Just as Jonathan Seagull did. This is a very good idea from this great author because it widen my horizon the more on how to develop and practice my ability on what I can do better, to be focused in whatsoever and be diligent and determined in searching for knowledge
“Who is more responsible than a gull that finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrambled after fish head, but now we have a reason to live, to learn, to discover to be free. Give me a chance; let me show what I have found.”
Jonathan opened his mind to learn new things, new ways of flying every day. He has ability to carry the followers along even when they were seeing his right as wrong; he felt bad because the rest of the gull did not understand the freedom attached to being free and flying than scramble after fish head all the while. They saw his responsibility as irresponsibility to the entire house of the gulls.
Sometimes a leader may be trying to carry his followers along in order to make them see beyond living an average life and enlighten them on how to navigate through life. But; they may not be ready toleave their comfort zone. Using Jonathan and the rest of the gulls as a case study, we discover that the family of gulls are not like minded. They don’t have the same vision, there’s no passion to fudge ahead rather staying comfortable where they are. This idea is very important to me because it teaches me that in the journey of life, there are people I will meet and mingle with that will discourage and despise me in line of my purpose. Thus, for the quickest way to miss a flight is for someone going somewhere to meet with people going nowhere. Being focus and be sure of your destination is the key to breakthrough.
“Jonathan seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long fine life indeed.”
Having discovered new ideas and new skills about flying with bathe price he has paid, he could now discovered that where he was i.e. among other gulls was bored and full of fear because their eyes were not opened to living beyond limitation and to learn new things whether they could perform and fly beyond seeking for food. Immediately Jonathan discovered the idea, he tried to learn every day until he was able to accomplish his vision and was very happy living a cool fine life. This is a unique idea because it tells me more that I have a lot of price to pay before I can attain greatness. So far there is life, there is no limit to what I can achieve. Whatever I know, no one can take it away. Also, it’s important to be able to make a difference amidst difficulties as Jonathan did and at last he came out gallantly.
The farther one walks the nearer it becomes.
iv. One day Jonathan Livingston seagull, you shall learn that irresponsibility does not pay. Life is the unknown and the unknowable, except that we are put into this world to eat, to stay alive as long as we possibly can.
Having gone out of them to discover new ways of life and to learn new ideas was meant irresponsible to the family of gulls and they were waiting for him to “Stand to Center” which could be for great shame or great honor. He thought he was to stand for great honor, happy telling them he was not interested to be leader, but to share with them what he had found, those horizons out ahead of them all. Suddenly he was called to stand to center for shame in the presence of other gulls for his reckless irresponsibility “violating the dignity and tradition of gulls family.”
This is a very unique idea because it makes me understand that not everybody would see things in the same direction and perspective with me. Some people are not ready to leave their comfort zone for the best. A friend of mine told me about IIGL (this is my personal testimony) and I picked interest in going for it. But, when I share the ideas with some of my close pals they were making jest of me, telling me what am I going to gain from IIGL. But, I determined never to allow their criticism to set me back. I took it as a personal decision to move away from where I use to be and to find where I can gain more knowledge. Many could not see far from where they are. Only to discourage one’s efforts. Therefore, man has to be focused no matter the challenges he might encounter. He must be steadfast and continue learning new ideas, skills that will prove his responsibility to other.
v. To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is, “He said, you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived.
Chiang,the instructor for Jonathan Seagull was trying to let him realize how important and helpful it is for him to possess the ability to see the end right from the beginning. Thus, the idea helped him to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body. He was able to guide his thought jealously towards the end as if he had already arrived at targeted point.
This particular idea has helped in my daily life activities to improve my reasoning faculty in how to possess the ability to begin with the end in mind. It helps to be optimistic in certain goals and objectives. In addition, it is of great value to have someone who will serve as a mentor giving directions when required in line of purpose.
vi. One day Jonathan standing on the shore, closing his eyes, concentrating all in a flash know what Chiang has been telling him. ’Why, that is true! I am a perfect unlimited gull! He felt a great shock of joy.
Jonathan closed his eyes to behold himself in a more beautiful way. He kept on envisaging on how the future would look like and he was engrossed to attain the perfection through his instructors ability to carry him along with positive mindset of individuals.
This implies that the success of followers depends greatly on who so called the leader. For example, a leader must possess the ability to carry others along, he must be courageous and diligent as a leader. Chiang was once a novice in the field but because he was able to learn and paid the sacrifices required, made him a leader today for someone else. This means a good follower makes a great leader. This is very key because I was able to understand the power of positive imagination. It gives me more joy in practicing what I know how to do best; continuing searching for knowledge. Also I learned to see myself always where I will like to be in years to come.
vii. It is right for a gull to fly, that freedom is the very nature of his being, that whatsoever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form.
This simply means that freedom is for everybody who desires to be free, who is ready to leave the limited zone to unlimited freedom; thus, before this could be done, one must set aside anything that can stand as the obstacle or roadblocks to free nature of man. To be free entails total readiness, commitment and being focused at the spot.
Jonathan’s parents stood against his freedom likewise the family of gulls who led him to be outcast, but he was purposeful in His heart, hungry, tired but happy learning new ideas; he didn’t allow anything whatsoever to stop his vision of getting freedom. This apply to individual life who want freedom to put aside anything that can cause hindrance and be focused, ready to learn new ideas, pay a lot of price and concentrate on the set goals.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?
These lessons mentioned earlier will help me both in my daily personal life and in creating a better world by turning a new leaf to these ideas and practicing on these ideas to learn/attain every day. Having these at the back of my mind would drive my desire towards perfection. Also this would help me to cultivate a good listening skill to any instruction given as Jonathan did to motivate his instructor to carry him along.
Moreso, these ideas will help me to keep striving more for the best Jonathan Livingston Seagull lives in me.
These ideas let me know that whatsoever may be the challenges in line of my purpose, I should be happy doing it, there’s a star ahead. Furthermore, ideas gathered would help me to create a better world by influencing/affecting lives with my inner beauties. Bringing people to limelight of real self. Life is unknown and unknowable. Creating a better world through impacting knowledge, dissemination of positive information’s of letting my generation know a better world ahead as Jonathan did to his fellow gulls.
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 choose our next world through what we learn in this one.”
This quote according to Jonathan implies that the more you learn the more you acquire knowledge about things in life such as a step leads to another steps in life, which means learning new things when you have what it takes. If you learn nothing now the next world will still be the same. Thanks to great innovators who invent PC computers. Life is easier for our generation today because someone took it as a responsibility to make positive contribution to his generation and generation next.
“You say you know low-speed flying. You know nothing till you prove it! Fly!”
This simply means putting one’s idea to test.You must be able to showcase what you carry. Prove whatever you know, learn by practicing it to get perfection. Constant practice brings about perfection. This idea is motivating me the more to come out with what I carry
“Break the chain of your thought and break the chain of your body.”
“As a Man Thinketh so is He. The body is the servant of the mind. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay, at the command of glad and beautiful thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty. Out of clean heart comes a clean body.”
If you would perfect your body, beautify your mind. Whatever you believe you can do in your mind would definitely be accomplished as in the case of Jonathan. This quote has helped me and it will continue to help me guard my mind and thoughts jealously. It will make me conceive more hygienic thoughts which will have positive effect on my world.
“You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan in the moment that you touch perfect speed and that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Becasue any number is a limit and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed my son is being there.”
The whole world will celebrate you the moment you learn perfection in anything you choose to do. Man must be have it in mind that it is very important to master whatsoever he choose as a career, as a profession. Nobody is ready to associate with a failure. ’Heaven’’ to Chiang is a place of perfection where no blemish exist. He was trying to tell Jonathan that He will be able to sit and dines with Kings, not mere men if he can attain perfection. Attaining perfection is not what can just achieve with mere desire. He must be ready to pay the price full time. I have come to realize with this idea that I must be ready and determined to achieve greatness. I must be ready to take a reasonable action towards its attainment.
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?
Yes, I need more explanation on this Quote. The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere.
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, I completed all the exercise given and I found them helpful to all facets of life. They give self-motivation that leads to great success.
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.
Nothing of such. Everything was in order.
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? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9