As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Adiele Ijeoma (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea that the author is trying to convey is that in life you cannot change your thoughts without changing your life in the process either for good or for bad. Immerse yourself in the right thoughts and you will become the person you long to be. That is to say that As a Man Thinketh.
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. Blessedness, not material possessions, is the measure of right thought; wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, is the measure of wrong thought.
Yes, I am being blessed today because I took Jesus Christ as my lord and personal savior having faith in him, after my youth service i.e. (NYSC) I was blessed with a handsome husband that is because i believed in God and had faith in him that he will bless me. That is one having a right thought but, had it been that I focused on men or material things I don’t think i will be where I am today that is when one is having a wrong thought.
ii. Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used. And the poor man only descends into wretchedness when he regards his lot as a burden unjustly imposed.
I happen to come from a poor family background were wealth is a scares commodity .my parents had less income and we hardly feed let alone talking about going to expensive schools. My parents encouraged us to reduce the number of our feeding rations for them to save some of our feeding money to pay for our school fees, so that we can have a brighter future.
iii. A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings.
When I was in the university it happened that my school fee was a challenge to my parents, in my year one and year two. Things were not moving well for them, I was not happy because I even find it difficult to eat then in school; I was not doing things like others I even find it difficult to associate with others because I was broke. I prayed to God to help my parents so that their work will start moving like normal like when I entered school. But to the Glory of God things started moving well for my parents and they started paying my fees, giving me pocket money to buy what I needed in school. So a man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being.
iv. A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor; he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.
I could remember when I failed a course in school then, so I was thinking that it was my too much friends that caused it not knowing that it was me not building a strong and noble thoughts for myself, that is spending less of my time with friends and utilizing my time well enough so as to read and passed my exams. So when I applied that method I find out that I made best of results.
v. Loving and unselfish thoughts which solidify into circumstances of sure and abiding prosperity and true riches.
I could remember when I was doing my national youth service corps (NYSC). I had a friend who was always selfish calming too love her friends but me I am somebody that is so free that my friends even go to my pot to carry food even the girl too. Because of that my character I made a lot of friends then to the extent that I never lack anything I was always giving to the extent if I don’t have my friends will give me to eat but the other of our friend found it difficult to get form friends if she lacking anything so unselfishness and loving brings abiding prosperity and true riches.
vi. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.
Before I got married I was always praying to God to help me and give me the right man of my own, so when I finally started seeing suitors I find out that due to my prayers God chased away the fake one’s and gave me the right man I am with today. So a man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.
vii. Let him encourage good thoughts, and no hard fates hall bind him down to wretchedness and shame.
I realized that since I took Jesus Christ as my lord and personal behavior I have never fail or been disappointed, Things always move well for me and I obtain favor so when a man encourages good thoughts no hard fates hall will bind him down and wretchedness.
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 in my personal life to always have right thoughts because having right thoughts yields a positive result and help me attain greater heights but having wrong thoughts yields a negative result. And for me to create a better world I will always advocate for having good thoughts to my family members, to my friends, and to everyone I will be in the position to counsel. And also tell them that A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.
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.
“He that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. For Only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the door of the temple of knowledge.”
Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul. That he is the maker of his character, the molder of his life, and the builder of his destiny, he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others and upon his life and circumstances, linking cause and effect by patient practice and investigation.
“As a man thinketh in his heart so he is.”
Thought in the mind hath made us. What we are by thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind hath evil thought, pain comes on him as comes the wheel the ox behind. If one endures in purity of thought, Joy follows him as his own shadow-sure. You cannot change your thoughts without changing your life in the process—either for good or for bad. Immerse yourself in the right thoughts and you will become the person you long to be.
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.
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 did and I find it helpful.
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? 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? 8
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Adiele Ijeoma (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea that the author is trying to convey is that in life we should not limit ourselves we should always believe and be confident that we can be great. For example in the book according to chiang to Jonathan he said to him to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body, The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time.
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. Everything that limits us we should put aside
I could remember while in school in my junior secondary school one (JSS 1) I wasn’t doing well in school but, when I started reading my books day and night I discovered that I started having good grades in school which made me one of the best student in my class, in my junior secondary school two (JSS 2) I was chosen to write the junior West African Examination Council (WAEC) with my seniors which made everyone that knows me then happy.
ii. Fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is short and with these gone from his thought; he lived a long fine life indeed.
Yes is true I could remember when I wrote my West African Examination Council the first time I couldn’t make it, the second time I couldn’t make it, I was angry and scared that my parents will kill me, so I started praying, reading my books, going for extra moral lectures, because of the zeal my parents so in me, they allowed me to register for the exam the third time also to register for my JAMB that year too, So I prayed and went for the exam at last I came out with flying colors and I also entered the university that year.
iii. “We can’t lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill.”
When I was in the university I tried to associate myself with people more knowledgeable than I am. So, by doing that I discovered that I learnt much from them which helped me to make good grades in the university.
iv. For each of the birds in heaven the most important thing for them was to reach out and touch perfection.
I want to use this institute for global leadership to touch life and positively also to reach perfection so as to be great in life as Jonathan seagull reached greatness and was called the Great Gull.
v. Break the chains of your thought and you break the chains of your body too.
I always think that I was one of the lower grades student in my school and when I decided to associate with people that know more than me, go for extra moral lessons, also prayed to God then I started having good grades I realized that I was happy with myself.
vi. There is such a thing as perfection.
Yes, when I started working because I studied nursing in school then I had few knowledge about my profession but realized that when I started working, in the hospital I learnt so much, that is to say that practice makes perfect and surely it made me perfect.
vii. Our purpose for living is to find perfection and show it forth.
In the hospital I saw myself doing very well to the extent my patients love me and will always want me to treat and care for them.
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 daily personal life it will help me to reach perfection because I have learnt to remove fear and anger if I want to be great and also it has helped me to learn not to limit myself if I want to be great and also to have a positive mindset, and also not to be procrastinating because what procrastination does is that it, it delays greatness. Also I will do so to create a better 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.
“Why is it,” Jonathan puzzled; “that the hardest thing in the world is to convince a bird that he is free, and that he can prove it for himself if he ‘d just spent a little time practicing.
This is important to me because I have come to realize that in life practice makes perfect.
“I don’t understand how you manage to love a mob of birds that has tried to kill you.”
“Oh, fletch you don’t love that you don’t love hatred and evil, of course: you have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it in themselves. That’s what I mean by love said Jonathan.”
This is important to me because I have learnt to love people by not seeing the bad side of them but the good side of them.
“Look at Fletcher! Lowell! Charles-Roland! Judy Lee! Are they also special and gifted and divine? No more than you are, no more than I am. The only difference, the very only one, is that they have begun to understand what they really are and have begun to practice it.”
This is important to me because I should try and understand myself first and who I first to be special am, gifted and divine.
“Jonathan Poor Fletch. 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.”
This is important to me because I have learnt not to look at my limitations.
“You don’t understand my wing. I can’t move my wing. Maynard Gull, you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way. It is the Law of the Great Gull.
This is important to me because I have learnt to believe in myself.
“Martin Gull! he shouted across the sky. You say you know low-speed flying. You know nothing till you prove it! Fly!”
This is important to me because I learnt that one’s ability is not know on less it is show or proved.
“To begin with, he said with a wry smile, you were all a bit late on the join-up.”
Is important to me because i learnt to be committed and punctual in things that will lead to my greatness.
“Each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom, Jonathan would say in the evenings on the beach, and precision flying is a step toward expressing our real nature. Everything that limits us we have to put aside. That’s why all this high-speed practice, and low speed, and aerobatics.”
This is important to me because if I want to be great I have to put aside everything that limits me.
“Keep working on love” this is important to me because with love you can work with your friends even your enemies. Chiang told Jonathan to work on love which he did and that was what pushed him to go down on earth so as to train others, without love Jonathan cannot do that.
I have to teach even my enemies the way to greatness because by so doing it will pave way for me and also increase my greatness.
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 exercises.
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? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
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? 8