As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Ajunwa Simon John (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
Wow! James Allen has done a great work “As a Man Thinketh.” I want to suppose Mr. Allen had an encounter with the divine (God) who explains and unraveled the mystery of the mind to him. The mind is the nature of God in man. The mind is what makes the man a co-creator on earth. The main idea the author was trying to convey in the book is the mind. He told us that the mind is the master-power that molds and makes the man, and that our thoughts and actions are directly proportional to the mind and the character formulation are from the mind.
Another idea conveyed is that our mind determines the circumstances we found ourselves, and not the environment. The mind also determines our state of health. Nothing is impure unless the mind made it other-wise and that nothing is pure unless the mind made it so. The book tries to help us see how the mind is responsible for our purpose, intelligent, fears, worries and troubles.
Achievement is also part of the function of the mind, and it’s responsible for our being great, rich, foolish and poor. “A man can rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts or remain weak, abject and miserable by refusing to lift up his thoughts.
However the book tried to bring to our knowledge that since the mind is the master-power, visions, ideas and dreams are the product of the mind. A man is his vision dreams and aspirations. A man is his mind.” Finally, Mr. Allen sum it up by revealing to us the most of the characteristic of the mind, inner-peace. Serenity controls all the other characters of the mind and when guided, the mind will function effectively and to its optimal capacity.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas which followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. Character Formation
Earlier before now I thought a man’s character is gotten from his parent, with the help of gene (hereditary traits). Jean Lamarck attests to this fact in one of his theories, that the offspring of a particular species will behave most likely or exactly as the parents where he made an illustration with Giraffe; that the long neck of a Giraffe is as a result of constant stretching of their first parents to eat of the leaves from tall trees, which over time made the off-springs to have long neck. The book made us to believe that the character formation of a man is largely is thoughts and not traits from his parents as stated by Jean Lamarck.
Character is one of the most important ideas gotten from this book because the true application of thought makes a man saint or demon. Character in the right direction and continuously will result in making a man ascends to divinity; and when wrongly applied or abuse make a man descend below the level of beast. By their character we shall know them. A man is his character, therefore to be a good leader is to be of good mind set and of positive character.
ii. Thought of Circumstance
The environment does not determine a person but his mind. A plant grows the way the famer tends and nurture it not the soil. Therefore our environment is our thoughts and the way we want it. The man as the master-power is the shaper and author of his environment and circumstances through his thoughts (mind). The man can improve on his environment and circumstance by improving on his thought and cease to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts.
Suffering is not natural but the effect of wrong thoughts in some direction. The poor man only descends in to wretchedness when he regards his lot as a burden unjustly imposed, either by the environment or the circumstances in which he found himself, rather than redefining his thoughts. Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used through positive thoughts. Therefore a man begins to be a man, when he ceases to whine and revile but search for the hidden truth which regulates his life. I blame my parents and environment for my poor performance in school at my early age, until something lightens up in me that I can do it. Some what I began to see the possibilities of improving myself through hard work and its works. My siblings picked up and started doing well in their academic.
iii. Effect of thoughts on health and body.
There is no physician like cheerful thoughts for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all-such unselfish thoughts are the very portals to heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor. Health is the condition of the mind and body of an organism. If out of the abundant of the mouth speaks the mouth, logically out of the abundant of the mind determines the health of the body. Improving on diet and residing in a comfortable environment will not give good health except the mind is healthy.
There was this time when feeding was a challenge and the environment was not comfortable. But then I did not fall sick, because my mind was not disturbed. I was rather joyous because my grade in college then was excellent. My thoughts were not on the hunger but on my achievement and the joy that is set before me after the college.
Most often than not the ill-health people suffer is caused by their state of mind and condition of their thoughts and not diseases. Clean thoughts do not get sick.
iv. Thoughts and purpose
An unexamined life is not worth living. Until a man come to realize his purpose on earth is not more than an animal that breaths, eats and move. The different between the human species and other organism is the fact that the human species have purpose for living and even dying for, while the later just exist without purpose. Until thoughts are linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment. They who have no defined purpose in life falls an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles and self-pitying all of which are indications of which leads as surely as deliberate planned weakness, failure, unhappiness and loss.
Its pitiable for a man not to have purpose either positive or negative, but upon discoveries of his purpose a man should mentally mark out a straight pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right nor left. Doubts and fears should be rigorously stamped; as thoughts of doubt and fears can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure. Those are the enemies of knowledge and when encouraged lead to damnation of purpose. Therefore, purpose is born out of fearlessness, bravery, tenacity and courage to face every doubt and uncertainty. I was able to stand out and became the first graduate in my family of 12 children because I had, had purpose early, thoughts allied fearlessly t purpose becomes creative force, happy are those who adhere to this as it will consciously wielder their mental power.
v. Thought Factors in Achievement
A man maybe of good character, has good environment and purpose. Good health, but without any achievement, it’s like chasing a wind. Achievement is a great or heroic deed or feat; something accomplished by valor or boldness. Achievement is like a baby (purpose, dreams, vision, and commitment) delivered after nine month of conception to birth. All achievement whether in the business, intellectuals, or spiritual world, is the product of definitely directed thoughts, and is governed by the same law, and are of the same method. There can be no progress or 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 lift his thoughts, the greater will his success and enduring will be his achievement.
Victories attained by right thought can be maintained only by watchfulness. Many give way when success is assured and rapidly fall back into failure. However, he who sows sparingly shall reap sparingly while he who sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. A man’s achievement is directly proportional to the level of his sacrifice.
vi. Vision and Ideas
What an elder seats and see a young lad may climb a tree yet not see it. An African proverb though vision is not made for the aged but its required a mind that discern beyond the physical. Vision is solving tomorrow’s problems today. Vision is a sense or ability of sight. Until a wheat grain falls and dies it remain only a single grain but when it dies its yield a rich harvest. The world is beautiful because some individuals had lived, the composers, sculptors, painters, poet, prophets, and architects. Without them labouring humanity would have perished.
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve, vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; a desire you shall at last unveil and the aspiration you shall achieve. With vision nation is establish, with understanding it’s built. The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the corn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. It was out of vision Martin Luther king Jr. cried out “I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a place where they will not be judge by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not remain so if you only perceive an idea and strive to reach it. If not for dreams, vision and aspiration how could I have became a graduate, my older siblings were not privilege to school not because the means was not there, but because my father would not pay their fees. Not that mine was paid either but I refuse to settle for less, I changed the rhythm to the music of my life and future. Well that was possible because I had a dream of becoming a philanthropist. Therefore no matter the howling of the wind the mountain will not bow to it.
It’s painful and pathetic of the thoughtless, the ignorant and the indolent who may not want to put their minds to work but seeing only the apparent effects of things and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of fortune and chance. They have no knowledge of the sacrifices an individual made, the undaunted efforts put forth, so he might overcome the insurmountable and realizes the vision of his heart; only to see the light and joy, then call it luck, good fortune and chance. In all human endeavors there are efforts and there are results. The strength of such effort is the measure of the result; gift, power and intellectual.
vii. Serenity
Calmness of mind is the hallmark; it’s the result of long and patient effort in self-control. The creator haven examines all he had created and had attained the inner peace and calmness quipped “it’s good and beautiful”. Inner peace is a way of telling oneself I did it. Calmness is the realization of dreams and vision, through commitment and defined purpose all of which was achieved.
A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved being. The calm man, having learned how to govern himself, knows how to adapt himself to others. And they in turn reverence his strength. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land or a sheltering rock in a storm to them. The more tranquil a man becomes the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Even in business prosperity increase as the trader develops a greater self-control and equanimity. Calmness is the flowering of life, the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisdom-more desirable than fine gold. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms to the soul to obey him. Calmness is power.
3. How will these ideas or lesson help you in a practical way, daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
These ideas will help me in so many ways and the lessons l have learnt is beyond words.
Character formation is one of the ideas and lessons I have learnt. A man is his character; by their fruit we shall know them.
Character is the strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral of a person. Character has a magnetic force that attract people to you and also a repugnant smell that scares people away. 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.
I have learned to search and mine deep into the treasure chest of my mind, in other to discover in myself the temple of knowledge, not only for the future but also for my daily life. Character in the right direction and continuously, will result in making a man ascends to divinity; and when wrongly applied or abuse make a man descends below the level of the beast. The ideas from the book have and will continue to help me in character formation. Therefore, to be a good leader is to be of good character.
Vision and ideas is another lesson I have learned from the book. One of the pressing challenges the world is facing is lack of visions and ideas. History will not be complete without calling to mind individuals whose visions and ideas we now enjoy. Vision is a sense or ability of sight; to desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve. Vision is the promise of what one day you shall be, the desire you shall at last unveil and the aspiration you shall achieve. This book has helped me to redefine the vision I have had and the world I wish to create.
Serenity is power. It’s the flowering of life, the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisdom-more desirable than fine gold. The hallmark of greatness is serenity. Earlier, I had thought calmness is of serene environment and being at peace with family and friends, little did I know that serenity is of thought. The book has helped me to know that the more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, and his power for good. It has also helped me to learn how to govern my inner peace and to know how to adapt myself to others and which will in turn make them to learn and rely on me. The book has helped me to become master of my thought and the controller of my environment.
Health is a choice. This book has helped me to choose either to be healthy or sick, and that strong pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace; why thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace. Change of diet, improvement of personal hygiene and good environment will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. Thoughts are the fount of action, life and manifestation; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure. I have learnt to disabuse any negative and impure thoughts.
Achievement; all that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his thoughts. I have learnt to put my mind to work in other to achieve great things. All achievements, whether in the business, intellectuals, or spiritual world are the result of definitely, directed thoughts; governed by the same law, and are of the same method. The only difference is in the object of attainment. This book has helped me to consecrate my thoughts constantly in the conception of noble and lofty thoughts, and to dwell upon all that is pure and selfless. It has also guided me against arrogant, selfish and corrupt thoughts, which leads to failure. Finally the book encouraged me to embrace sacrifice as he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.
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.
“A noble and Gold-like character is not a thing of favor or chance but is the natural result of continued effort in the right thinking, the effort of long-cherished association with the God-like thoughts.”
“By the right choice and true application of thoughts man ascends to the divine perfection.”
Yes! Saint is not made by election or appointment, but by deliberate decision of the individual, and constancy of God-like character. It’s important to me because, it’s up to me to choose either to ascend to divinity or to descend below the level of the beast.
“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; seek and you shall find.”
“For only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the door of the temple of knowledge; determination is the key to success.”
“Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself;
Tough time does not last but tough people do.”
“Not what he wished and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns;
As a man thinks so he is.”
“Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life; positive change of thought brings positive result.”
“Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used; wisdom is the right application of knowledge.”
“Thoughts is the fount of action, life and manifestation; make the fountain pure and all will be pure; out of the abundant of the heart the mouth speaks.”
“He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. He who makes all condition serves him and thinks strongly, accomplish masterfully.”
“The calm man, having learned how to govern himself, knows how to adapt himself to others. The law of attraction.”
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?
None, nothing I disagree with about the book.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No, there was no 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!
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 was the content? 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
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Ajunwa Simon John (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The book conveyed ideas about doggedness, persistence, determination, practice, forgiveness, mentorship and love, although the road to success is hard and narrow, yet achievable. The book made us to understand that, some of the challenges and difficulties we encounter as we journey to greatness is not only our thought and lack of faith on our ability but also our family, friends, culture and tradition. More so, that life is a process and at every stage of life one need to fight the enemy called limitation and to always awakes the sleeping giant within. However as one progress’ he learns to discover more about him/her, and that practice make improvement. The book in conclusion conveyed idea on forgiveness and the ability to love one’s enemy no matter the gravity of their offence.
2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. Persistence
Persistence is the fact of continuing to try to do something despite difficulties, especially when other people are against you and think that you are being annoying or unreasonable.
Most gulls don’t bother to learn more than they simplest facts of flight; how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gulls, though it was not eating that mattered but flight. Most people are just comfortable with who they are and what they have. Without thinking of improving on it or do better. To them life is to exist, nothing more, as far as they can eat and survive there is no more to knowledge changing their world to be a better place.
When he began sliding in two feet-up landings on the beach, then pacing the length of his slide in the sand, his parents were very much dismayed indeed. “Why is it so hard to be like the rest flock, Jon? Why can’t you leave low flying to the pelicans, the Albatross? Why don’t eat? Son, you’re bone and feathers!” “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, that’s all. I just want to know.” If Jonathan Livingston seagull was to be an African and probably a Nigerian, the mother would have accused him of being insolent and wayward. Most a times, persistence, is considered or presumed as disrespectful, stubborn and going haywire. Persistence sometimes is to be at loggerheads to family, friends and the society yet foolish to the pursuit of your dreams. Persistence is to be under spell of one’s dream, vision and ideas.
It’s all pointless, he thought, deliberately dropping a hard –won anchovy to a hungry old gull chasing him. I could be spending all this time learning to fly. There’s so much to learn! It wasn’t long before Jonathan gull was off by himself again, far at sea, hungry, happy learning. Persistence is not giving up no matter the challenges, it’s like been hearing impaired to everybody. After my secondary school, I got admission into higher institution, upon telling one of my educated uncles thinking since is educated he will reason with me and encourage me on the way forward, he told me to forget about the admission and that been educated is a waste of time and resource. He instead advice I learn hand craft. He gave many reasons why I should not even think of schooling. But like Jonathan Livingston seagull, I was not perturbed by his discouragement but when ahead to collect the admission letter. He rained down insult on me and called me names, yet I went ahead with my plans and today it paid off.
ii. Determination
Determination is the purpose or reasons that make you continue trying to do something even when this difficult. One can be persistence, but without purpose and determination for the end result, his dreams and aspiration might not be achieved. Determination is the force or propensity that brings about persistence. Determination is the strategy, the new method by which goals can be achieved.
“From a thousand feet, flapping his wings as hard as he could, he pushed over into a blazing steep dive toward the waves, and learned why seagulls don’t make blazing steep pewee-dives. In just six seconds he was moving seventy miles per hour, the speed at which one’s wing goes unstable on the upstroke. Time after time it happened. Ten times he tried, and all the ten times, he burst into a churning mass of feathers, out of control, crashing down into water. As he sank low into the water, a strange hollow voice sounded within him. There’s no way around it. I am a seagull. I am limited by my nature, my father was right. I must forget this foolishness. He felt better for his decision to be just another one of the flock. There would be no ties now to the force that had driven him to learn, there would be no more challenge and no more failure. And it was pretty, just to stop thinking, and fly through the dark, toward the lights above the beach.
Short wings! A falcon’s short wings! That’s the answer! What a fool I have been! All I need is a tiny little wings, all I need is to fold most of my wings and fly on just the tips alone! Short wings. Determination is changing the method or strategy of doing things to another better way to get result. When you try and fail don’t quit, but change the method and try again harder, that’s determination.”
“Jonathan Livingston Seagull’s vows of the moment before were forgotten, swept away in that great swift wind. Yet he felt guiltless, breaking the promises he made himself.” Well, failure is part of our journeying to greatness. There are not to discourage us but to strengthen us and make us bring out our inner greatness. Those who get discourage by failure and quit are not fit for the journey of greatness, but one who has touched excellence in his learning has no need to be discourage and quit trying. One of the good books said “he who plough and look back is not worthy of the kingdom.”
iii. A good teacher/mentor
A day with a good teacher is better than many days of study. Learning would not be complete until there is a teacher. There would also not be learning until the student, apprentice or trainee apprehend that which the teacher has taught.A teacher is a person who teaches either employed or voluntarily, while a mentor is a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. Therefore a teacher is not good until he/she becomes a wise and trusted counselor. To be a good teacher the individual must above all be trusted by his students, and he/she must love them in return.
Chiang was not only a good teacher to Jonathan Livingston seagull but also a mentor. Likewise, Jonathan Livingston seagull became a teacher and a mentor to his students (Fletcher, Lowell, Charles, Roland and Judy-lee). Chiang didn’t only teach Jonathan seagull how to fly but also, to love, forgive and wisdom about the future. Chiang is humble, even when he could out fly any seagull in the flock, and had learned skills that the others were only gradually coming to know. Chiang demonstrated a quality of a good teacher and mentor, he doesn’t lord it on his subject but relate to them like a father. Therefore, a good teacher should be humble. Chiang has time for his student; he encouraged him even when he fails. “To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that’s” he said “you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived. “Forget about you faith! Chiang said time and again. “You didn’t need faith to fly, you need to understand flying. Now try again.”
However, “he who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” John Dana Cotton. Jonathan Seagull was everything Chiang taught him, he eventually became a good teacher and mentor. Every hour he was there at the side of each of his students, demonstrating, suggesting, pressurizing, guiding. He flew with them through night and cloud and storm, for the sport of it, while the flock huddled miserably on the ground. This idea will go a long way to help me build an ideal community positively. To be informed is to be transformed. I have also learnt not to only teach an individual but to help him/her see the transformation within them, the potential and the giant of possibilities in them. To help them discover the power of whatever they think they can, they can achieve.
iv. Encouragement
Encouragement is an act of encouraging somebody to do what he would not want to try again. It’s a process which serves to incite, support, and promote an individual to succeed in his/her quest. An individual might have been determined to do or achieve something; but when failure set in, such person would be discouraged to continue, encouragement will help the individual to move on. Although at the early quest of Jonathan living seagull, nobody was there to encourage him, yet he encouraged himself. He later met Chiang who transformed him and brought out the hidden treasure in him. “You didn’t need faith to fly, you needed to understand flying. This is just the same. Now try again.” Even as Jonathan seagull was making progress Chiang continue with the encouragement “it always works, when you know what you are doing.” Chiang encouraged Jonathan seagull more to teaching him how to fly. He told him that “gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere slowly, while those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly.” With this statement Chiang was not only teaching wisdom and flight but also encouraged him to be perfect and aspire more instead of learning flight alone.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull also encouraged Fletcher seagull, who was discouraged at a point. “You are wasting your time with me, Jonathan! I’m too dumb! I’m too stupid! I try and try, but I’ll never get it!” Those words were from a discouraged mind, when failure had seen to take the lead. Fletcher Seagull, did tried severally but will not get it, was discouraged and gave up hope of ever making it; yet Jonathan seagull encouraged thus, “you will never get it for sure as long as you make that pull-up so hard, you have to be smooth! Firm but smooth, remember”. He did not stop there, but dropped down to the level of the younger gull (Fletcher). “Let’s try it together now, in formation. And pay attention to that pull-up. It’s a smooth easy entry.” Jonathan seagull encouraged the remaining students also he encouraged thus “each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom, and in the evening on the beach he will continue, “ and precision flying is a step toward expressing our real nature. Everything that limits us we have to put aside.” Jonathan seagull did more to encouragement to the physical mechanical fly. Encouragement breaks the chains of one’s thought, and the person in turn breaks the chains of the body. It’s only through encouragement limits can be broken, challenges overcome and victory won.
v. Forgiveness
Forgiveness is an act; of forgiving. And to forgive is to pardon, to waive any negative feeling or desire to punishment. To forgive is to show mercy; forgiveness is love.
The last words Chiang spoke to Jonathan seagull before he vanished was to keep working on love; which in other s means forgiveness. Chiang went further in some of their interaction to teach Jonathan seagull forgiveness “till you can fly the past and the future. And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, and the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and down and know the meaning of kindness and of love.” From their conversation the most difficult, the most powerful and the most fun of all, is kindness and love; although perfection of flight was their drive, but above all love and kindness should be practiced.
Forgiveness like love do not see distance, barrier, level of understanding, the degree of past hurt that was done probably in ignorance, believe and tradition, but possibilities, love concern and the willingness to help and transform. Like Jonathan Livingston seagull, we should not forsake our past, our culture, environment and community no matter the degree of hurt they might have meted on us, or no matter the ideology, be it archaic or barbaric, but to help them with those new ideas, discoveries we have learnt in other to transform them. Forgiveness is an act, it’s a practice, and it’s a character and a nature. “Only the brave know how to forgive; A coward never forgave; it is not in his nature.” Laurence Sterne. I think the best way to resolve most of the pressing problems in the world are through love and forgiveness. Therefore one of the ways to improve myself and my community is to practice love and forgiveness.
vi. Changing an Ideology without Conflict
One of the most difficult things to do is change someone’s belief, culture and tradition. Most of the missionaries that came to Africa were killed because they were trying to change ideology, culture and tradition, of the Africans, yet nothing is impossible when done in love and concern. Jonathan Livingston Seagull faced similar challenges, though out of love and concern for his people, he came to share with them that which he had learnt; but they won’t admit possibly for the sake of pride and ego. But even at that, some of the young gulls learnt something.
However, l have learnt to change ideology, tradition and culture of my community without conflict through love and practice and to help them see their real self, the good in each of them and to overcome the enemy called limitation.
vii. Overcoming the enemy called Limitation
Limitation is a restriction; a boundary caused by something or some circumstance. Anything that can prevent, restrict progress to our freedom and the height we can attain or achieve it an enemy and needed to be overcome. Not knowing or having a reason to live is in itself a limitation. It might not be a physical wall, storm, opposition and an attack, but our thought. As a man thinks so he is. Not wanting to learn or the desire for discovery is also a limitation.
One of the greatest limitations is not discovering a higher purpose for life. Jonathan Seagull discovered that among the numerous is boredom, fear and anger; and that until those limitations overcome, life is so short and dull, but when overcome from the mind, life is long and fine indeed. Jonathan seagull sees overcoming of limitation as been responsible of our thoughts for a higher purpose, lifting ourselves out of ignorance, discovering our real self as creatures of excellence, intelligence and skill.
Overcoming limitation is to find and follow a higher purpose and a reason to live, to learn and discover to be free. Until there is a yearning to touch perfection, experiencing heaven on earth we have not overcome limitation. To overcome limitation, is to break the chains of our thought and to break the chains of our body to be free. Jonathan Livingston seagull was able to overcome the enemy called limitation by redefining his thought and the yearning to learn new skills.
Each of us is in truth an idea of greatness, an unlimited idea of freedom, if we put aside everything that limits us and express our real nature. The only difference, between the great minds and the mediocre is that the great minds had understood what they really are and did practice it, while the mediocre are ignorant. I have learned to overcome that enemy called limitation (fear, challenges, indolence, not learning) in other to influence my community to imbibe.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in practical ways, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
These ideas or lessons will help me greatly, as a teacher it will help me to change the ideology of my students. Most of them look at mathematics as a dare devil, the teacher as a monster and the subject too difficult to comprehend, like Chiang I will teach them to love the subject and embrace it as it not a dare devil. I will also encourage them that there is a reason for the subject which will in future better our live as engineers, accountants, bankers and economist which will in turn make us good and responsible citizens. Also to find and follow a meaning, a higher purpose for life; for we are not in the world to just exist but to learn, discover and be free, that why our lives is short is because of boredom, fear, anger that cloud our minds, when we put all of that aside we shall live long and fine life.
These ideas and lessons will enable me to convince my community about the important of love and forgiveness and the bad effect of unforgiving. Like we read unforgiving had prevented the flock from learning and discovering their real self, while love at the other hand will help to resolve differences and pave way for improvement, new ideas a better life.
Learning was also part of the ideas and lessons I have learnt from the book. Jonathan Livingston seagull would not have become what he was, if not for his desire and constancy of learning something new. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome. Practice is also part of it.
However more to the ideas and lessons learnt from the book is persistence, determine and resilience. Like Jonathan seagull who was foolish and stubborn to achieve his dreams. “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 that’s all. I just want to know.” The knowledge glean from this book cannot be over emphasize, the ideas have taught me to be a good teacher, a mentor, an exemplary leader and a good father. It has also taught me to practice that which I want to learn, and to preach tenacity, humility, kindness and love.
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.
“There is a reason to life.”
This quote is important to me because we are not supposed to just exist but to explore our ability, to know what we can and cannot do.
“Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life?”
That’s to be responsible is to expect, dream, aspire, discover and learn about our existence.
“Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome; knowledge is power, light and overcoming limitations; lack of it is darkness, burden and bondage.”
“Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect.”
Perfection is not a place or time but our thoughts, dreams, vision, aspiration and ideas; when achieved, through persistence, determination, practice, and learning, we call it perfection.
“You didn’t need faith to fly, you needed to understand flying.”
Faith is a belief, while understanding is a practice.
“Break the chains of your thought, and break the chains of your body, too.”
Whatever we think we can we can. Limitation is not of the body but of the mind.
“Don’t believe what your eyes telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you will see the way to fly.”
Challenges will always arise, determination, persistence should be our watch word and to always be resilient and rugged.
“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 help them to see it in themselves. That’s what I mean by love.”
Do not give up on people, love them and help them to see their real self and the potentials in them.
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?
None.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all the exercises and did you find them helpful?
No, there was no exercises contain in the book to be completed
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!
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 was the content? 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