As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Akuyoma Vera Ikeriugwo (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author’s main idea in this book is centered around the power of our thoughts. He tries to make us understand that our thoughts are a true reflection of who we are, and whether these thoughts are positive or negative, there’s always an outcome. He warns about fruitless thoughts that emanate from our inability to control thought patterns, and encourages concentrated thinking which defines an individual and sets them apart.
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. Calmness
Calmness means a lot to me, not only have I had personal experiences where calmness was the way to go, being calm is truly a beauty. My husband says that if you react based on a person’s behavior towards you, it means you gave control to the person and they can trigger you anytime. The best way is to give an opposite reaction which throws the person off balance. My husband had a workplace accident in the 4th month after our marriage, and we were expecting a baby. In all of these, there was never a time when my blood pressure was out of specification. Was I scared? Yes, I was, did I stay calm through the ordeal? Yes, I did of course, not without his help. His calmness in the face of pain rubbed off on me
ii. The Paradigm Shift
This is the awakening stage, the think big and dream big stage, the stage where everything is possible to he or she that says I can, as my father would sometimes say. Education in my country is not a continuous one, after high school one applies to universities of choice and writes the matriculation board examination. There is a stipulated cut off mark for this examination, which still does not guarantee instant acceptance into the institution of learning of choice.
These institutions in turn prepare another examination, for which there is also a stipulated cut off mark based on the course of study one is interested in. Long story short, I got into my institution of choice on the third attempt. My paradigm shift came after the two failed attempts of getting into school, which made me look inwards and ask myself what I really loved to do. After that honest conversation with myself, I did the needful and got a spot into one of the prestigious universities in my country to study Microbiology.
iii. Mastery
Man is the master of his thoughts, and the ability or inability to properly channel these thoughts creates two extremes. These two extremes find expressions in our world. On one hand there is love, care, selflessness and all other beautiful virtues that exist, while on the other hand there is hate, war, pain, destruction, just to mention a few. We hold the answers to all there is, if only our thoughts are properly channelled and we are willing to look into the deep recesses of our souls.
iv. The law of sowing and reaping
Growing up, a slate of some sort hung at the entrance of my home, my father placed it there and it read be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he shall reap; that a person cultivates internally eventually manifests externally, and our actions shape both our character and destiny. Our thoughts slowly culminate into patterns, our patterns become our signature appearance/identity, which in turn becomes our character that eventually influences the outcome of events.
v. Circumstances and Self revelation.
I once made a post on one of my social media accounts years ago, where I said “May we not make all of the money we’ve ever dreamed of, and attain every height we’ve ever wanted, only to end up selfish and arrogant. Then it would not be the money that turned us that way, rather the money amplified what we already are.”
I once worked under someone who showed me the nastiest of characters. She had fought with virtually everyone in the group except myself. I made a mental note never to engage her come what may, and it worked for me, though sometimes the need to give a piece would arise. So, one day, we all decided to have a talk, myself and the other members of the group, that’s where she opens up and talks about how her behavior was shaped by her previous boss and upbringing. I asked myself one question, if the treatment meted out on her by the previous boss influenced all manner of negativity in her, why mete out the same treatment on the rest of us? That’s where I drew the line and stopped hoping for some kind of miracle because the circumstance she was in only revealed what was deep seated in her, it was a revelation of self.
vi. Thought and purpose
Thoughts are like a compass that leads us in the direction of purpose. Since my thoughts can influence what I pay attention to, what I value and how I interpret my life’s experiences, overtime, my repeated thoughts shape my habits, actions and character. Thoughts do not create our destination, it only points us towards our purpose, which is all dependent on how truthful, disciplined and intentional our thoughts are.
vii. Thought and achievement.
Thoughts are seeds, blueprints or intentions, and fruitful thoughts inspire creativity and shape future outcomes. Large achievements are often preceded by the ability to first conceive them mentally, once we win the battle of the mind we have already been set in motion for boundless achievements. A person rarely gravitates towards something they cannot imagine, believe in or value. If I can consistently think beyond my current limitations, and align my actions with such thoughts, I increase my chances of becoming greater than I already am.
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?
All of these ideas put together point in the same direction, the condition of the world is connected to the functionality of the human mind and character. These ideas would help me accept criticisms more open-mindedly and without being defensive. It would encourage cultivated thought patterns which improves discipline, critical thinking, empathy and self-control. In practical terms I get to improve my parenting, develop leadership and workplace culture. All of these show that human and social improvements are intertwined and none can survive without the other. The world begins to change externally when I and those around me begin to change positively internally.
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.
“Dreams are the seedlings of reality.”
Dreams matter because they are often the earliest form of future reality. What begins as an imagination, can grow into achievements when nourished by action, discipline and time. Every step begins with a thought or dream, what we make out of it is actually dependent on how long we choose to dream.
“A man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.”
Fitness or exercise is not just for the body, but also for the mind. A person who trains in right thinking develops resilience and clarity overtime. This is not to say that problems do not exist, rather it is an approach to respond to live in a healthier and productive way.
“Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose, the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph.”
I had always thought winning and not losing makes you the victor, now I am proud to say that true success is not measured only by outcomes or visible victories, it is measured by what a person becomes through the struggle of trying to accomplish purpose. Inner transformation gained while pursuing a goal often becomes the building block for later success.
“The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object on which his heart is set.”
Everyone of us has embedded in us a moral code. I and I alone, can tell myself the unbiased truth. One who accepts self-crucifixion accepts the price of transformation. Criticism is not an easy pill to swallow as it wounds our ego before improving us. Correction is usually frowned at not because it is false, but because it is uncomfortable.
“Man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.”
Our minds produce output based on input it was fed. A neglected mind does not remain empty; it becomes overrun by all manner of inconsequential thoughts, which eventually exhibits itself as character, a harvest of our cultivated thoughts.
“The Universal Law of Attraction obeys us no matter which way we choose to think.”
The mind does not selectively choose only the best of our thoughts or only our positive thinking, whatever dominates it grows stronger and the mind continually prepares itself to recognise and pursue such thoughts, whether good or bad.
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas that you disagree with and if so, why?
Yes. I am unclear with this statement: “Before a man can achieve anything, even in worldly things he must lift his thoughts above slavish animal indulgence. He may not, in order to succeed, give up all animality and selfishness, by any means; but a portion of it must, at least, be sacrificed.” How much selfishness and animality can I reserve for myself that wouldn’t end up pulling me into the black hole I’m trying so hard to avoid? Why should I have a reserve of these traits in the first place? I think purity of heart is as important as achieving purpose.
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?
There were no exercises 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 question? 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? 6
B. How helpful were the contents? 6
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Akuyoma Vera Ikeriugwo (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author’s main idea with regards to the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull is about overcoming limitations.
It is also about becoming the best version of oneself through constant practice, dedication and discipline.
It is about striving continuously even when the odds are against us as humans.
It is about living life in a way never imagined possible.
It is about intentionality even when we have a different opinion from the crowd.
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. Limitation
Humans have always been limited creatures operating under a finite lifespan and irreversible time constraints on how much we can learn and it forces us to prioritize. Our brain also has a finite capacity and can only hold a handful of information per time, though complex reasoning is effortful, it is slow.
With all of the limitation we experience, there’s still room for being the best at what we do and opportunities are limitless but, we would rather become like the flock and concentrate on only flying to food and back and never really honing flying as a skill which can be used in other ways other than filling the stomach.
ii. Questioning the norm
This reminds us that age does not always mean vast experience and that rules made to govern man can only be overturned by man. In the world of today stereotypes are constantly being broken, a lot of learning, unlearning and relearning happens for the greater good. The fear of striking out has kept a lot of us from playing the game.
iii. Dynamism
This idea stems from the statement “As one school ends, so does another begin.” Life as we all know is in stages, and the higher we go the cooler it becomes. Getting cooler as we go higher really does not signify comfort because, at higher altitudes it becomes really difficult to breathe, but there is always a way to defy the odds and let it work in our favor as humans.
For us who are living, life is a journey, we alight when we get to our destination while others continue. The higher we go the more the lessons learned and the more the challenges faced. We were designed to want more out of life, that is why when we achieve one thing, we soon realize that achievement does not quench the thirst for more, we go for the next big thing.
iv. Perfection.
Our purpose for living is to find what perfection is and show it forth. It is not our very existence on earth that matters but how many lives we were able to touch positively in the course of our existence. Just like Jonathan whose greater calling was to teach other gulls his life’s work at no cost. Perfection is a big deal, despite the presence of limitations but, practice and mastery may sometimes make it seem like a walk in the park.
v. Desire
“The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere.” Sometimes I do not want to put in the hard work but desire the dividends of hard work. That makes me no different from these gulls who are satisfied with how they live their lives, as long as food for sustenance comes, there’s no need to earn a degree in flying.
Living in the now is a myopic way of life, we should live with the consciousness that times and seasons change and we need to keep getting better even if it means defying the norm. Knowing that we are limited is one thing but refusing to make anything out of life in the face of limitation is another. We cannot have what we do not desire.
vi. Cultural norm
“Whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form.” Most societal norms have crippled in its people the ability to dream big. That my mother did it, and the mother before her mother too, does not mean we cannot bank on continual improvement, which is the very essence of living.
Norms have a strong hold on its people and I once lost a good friend to the limitation called “Stereotype.” I was told by my parents that my people do not get married to people from his own part of the country,so I did not bother to foster friendship with the individual owing to what I was told. As I grew older that experience shaped how I saw people; for who they really are and not the stereotypes attached to their very existence.
vii. Selflessness
“Practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them and to help them see it in themselves.” This one resonates with me in so many ways, it reminds me of what my father used to say about helping humanity and not expecting anything in return, however good or bad they may be, the rain falls on each one of us. To see the good in oneself is tasking, how much more seeing the good in another and even making them see it in themselves in our world of today? Just as Jonathan made mention and practice. Constant practice will make this a possibility.
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?
These ideas have given me zeal to be relentless and dogged when it comes to chasing what I believe in. It has made me understand that limitation is just the blueprint of my design as human and that I can achieve all I want to if I commit myself to it.
Practically speaking these ideas have inspired me to do other thing like self-development. I will be taking a deep dive into the world of Personnel Management and Public Speaking to be able to communicate, share my personal experiences with others, listen to their own stories, know what drives them and have understanding not only from my standpoint but, from that of others.
It has made me understand that there is no place to hide from roadblocks that life throws at me and that no matter how I run, if I fail to learn a lesson from the things that have happened in the past, life has a way of hurling them back at me till I learn a lesson or two before graduating to the next level.
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 seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom and that your whole body from wingtip to wingtip is nothing more than your thought itself.”
Importance: Just as the saying goes “You are what you eat.” I can categorically say also that “You are also what and how you think.” Life and its achievements are a mental battle, and as long as we do not lose the battle mentally, we are on the right course and will achieve results.
“Every hour Jonathan was there at the side of each of his students.”
The power of showing up and presence can never be over-emphasised in the journey of life. It has a way of driving mentees and those who look up to us be it friends, family members or children not just to attain greater heights but to give off the same positive energy when they are around people.
“Break the chains of your thoughts and you break the chains of your body too.”
Holding on tightly to the excuse of being limited by nature as humans never gets anything done. When the early men were still learning how to survive the idea of limitation was submerged and they put in all they had to make sure they found ways to feed, make sure that food was available, treat wounds and illnesses and protect themselves from harsh environmental conditions.
A peek into ancient civilization has thrown more light on the fact that a lot of inventions present in the world today have blueprints that date back to a time where we could never have imagined that such could have been possible owing to the numerous limitations present at the time.
“You did not need faith to fly, you needed to understand flying.”
Just as flying is in the nature of birds, the gulls did not need to hope to fly, they just needed to keep practicing to hone their skills and maybe come up with other ways of making flying fun. I do not need to hope for ways to make life worth living, I just need to get out there and begin to do it because within the core of my very existence, I am already designed to function in that capacity.
“Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time, heaven is being perfect.”
Not until I read this book, I could have sworn that heaven is just but a place that I could have access to after I am done living here on earth of course, if I am found worthy. I never could have imagined that perfection could be termed being in heaven. Jonathan perfected flying, which means if I could perfect being on time to an appointment, take learnings from feedback without being defensive, show up for my friends and family, that could be counted as heaven. Indeed, it is the very little things like putting a smile on a person’s face that truly matter.
“We choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome.”
Of all the statements, this one hit me the hardest because I have a personal experience and I have lived this statement over and over until I made a life changing decision and learned from my mistakes. This statement made me understand that I acknowledged my mistakes and made better decisions instead of living my mistakes and hoping that out of the blues life will take a different course.
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas that you disagree with and if so, why?
I disagree with the modus operandi of the elders of the flock. It showed a lack of accountability on the part of the elders if they could not explain the principles behind the rules that govern its people. The system was rigid and did not allow for questions to be asked. It imprinted the fear of being cast away in the hearts of the people. I am sure there were a thousand and one other gulls who had what Jonathan had in him but fear never let them speak up or challenge the laid down rules.
Another angle to it is that the elders were also afraid to disappoint its people and chose an approach where basic movement and survival skill was the order of the day. Everyone was banned from learning something new and self- development.
It’s also sad that the parents never made a conscious effort to visit him after he was cast out, they joined the crowd to turn their backs on him when he challenged the status quo. Even after his return when news of him and his accomplishments was making rounds amongst members of the flock, not for once did care to find out how he was doing. Thankfully their discontinued love and care did not deter Jonathan or make him question what he believed in, he was still full of love and support for those who wanted to rise above limitations.
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?
There were no exercises 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 question? 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? 6
B. How helpful were the contents? 6
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6