As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Amemowoto Philip Edem (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author’s idea in the book “As a Man Thinketh” is based on how as humans our thought affects our doings. The entirety of a man’s thoughts is his character. Man’s character sways the conditions and circumstances of his life. Every action that we as humans take starts from our thought. Our thought being the central pillar of our successes, need extra guidance to avoid its break down with negative ways of thinking and negative ways of addressing circumstances rather seeing the possibilities in all trials.
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.
a. That A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.
Most at times when people are behaving in strange ways, we find it very disturbing and even have the wish to criticize their actions. People mostly use the excuse that they did not know what overcame them that they are behaving or have than what they have done. An instance is someone has murdered or stole from a friend, brother, or a neighbor. They then cast the blame on the fact that the “devil” came into them which made them act the way it happened. Be it “devil” coming or not I have tend to realize that if you give way to negative thoughts because you even had a grudge with the victim or not sometime back, the “devil” knowing your negative thought will help you produce its result through your character.
b. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast.
I have learned that as humans we have the liberty to make choices from the best to the most rotten ones. Whenever we have the means to make a choice, we have to make sure its worth. After making all our good choices, we should not sit with our arms folded but rather we must apply the thoughts in its rightful ways so as to reap its beautiful and bountiful harvest. But if we do not make the right choice as a foremost error and secondly we do not apply the right choices we make then we can never be assured of achieving anything good. Making right choices nowadays have become a problem for most people because some do not have the right guidance or to the other because people try to pay evil for evil. A worthless choice is the most dangerous thing a person should encounter in his thought or decision making and to the extent of reflection in his characters for others to see.
c. Thought and character are one and as character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance.
“What you like most is what “kills” you” is an adage in one of the Ghanaian Languages. As it implies, what you mostly think, be it good or worse is what is to be exhibited as a character for others to see. One’s character cannot be hidden, it will surely be manifested. Our environment is another major factor that influences our thought and character. If you live in a peaceful environment, the possibility of you having a good character even if you have a worse one would not be the same as a person with a bad character and living in a bad environment.
In Ghana for instance, some environments or places have been considered or tagged as communities having the worst character. One of such communities here in Ghana considered having notorious character notwithstanding has a political party flag bearer living there. I have also come to realize that even though our environment is a factor in building our thoughts, it should not limit us from achieving our goals.
Finally, a person’s character is known or exhibited if there is a problem or situation at hand. That is where you will see those that will start focusing on the problem than looking for a solution. Those that will talk about the problem without doing anything about it. Most humans are good at criticizing during problems because that is what they are in their respective thoughts and showing it off as a character.
d. Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results. Bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.
This is but saying that nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing from nettles but nettles. As humans whatever positive we may think about and do will be return back to us as the returns. Likewise if we think in a negative manner for something or a situation we get the end results of negativity. There should be an action in the process before what you wished for may happen, because you just can’t wish for something and without working on it you will get it. It’s no magic situation here. You reap what you sow.
e. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly.
The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. In life we are mostly faced by two major things which problems us in making our decisions. These two major points is Fear and Desire. One may desire for something in life but out of the other factor being fear cannot go on in its achievement. An instance is that most students do not have the desire to learn in school but rather because of their fear of failure in the examinations ahead of them they learn. What if there was nothing like examination? Then probably the student will not show interest in the schooling that will give him knowledge to build himself, his family, society and the nation as a whole. I have also learnt that in order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
f. To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.
When we are in a dilemma, we need not to give up but rather think of great things during the problem. In so doing we become very strong and able to overcome all other minor failures that may come our way. I have been a victim of failures several times in my education starting from the junior high level. I passed in all my subjects in the second cycle institution in the year 2012 but one subject brought about my failure again after I have applied to two universities as an awaiting student. I could not get my admission. I failed again in 2013 when I applied to another university. Finally I sat again for the paper I could not do well in in the year 2013.It was not an easy task during the paper but knowing myself as a strong person I sailed through though it was even moving to the worst. I applied again to two universities in the year 2014 again; fully assured and prepared to enter into the university I was not admitted. I laugh at myself because I realize it was not for me to go at this time. Throughout all this I have only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment.
g. Victories attained by right thought can only be maintained by watchfulness.
Many give way when success is assured, and rapidly fall back into failure. It bound to happen that we celebrate our victories in our various achievements. We need to be extra careful on how to celebrate it. Though you attained the victory by right thought needs another thing which is to maintain the victory for others to emulate. I have also noted that though I would like to celebrate my victory sometime to come, I need to be as well careful.
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?
As we all want the best things for ourselves, we also forget that getting them come with a lot of responsibilities and sacrifices. Having known all of the above points I will then use them as my guide in whatever I may find myself doing and wherever I may find myself as well. I have to always make the best out of every worse situation, I will as well offer myself in building others in the form of motivation that they should not look at their circumstances and give up. Out of problems come opportunities if and only if we have the right thoughts. It also will help me to realize myself and upgrading myself from one level to the other. Finally it will help me to know that it does not matter where you are coming from, be it a rich, middle class or a poor background there is something in you that you can give the 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.
“How lucky he is! How highly favored he is!How chance aids him at every turn!”
As humans generally we are in the position to attribute someone’s hard earn successes to the fact that the person had a chance. I have realized that during someone’s struggle, toils people do not recognize it. I have had some people telling me that as for me I am really lucky. Whenever I hear such comments from them I just laugh it off because in me, I know what is really going on. The sacrifices I have to make and the good thoughts I need to get so as to struggle through before reaching where I am now and hoping to be some time to come. Good things do not come out of luck, favor or chance but through hard work and determination.
“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself.”
This quote really got my attention because it was one thing that was disturbing all the while as I made all effort to help some people around my vicinity in their education and motivating them to choose a career. It has even got to a point now that I am teaching someone and anytime we schedule a time for the person to come and study the person starts to give excuses of all kinds. I saw that maybe she was not interested in the lesson and the only thing that can make her interested is when she is willing to be helped. It could be cited even of someone drowning in a sea or pool. If you are making an effort as a helper to rescue the person and has given directions to the person of what to do and not whiles coming to rescue the fellow, and after you jumped in the person started doing the don’ts you just have to back off for your safety. I have comprehended that you cannot help everybody unless the person is willing to be taken out of his or her current situation.
“Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step. He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. Fear has always been one of life’s greatest enemies. Fear has been a feeling of discomfort whenever we are up to make a major move in our life. Fear has the power to make or unmake humans.”
I have learned that fear was created to serve as a check on us as we battle into achieving greater heights. Finally I have again recognized that no matter how great you may plan your life you will surely meet failure in your life. So it will be up to us to celebrate our failures as a learning process.
“Finally on the topic Effect Of Thought On Circumstances, I learned three things from a little passage about a man who is wretchedly poor, a rich man, and an employer of labor.”
The first thing that got my attention from the first part of the passage was about the fact that we should avoid making excuses in our circumstances. We mostly try to justify ourselves with some mentally created instrument that help us assume we are right by making excuses. The second thing I learnt was that we should learn the principles of making sacrifices. At most times we want to give up on one or two of some behaviors that isn’t helping us but fear of sacrificing worth ourselves. Without making some sacrifices we can get out of certain circumstances. The last thing was that we should avoid cheat. If anyone wants to progress in what he or she is doing then the key to help is to avoid robbing peter to pay Paul attitude. Some give instances like cheating someone from a business deal to pay offertory in church thinking it can be so. In all my doings I have learnt one key to personal success that if I avoid cheat, everything is going to work right.
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?
I read but was not clear about certain three points made in the book:
I read that suffering ceases for him who is pure.
I also read that “one man is an oppressor because many are slaves; let us despise the slaves.”
Finally was Composer, sculptor, painter, poet, prophet, sage, these are the makers of the afterworld, the architects of heaven. The world is beautiful because they have lived; without them, laboring humanity would perish.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book As a Man Thinketh did not contain any exercises 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.
I would like to comment on other things I encountered in my reading that the body is a servant of the mind; it obeys the operations of the mind. It’s just correct as the way machines or computers work, when you issue a command to the computer, it brings back the respond based on the command issued, nothing more and nothing less. I also remarked that as humans we should devote our selves with much concentration on our goals so as to achieve them. Also we have to learn how to motivate ourselves in achieving a height in life because everyone nowadays thinks only about their own problems. Motivation is a key factor in our life. No progress without sacrifices. If we make little sacrifices we get little achievement and vice versa as well as having a clean thought always so as to get a clean habit.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Amemowoto Philip Edem (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author’s idea in this fable is the fact that the path for us to follow is already written within us, that it is for each of us to find our own adorations, and live them brilliantly for ourselves. Others (people) may watch, they may admire our perseverance or despise it, but our one freedom is for us to love and to choose every day of our lives, as we desire.
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.
a. After having been expatriated, Jonathan was full time practicing on the wing and made great progress.
He was not overcome by the influence of the majority report, the popular opinion, and the “common” sense. He stood firm by his convictions. To learn what he desired most. It is not what everyone wants that we should also follow. We normally call it the popular opinion as I stated earlier. There is more to following the majority to us and it demands of us to explore it better than the others. Jonathan in the fable was doing amazing works with his feathers that the others were not making any good use of.
b. Therefore, besides finding his own meaning of life, he eventually returned to the place that once had flush out him, and help the fellows there to find their purpose of life. Love, warranted respect, and forgiveness all seem to be equally important to the freedom.
c. “You don’t love hatred and evil. You have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it themselves.”
Jonathan was unselfish and lenient. He wasn’t hostile to those who forced him out of his homeland, on the contrary, he learned to love them and help them. To forgive and love your enemy is even more difficult than finding the meaning of life, but Jonathan, a little seagull, managed to act it out. “Keep working on love.” Through his teachings, Jonathan understands that the spirit cannot be really free without the ability to forgive, and that the way to progress leads for him, at least through becoming a teacher, not just through working hard as a student.
d. Jonathan succeeded, because he was extraordinary, he was gifted.
For ordinary people, we all have limitations. It’s not possible for us to turn a blind eye to our actual ability. Otherwise, we would only repeat trial and failure thousands and millions time. Let us do something. Let us do anything. Get on with it! Repeat to yourself: “If it’s to be well, it’s up to me!” Our success in life depends more on the person we become than on the things we do or acquire.
e. Making something totally different from what we are now having is a harsh task, not only to the advocate, but also to the rest of the society.
It’s hard to change what has been defined as convention, what you have believed in for so long, and you may not even want to take the trouble to change. Even at the peak of trouble, he made a new discovery in breaking a myth that had been preserved for nothing for so long a time. “A seagull never speaks back to the council flock, but it was Jonathan’s voice raised”. It does not mean we should be disrespectful to leaders when we have problems with them but rather us making a humble plea just as Jonathan did. We have to be ready to pay the price of being great, so we must think beyond our environment, because great things have unpromising beginnings.
f. Jonathan seagull discovered that boredom and fear and angerare the reasons that a gull’s life is so short and with these gone from his thought he lived a long fine life indeed.
Don’t worry be happy, laugh at your own flaws, have fun, don’t take things too personal in this world we are living .I learnt not to be angry as well as to be fearless in making vital decisions at the peak of life journey. We have to take negative and toxic thoughts from our individual minds and live a free life.
g. “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 will see the way to fly.”
In most times we normally give up a good work because of what we see. This is when man ceases to accuse others as the cause of his conditions but rather build up himself strongly so as to use as a pillar for real progress. The challenges we go through are just preparing us to make a great change in our country and personal development. Our eyes, mind and thoughts are mostly the main deceptive that come our way to reach our set goals. Let us all work hand-in-hand to break such barriers.
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 are so important to me because mostly in my setting as an African I mostly come in contact with people who “kill” our dreams and encourage us to give up. Whenever I try to bring about an idea of how we can in our small way be great entrepreneurs to help ourselves and the nation, the majority of people who I might think off that can make a difference rather tells me to find a different option than the one I have proposed. Still with that I try as much as possible to link up with others who share similar views just like mine and give them my proposal and it works. I never give up, I personally think also that even though people look down on us, it does not mean that we should not lend a helping hand to them in times they need us most. If we have the means to help our people or our society and we try to pay back evil for what they did to us when we were beginning, it would not make our successes any better. It will rather generate hate and evil in our midst. Hatred and evil as well do not make a nation or society to progress likewise the individual. I have had several discouragements from my friends, mates among other people I might not even think of even in tempting to offer any extracurricular activity. I know they are there for a reason in my life because they will serve as a check for me to be more hardworking and dedicated in achieving my set targets or aspiration. We must as well as try to be extra ordinary in other to succeed; I have had so many failures in my life long ago till now, people wonder how I cope with all those tough failures in the life of a young and coming man like myself. Failures in my academic life, financial difficulties and a lot, the only thing I tell them is that “though times don’t last but extraordinary people like me do”.
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.
“If anybody can show someone on the ground how to see a thousand miles, it will be Jonathan Livingston Seagull.” This clearly tells me how a great leader like Jonathan was known for his spirit of motivation. As leaders I have learnt that we should have a listening ear for people who have problems and try our best to encourage them through.
Another statement that got my attention was “It Works!” “Well of course, it works Jon” it always works when you know what you are doing”. At certain points in our life we tend to look for other available alternative because we don’t plan what we want or better still because we don’t know where we are going. If we know what we are about, it will help making realizing our dreams so easily. An instance is of two students who are offering a particular program; one knows what the program entails likewise the other who does not have a slightest idea of even the profession involved. Such a person will just be missing things up if he/she does not have the right reason why they are offering the program as compared to the one who knows. Therefore let us first know the task ahead of us and work towards its making.
Finally the memorable tune, the words in the beautiful book gave me hope. Jonathan gave me courage to learn to wing. I can learn and grow, becoming better with each upward curved and in so doing I have confidence in myself that I am becoming an example of what it means to live. Jonathan gave me an affection of flying. No limits, Jonathan?” I think to myself from time to time when I need to remember who I am. “No limits, Jon? Very well! It is only a matter of time I also say to myself.
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?
There was nothing in the book that I do not understand, unclear about or disagree with.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book Jonathan Livingston seagull did not contain any exercises for the reader to complete but I found its contents extremely helpful in several ways.
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.
I would like to comment on another thing I encountered in my reading that, as individuals we should take responsibility and give no excuses. Often it’s challenging to make the most excellent choice, especially if there aren’t many others joining you. Sometimes it may feel as if our desires and freedoms have been suppressed. Whichever way it may seem, Do it or don’t do it but don’t make excuses. We have to stop using our unbelievable brain to think up elaborate validations and defenses for not taking action.
The second thing was that learning is a stage. Every day we have to do something that will inch us closer to a better tomorrow. We should not be comfortable or content with the level we are but rather focus on improving ourselves to higher levels than our current one.
The last thing I also liked was about the element that we should show love and be kind. We havetomake the choice to live a life filled with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, and self-control. The little choice we must make will chart the course of life we take; we either choose the path of light, or wander off in darkest night. We have to make an exceptional choice and watch the ripple effect of blessing.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Keys to Success
Assessment by Amemowoto Philip Edem (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author in the context of the book is motivating all individuals to realize our potentials, dreams or aspirations and believe in ourselves by making plans to attain the goals we want and finally enabling us to understand that we can achieve success in anything we do by following the right steps or measures to the accomplishment of our goals.
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.
a. Under the developing definiteness of purpose, one idea that was most important to me was the alertness to opportunities.
The starting point of all achievement is the Definiteness of Purpose-knowing what your goal is fills you with a success-consciousness and protects you against failure. If you do not have a definiteness of purpose on earth, everything thing that comes your way will carry you to where it wants. It’s more like you are living a life like a sheet of paper around that is carried away by a little wind to a place it has no idea of. As individuals cleaving for success, we need to have this definiteness of purpose to help us accomplish our dreams in life. We have to decide on a major goal and the amount of time we need to achieve this goal. We have to note in the goal setting process that the goal is measurable and can be achieved. We have to write out our goals in a strong, brief, and progressive manner.
b. Creating a plan.
We have to stop living the life without a Plan. This is the most important part of the life of every individual. Before making a dream you have realistic, we have to take time and make a plan for our everyday living here on earth. From that onset we have to start to watch the development of such plans, whether it’s changing positively or not. If we do not write down our plans, they may escape us in the course of our period of achieving. We have to also be discipline and create a time bounded proposal we want to achieve.
c. Go the extra mile-
The benefit of doing more than you are paid for, I was touched by the fact of self-improvement. We have to learn the attitude of rendering more and a better service even for free. I am usually rendering services to people on a free based because I want to learn more of whatever I am doing for that person. A friend of mine never understands the reason why I should offer various services for free. I tell him I am building myself by learning from the various field of duty I am been given to offer. As successful people, we should not allow money to influence us in doing something that even at the long-run is also going to broaden our horizon. When money becomes the dominant fantasy of the mind and its pursuit becomes the only bait to trigger one to work, man becomes a prey to his fellow man and society loses it humane spirit. Let us remember that most successful people are those that served a great number of people even unpaid for.
d. Overcoming procrastination.
This is one thing that most people are victim of whom I am sometimes part of. It mostly happens to me when I am supposed to pack my things to school with a day or two. I tend to procrastinate till I get stuck. As the popular adage goes that procrastination is the thief of time, it is nothing but true. I started to turn away from shifting to tomorrow what I had in my capacity to do today, and it has helped me a lot of which I have started to apply it in my various activities with other colleagues everywhere I find myself.
e. Inspire Teamwork.
Whichever achievement one aspires to attain in life, it should be talked to someone in the field or already having an idea of what we want to achieve so that the person may guide our steps to the right path. This could even be said of a good football team. They rely more on the contributions of all individuals’ effort than a single player. An instance could be said of A. Robben of FC Bayern Munchen that he could not have been a best player without the harmonious effort of his team mates. There is no best of any impact without the cooperation of others. We therefore have to know that helping others solve their problems will also help us to solve our own.
f. Build a Positive Mental Attitude
The rewards of a Positive Mental Attitude. To administer your life, you must be able to manage your mind, and that is the starting point of all treasures. complaining, gossiping, fearing or doubting, criticizing are all negative attitudes that do not make a successful individual .We are to make an effort to wipe away these from our life. We therefore need to apply the time we have to something positive. Successful people are those that Replace negative words-can’t, won’t shouldn’t-with positive ones, just as president Obama said “Yes we can.”
g. Joining the 2 percent club.
After I went through the various requirements of being a member of the 2 percent group, I realized that I have fallen short to some petty principles I could have done or be doing so that I will be part of the succeeding 2 percent group. I have started applying these principles of the succeeding 2 percent in my life and its working right.
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 helps me in my everyday life by applying its principles to my education, relationship with others ,in my community and everywhere I find myself to be. The ideas therefore crops up to me whenever there is a situation at hand and various options are been weighed to help solve them. If it is an issue of encouraging someone to do something, I then refer to my previous lessons learned and use it to solve it for the mutual benefit of the person and those around him.
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.
“Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, your mind can achieve”-W. Clement Stone.
Things that happen in our everyday lives are not automatic-they just don’t happen, whatever an individual believes in and have in mind to get, the mind can achieve it because the brain is a powerful weapon that listens to the command given it and acts upon it-be it a good or bad command. I understand also that hard work with effort applied to the agenda conceive and believe in the mind will produce the outcome of what you want the mind to achieve. Moreover learning from adversity and defeat, one has to know that every successful person of which he/she may look up to as a role model or mentor has gone through some kind or the other of failure in life
The same way I understand as they were able to learn from their defeat rose up to be who and what they are in this present time just like the way Thomas Edison failed so many times before perfecting the light bulb. Likewise, all individuals face similar conditions. We need to remind ourselves that adversity brings a greater blessing at the end. Our attitude towards what has happened to us in life is the important thing to recognize. Our attitude towards defeat tells of who we are because I have learnt that the greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually fear you will fail. Everyone faces defeat. It may be a stepping-stone or a stumbling block, depending on the mental attitude with which it is faced. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough. Failures are bound to happen in every aspect of human living. You would not get everything in the perfect sense. How to react to failure even causes people to fall without rising again. We tend to complain most of the times about what has already happen instead of looking into the future with greater aim and hoping for the best. I am a victim of educational failure in my second cycle education after I noticed I could not be admitted to further my studies in the tertiary immediately after my completion. I then began to explore the various opportunities available that can help me to get to where I want to get to. With Prayers, commitment, perseverance and hard work I was able to get everything in the right time.
“What one is supposed to do in a failure is to develop positive attitudes towards the situation rather than the negative attitude which include blaming someone, giving several excuses among others. One is never a failure until he/she accepts defeat as permanent and quit trying.”
Failure is to be viewed as a challenge for all that go through it. We have to master courage to pass the test of failure because every failure has a greater seed of benefit.
Finally, the idea of budgeting time and money. This is another idea I fall short of. With budgeting my time I am ninety percent okay with myself but money. I often think of how as a student I can do a perfect budgeting of my money. Though I don’t spend extravagantly on unnecessary things, I deem it a great joy if I start at this stage to budget my monies. If I do not budget the pocket money given me on books and other stuffs, I will be short of money in a month or two if I was to spend the whole money on a semester. Like someone one learning to be a successful person, I need to cultivate the habit of budgeting my time and money because I learnt that this two things are the greatest secrets of most successful people today. The use of time and money are the most vital of becoming a successful individual.
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?
There was nothing in the book that I do not understand, unclear about or disagree with.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book Keys to Success –The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement did not precisely contain exercises for the reader to complete but I found its contents extremely helpful and useful because it gave a portion which served as a review base and provided me with slots to make a commitment that will in the long-run help me to achieve success for myself and to others as well.
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.
I would like to comment on self-confidence.
Having confidence is believing in yourself and your own abilities; knowing exactly what you need to act upon in order to succeed. Confidence can be acquired through faith, knowledge, preparation, implementation, resilient beliefs, repetition and determination on taking actions to achieve one small success at the time. And with small successes comes the inner feeling of “yes I can” which ultimately leads to building super-awesome confidence! We should never doubt our capabilities, we should believe in ourselves and strive to always go far beyond our own capabilities and gain more control of our destiny.
The second and final thing I want to reference on is for us to Stop living someone else’s dream for ourselves and live the life of our own dreams. There are so many people in the world that live unfulfilled life’s because they are living the life someone else created for them. Unfortunately we have been wired to make sure the success of others and never our own success. This is unfortunate because we will put all of our time and energy into other people’s achievement and hence allowing our visions to die. A typical example is when you see most youth discussing the salaries of other people especially football players and in the likes of wealthy musicians in the world. This argument takes on for longer hours of which that hour or two could be used by such a fellow to discuss something of greater benefit to him and society. This makes the life of such people controlled because anybody that can control your attitude or mood has power over you. We need to take control of our life and live it for our today and the future.
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? 10
C. How easy was it to read? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9
Success through a Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Amemowoto Philip Edem (Ghana)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author suggests that we have been bequeathed with an immense power to transform our lives. This is the power of positive mental attitudes, thus by using certain characteristics of faith, hope, integrity, love ,courage, generosity, tolerance, and also the usage of the talisman of the mind coupled with the right attitude towards whatever aims we wish to gain.
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.
a. Every adversity has the seed of greater benefits.
The things that sometimes seem like a disaster turn out to be blessings in disguise. It all depends on how we regard the troubles that come our way. When I was about entering into the tertiary institution, it wasn’t easy for me because my applications had been already rejected for several times. Things began to seem like all was lost until I read and discovered the secrets of what I coined as “keep trying” and that I could succeed and truly I did succeed. Here I am now of which I have started enjoying opportunities in my university education. I believe in the Idea that we need to Re-arrange our attitudes and convert a failure of one day into success on another. Similarly, we also need to learn from defeat or setbacks and understand that defeats are part of life, but in those defeats, you may succeed in discovering something even greater, if you have the right attitude just as I did.
b. Our attitudes shape our future.
It’s no doubt. We translate into physical reality the thoughts and attitudes which we hold. When our attitudes towards ourselves are great, and our attitude towards others is liberal and compassionate, we attract big and generous portion of success. I do believe in this natural law that whatever you make the mind to think of is what you get in the future. It is the same way as how computers are been programmed. The message you key into the computer through say the keyboard is the exact result you will get as displayed on your monitor screen. Touching on generosity toward others, it also works automatic looking at the successes of some people that I have come into contact with and the generosity they show and the huge some of successes they have chalked and continue to attract. We therefore have to make others feel important with our right attitudes and the more we do that, the more important you begin to feel ourselves. In the same vein, we need to surround ourselves with people who are interested in making our attitudes shape the best of our future out, as well as those who can help us to reach our goals. When we make each of these principle a part of our life, we will begin to reap successes of various forms in the likes of blessings, wealth and greater happiness within ourselves. These will be ours if we don’t deny our fellow men what is in our capacity of doing for them for we can’t have a positive life with a negative mind.
c. Self –discipline coupled with the budgeting of time and money.
We need to avoid procrastination and stay discipline towards our goals. We need to affirm ourselves with the “Do It Now” attitude. We need to allocate appropriate time and resources such that our actions and efforts are maximized towards achieving our goals.
d. A man should think of a legitimate purpose in his mind and set out to achieve it.
He should make this purpose the unifying theme of his beliefs. People who have no chief purpose in their life fall victim to fears, troubles which lead to failure and loss. We should make this purpose our supreme responsibility and should devote ourselves to its attainment, not permitting our thoughts to wander into imaginary things. We may frequently fail to accomplish this purpose, but we will soon overcome weaknesses and grow in character which is a degree of true success and the preliminary view for upcoming supremacy.
e. Sometimes the “so called” experts claim a well plan goal to be impossible-and that it can’t be done, which turns to discourage an amateur.
If we are working with experts and they say it’s impossible, we have to command them to make a move-Or better to say that there is a better way of doing it of which they should find. We then have to go against all these odds and believe in ourselves that we can achieve the goals.
f. If you know what you want, you can find a way to get it.
We don’t have to wait for things to happen. We have to seek them out and make them happen. We need to have an accurate thinking .We have to clear the mental clutter including fear of failure, negative feelings, emotions, passions-habits ,belief and prejudices because good things come to those who wait but the best for those who seek for them in the right perspective.
g. We should use applied faith.
If you are religious or spiritual, ask for divine guidance and help in finding the right solution. If you are not then you have to believe in yourself and that to help you find the solution. The bible by Christians is indeed an inspirational book to help the individual to achieve anything that he may desired to attain.
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?
Knowing all of the above points, I will use them as my guide in whatever I may find myself doing and wherever I may find myself. I then refer to my previous lessons learned and use it to address any situation at hand with the assessment of the various options at hand.
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.
“If a man is right, his world will be right.”
If we are unhappy with our world and we will like to change it then the best place for us is to with ourselves. This is because the sum of a man’s thoughts are his character. His character influences the conditions and circumstances of his life and the same way applies to his environment.
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?
There was nothing in the book that I do not understand or do I disagree with.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
The book did not contain any exercises for the reader to complete but I found its contents exceedingly helpful in numerous ways.
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.
“We are poor –not because of God. We shouldn’t be poor and we should not ever say that it is God’s will for us to be poor. Many a time’s people attribute various instances to religion. This people attribute their laziness and unwillingness to work to gain riches to the will of God to make them as poor as they are.”
By the same token, we should keep our minds on the things we really want and off the things we don’t want. We tend to be invoke thoughts that is not worth success in our doings than bringing out those that will help us to achieve our set target. It then requires of us to send our needs through prayer to God because prayer really works, that is if we are religious because if you know what you wanted and do not know how to get it then the only remedy to subscribe to is by reading the Bible and other inspirational books. Greatest inspiration comes from reading the bible. Remember that you were born a champion so you have to do your possible best to identify yourself with a successful image. Let’s not forget the choice is ours.
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? 9
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