Asaju Bamidele Simeon – Assessments

As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Asaju Bamidele Simeon (Nigeria)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea the writer is trying to pass across is everyone is a reflection of what he/she thinks. If you see anyone doing well it’s because they are thinking about every possible ways to produce good results and if you see anyone not doing well, it’s because they have filled their minds with bad thoughts. If you are not doing well, change the way you think and you will see changes in your life.

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. A man is simply the reflection of what he thinks

If all you think about are negative things then get ready to produce negative results because you will only produce what you think about and if all you think about are positive thoughts then get ready to produce positive results because you will only produce what you think about. Display of character is said to be the sum of one’s thought. For example when I harbor thoughts of “I can’t do it in my heart even before I attempt to do that thing, I can’t succeed in doing it because I already allowed my thoughts control me but whenever I say I can do it before I proceed to do anything I always succeed because I already conquered in my thoughts.

ii. Circumstance doesn’t matter a man, it reveals him to himself

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. Their whims, fancies,
and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. “The divinity that shapes our ends is in ourselves; it is our very self. Only himself manacles man: thought and action are the goalers of Fate; they imprison, being base; they are also the angels of Freedom; they
liberate, being noble. Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions. Good thoughts will always produce good results and bad thoughts will always produce Bad results. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances but he can choose his thoughts and by doing that, he can indirectly shape his circumstances. For example, sometimes I think I can’t do something but when am faced with certain circumstances that requires me to do those things I find myself doing them. It is then I realized that I can do that thing I have always thought I can’t do.

iii. What you think about affect your health and body

The body obeys whatever the mind tells it to do,diseases like circumstances are rooted in our thoughts. When we harbor bad thoughts, the body becomes weak and sick but when we harbor good thoughts, the body is clothed with beautiful and brightness. When you live in fear of a particular disease, you are prone to get the disease because anxiety is one of the fastest ways to open the body to what it’s scared of. Always learn to feel your body up with good thoughts because it will help you to build your health, body and mind. It will also prevent you from all forms of disease and give your body a sound mind. Feel your heart with good thoughts and enjoy everyday of your life.

iv. Possess a calm spirit

Calmness is one of the things every man should possess because it helps to keep the mind in shape and develop s the right understanding. The calm man, having learned how to control himself, knows how to behave with others; and they, in turn, reverence his spiritual strength, and feel that they can learn from him. The calm man is always seen as strong and loved by all. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm. It does not matter whether it rains or shines, or what changes come to those possessing these blessings, for they are always sweet, serene, and calm. That is how everyone should be no matter what they are going through, everyone should possess a calm spirit.

v. Everyone should possess a vision

Everyone should have a vision and work towards that vision. Cherish your visions, your ideals, cherish every good thoughts that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built. To desire is to obtain and to aspire is to, achieve. Dream good dreams because as you dream so you shall become ,your vision is what you shall one day become so make sure you are having the right vision. The Vision that you glorify in your mind, that you enthrone in your heart, this you will build your life by, this you will become so make sure you are having the right vision of yourself.

vi. Your achievements are based on your thoughts

A man’s weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his own and not another man’s;
they are brought about by himself, and not by another; and they can only be altered by
himself, never by another. He is also responsible for his condition and not another man. A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped, and even
then the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own efforts, develops the strength which he admires in another. Everyone is responsible for his own results and can only alter his achievements. A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He would remain weak, abject and miserable if he refuses to lift up his thoughts. All achievements are a result of what we think so choose your thoughts wisely.

vii. Everyone should have a purpose in life

Every man should live his life according to purpose. Set out a purpose in your heart and try to accomplish it. The purpose you set in your heart should be the center of your thoughts. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to it’s attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), 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. Everyone should carry out their purpose in life without any form of fear or anxiety.

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?

Yes, all the points are helpful to me because it makes me understand that I have to live a life of purpose, vision and also possess a calm spirit. It also makes me understand that I am a reflection of my thoughts, if I harbor good thoughts I will produce good results and if I harbor bad thoughts in my mind I will produce bad results. Am also made to understand that circumstances reveals ones self to one, so when am faced with anything I should face it with boldness. What I also thinks affect my body and health so I should fill my mind with good thoughts so that I can live healthy and happy. All man’s achievements are based on his thoughts so choose your thoughts wisely. If everyone applies all this principles and guide their thoughts, everyone would have a beautiful and happy life.

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.

“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can
never produce good results.”

This means that when you harbor bad thoughts in your mind, you produce bad results and when you harbor good thoughts in your mind, you produce good results. A man is simply a reflection of what he thinks.

“If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body,
beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the
body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour
thoughts. Wrinkles that mar are drawn by folly, passion, and pride. It also centers around a man who is a reflection of the thought he harbor in his mind.”

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

Everything is clear and well explained.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, I completed it and found it helpful because it made me understand the book better

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

No further comments.

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? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Asaju Bamidele Simeon (Nigeria)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

Not being afraid to try something new everyday. According to page 5 of the book, Jon’s mother asked him, “why it is so hard to be like the rest of the flock? Why can’t he leave low flying to the Pelicans, the Albatross? Telling him he is bone and feathers. He told his mum that he doesn’t mind being bone and feathers, he just wants to know what he can do in the air and what he can’t do”. This point is very important because people are always afraid to try something new. They feel very comfortable with their present situation and don’t want to try something new even when they know it will help them get better and change their present status. There is so much to learn when you open up yourself to learning, people are perishing because of ignorance. If only they knew how much more it is to learn outside what they know, they would be better than who they have always been. For example, Jonathan wanted to know what he can do more than just flying to look for food, and this helped him to know more and to become a better person. I can also site an example using myself; when I was in secondary school, everyone would go out during break to eat or play or gist but I would go and meet my teachers if I don’t understand what was been taught in class for further explanation. When I get home, I would study it over and over again, read more about the topic either through the internet or from different textbooks till I understand the topic perfectly. I would also give myself different task to solve for further understanding. This helped me become the best student in my class, unlike some of my other classmates who were always afraid to learn something new or go extra miles to become better, they just read only things they are been taught in class even when they are aware that reading further would help them be brighter in their studies and make them better. Always be ready to learn something new everyday and go extra miles. No knowledge is ever a waste and there is no harm in wanting to know something new or trying something new.

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. Persistence/Consistency

According to the book, when Jonathan flew he fell and wished he could just sink to the bottom and end it all but he starting thinking of what made him fall and why he couldn’t fly so high, according to he realized that if he was met to fly at night, he would have the eyes of an owl. He also realized that he needed shorter wings to fly. The next time he was going to fly, he folded his wings and flew miles he had never flown before. After series of practice and flying he soon became good at flying. That is how everyone should be, once you try something and it doesn’t work out at the first attempt keep trying till it works and you become good at that thing. Persistence is one of the keys to success. I had passion for singing since I was a little kid but each time I sang I knew I wasn’t near to been a good singer. The first day I had the opportunity to sing in public, I didn’t perform well but I didn’t Feel bad, I just try to look at my mistakes on work on them, I kept practicing till the day I had to sing again and I got a standing ovation from my audience. I was only able to achieve this through persistence and hard work, I continued practicing till I became perfect. Most people always feel discouraged when they try something and fail at their first attempt or when they don’t get praises or encouragement from people, it shouldn’t be so, once you are persistent and work hard on yourself to be good at what you are doing, one day what you are doing will bring you out. The people you complained about not praising would sing your praises so much that you will start thinking if it’s really you they are praising. Persistence is also one of the keys to success.

ii. Readiness to learn

We could see that Jonathan was ready to learn, he wanted to know better and when he asked if he could learn to fly, the teacher replied him saying of course if he is ready to learn. Most people these days are not ready to learn, they think they know it all. We should always be ready to learn when we need to, sometimes the things we think we know already are not always as they seem. If you don’t open yourself to learning something it would be difficult for you to understand such thing as quick as possible. Am always ready to learn about things I don’t know and it always help me to be a better person.

iii. Self believe/confidence

Sometimes we want people to always praise us over Things we do and when they don’t we feel sad and disappointed. We all have to learn to praise ourselves because we won’t get an applause sometimes for things we do. You have to be your number one cheerleader and learn to praise yourself when nobody praises you. One day, you will get an applause that would leave you wandering if you really deserve it.

iv. Seeing possibilities in every situation

As soon as we try something at first attempt and it doesn’t work out well, we fall to see beyond the way we see it now and tend to give up easily. We should learn to always look beyond the way we see things at the moment and try to think ahead. Try to see the possibilities ahead and keep trying till you achieve your goals.

v. Faith

You have to believe that it will work out. Faith is simply believing what has not happened as though it will happen. Once you’re sure that you are doing the right thing and doing it the right way, just have faith that one day it will turn out exactly the way you want it or even better than you imagined.

vi. Uniqueness

Being unique simply means standing out, been different. Sometimes look at how people are doing the same thing you are doing and try to think of things you can do that will make you different from others. Jonathan wanted to do more than just flying to look for food like other seagull, he wanted to be unique. Uniqueness is a very important key to success, it makes you outstanding from other people.

vii. Enjoy what you are doing

Jonathan enjoyed flying and that’s why he wanted to fly more than just looking for food. Once you enjoy what you do, you would always be ready to learn more about that thing. Don’t do anything because people are doing it or because your friend or someone forced you to do it, do it because you enjoy doing it, that’s the only way you can be very good at what you’re doing.

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 these would help everyone become better and successful, once you are not afraid to learn something new everyday it would make you know a lot of things and help you become a better person. Through persistence/consistency, people become good at what they do. Also when you are ready to learn, you know more things about everything around you. Self believe and confidence will give you strength to continue everything you’re doing, and then when you see possibilities in every situation it helps you achieve bigger things. Faith will keep you going and uniqueness will make you different and outstanding from others. If all of this is being used by people it would make us better and also make the world a better place.

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.

“One day Jonathan Livingston Seagull, you shall learn that irresponsibility doesn’t pay.”

This made me know that been irresponsible is not a choice. Everyone is expected to be responsible in whatever situation. Always take responsibilities for your actions.

“Where Jonathan said it works. Chiang replied saying it works when you know what you are doing.”

Once you are sure of what you are doing then believe that it will work out. Believing in what you doing is one of the fastest ways to make it work out.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

Everything is clear and well understood.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes, the exercises are helpful. It made me have a clear understanding of what the book is all about.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Nothing else.

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? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 6
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8