Bereket Alemayehu – Assessments – International Institute for Global Leadership

As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

First of all I would like to express my great appreciation to the author of the book, James Allen, for his success, because he is still alive by his precious works. He will live forever, as long as human being and thoughts exist in the universe.

In the first chapter I personally found the truth that human beings are not only blood, flesh, and bone or monkey mind, but thought is by it a being, could manifest as real. Also it added that the law of thoughts are discovering within human beings. Also a character is will shape up from thoughts. it’s seems to me that character is predestined by the fate and by astrologically meaning it is the result of birth chart and zodiac signs, but the truth is lie on the deep thoughts. Sometimes I wonder and inquest that why these things happened in my life such and such things either good or bad. Indeed I found from the book some of mine questions with satisfied answers. I could understand the law of cause and effect (karma) how works in human being life’s.

Deeply I believe that the truth is not something unattainable ideal concept, which put on heavenly bodies or far of neither inmost nature nor manifest by men, who labeled the rank prophets or sages or throughout holy books or scriptures brought into the world as absolute reality. As stated well in the book “man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul like by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained.” I am striving to get my own truth by digging deep inside my nature and my mind. What it request? Patience, practice, and deep concentration will lead to enter the door of the temple of knowledge.

In the second chapter the book deals about how circumstances are formed. The most profound ideas are how the thought forces combine with mind elements, and operate in the shaping of character, circumstances and finally destiny. The book urges man is the master gardener of his soul and maker of his circumstances. Before this book I am persuaded by another book to think about ‘thought forms’, which developed well, will manifests and creates solid existence. To affirm this let’s bring my won experience that happened today.

In the morning, when I got up from my bed I was thinking about the famous Ethiopian poet, who’s book is widely accepted, and we are going to review it in the coming Sunday, then in the afternoon someone calls from Addis Ababa university to my office and told us he is going to review that poet book as I thought early in the morning. It’s surprised me when our secretary told me a phone message. Its shows clearly that thought forms or thought forces will be tangible and they can manifest whenever the opportunity comes.

In the third chapter of the book I irritated when I did understand that unclean thoughts are the cause of impure and poisoned blood, which is dangerous for health. This is terrible to know the truth. I have chronic headache. If I disturbed by something impossible stop think about it and finally it will end up left me a headache. So this mean I used to poisoned my blood by bad or worry thoughts. This is we can call it ignorance. If I want to be healthiest, if I would perfect my body, I have to guard my thoughts and mind.

In the fourth chapter of the book I get fundamental theory of thoughts and purpose. If the thoughts twinned with purposeful life a circumstance will improve towards forth. I understand that in order to fulfill my goals in life I should make this purpose my supreme duty and should devote myself to its attainment. Often I enjoy just thinking a big idea without properly defined purpose and at the end of the day nothing left to me. I know well myself that I have a fear of failure which grew up from my childhood, that because of great doubt and uncertainty of my existence. When you are a poor man you feel that all world and God rejects you, also you have no hope more to improve your destiny and circumstances. I agreed with my self I am not from this world. I am not belonged this world at all.

But the notion leads me to isolate myself form the reality of being thoughtful and dwell in ephemeral fanciest and imaginer. This was real weakness. I have to improve this kind of thoughts.

In chapter five I got the idea of achievement, that how doses it works. It’s correlated by thought-factors. If I concentrate in the object of attainment it will be an achievement of mine. Indeed a man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. The higher he lifts his thoughts, the greater will be his achievements. Also the other idea is an achievement is depends on one’s sacrifice. What a fact words the book contains to inspire me to sacrifice unnecessarily thoughts and actions. ” in order to succeeds, give up all animality and selfishness, necessarily, but a portion of it must, at least, be sacrificed.” if I quit smoking I will be healthiest being. If I refuse this fact I will suffer by lung cancer, and being a sick one.

Chapter six conveys me to have in life well defined visions and ideals. If the dreamers are the saviors of the world, it’s certainly allowed to me to save myself from ignorance and sins.

As my dream, so shall I become? When I was in the elementary school my intention were to become a writer. Now I am on the way. I believe that in the near future I will use the latent power of creative writing to inspire peoples how possible is to think and act as human beings.

All great artistes, who are lived before and alive now, are the master of their ideals and the architects of earth and heaven,. Of course the law of “ask and receive” is always works. Our universe is abundance whatever desire comes. I will receive that which I earn as I dream, no more, no less. All effort is forth the dream comes true. I conveyed that natural gifts, powers, materials, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of great effort.

The last chapter influenced me to accept serenity is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. Without self control it’s too hard to achieve wisdom. To attain self control long and patient effort needed. Unfortunately I am far from patience. I am hot tempered and easily disturbed by situation. Now, what I learned is, the more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for himself. This is what I have to develop in my life. I have to dwell in serenity in order to ceases fuss, fume, worry, and grieve. Yes self control is strength, right thought is mastery and calmness is power.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

My circumstances were destined by the fate of our country economical status. Most of the time I thought to leave the country, and live in developed countries to be a nice guy. After reading this book I changed the attitude of this kind thinking. Wherever I am this is the duty of myself to control and lead rightful life. As I thinketh in my heart, so am I.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

In the book I personally found most important new ideas are the soul attracts love or fear when a man feels it. That mean for me if I release love to any creatures I will reap it. Actually when I feel strong fear in my heart it will comes up in whatever form. In our native language, Amharic, there is the saying that an idea equivalent that affirm this idea “someone who you hate him will yours inheritance, something you fear will happens.”

In the third chapter I found a new idea concerning health. I didn’t think that the body was the servant of the mind. But dose it. If the mind has clean thoughts comes a clean life and a clean body.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes! The book has challenged my intention of thinking. When something happens I assume that this is the fate of the world, which predestined early in begnning of the universe. Now I am changing my thinking patterns “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

Yes! What dose mean “God like character is not a thing of favor or chance…? Is everybody’s effort in the right thinking can make them capable being to possess omnipresent or omnipotent?

Also in the book is stated like this” in the arrangement of life there is no chance, but all is the result of a law which can not err.” it dose mean everything destined? Therefore, if everything destined before happened, why we are striving to be well beings? Where is the power of will? I think in some extent chance dose work.

In chapter six there is a concept which persuades to believe that the visible world is sustained by the invisible world. I think this is not proofed by scientifically methods. but we can get it this concept into holy scriptures and most religions. Therefore, we can not generalize it. If so, we have to forget will powers, thoughts, and phenomena’s.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

What I did found most helpful is thought itself. I learned that everything starts form mind, which is the sole home of thought. The least helpful is that the author brought most of his ideas from Christianity background. Therefore, some of the ideas are not let’s the reader to consider in other form of thinking pattern.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The book talks are how the thought shapes human nature like characters, mind situation and circumstances. Generally human being is what he thinks. Whatever he thinks it will manifest as action. it conveys that humans are endeavor towards all type of success depends on understand and well planned purposeful thought.
Please rate each of the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is high and one is low.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 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 Bereket Alemayehu

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

The book starts by describing the most boring and usual way of life around the river, as well as day-to-day activities, vicious circle, that is fettered by common laws and rules. After that, the book describes about one seagull, Jonathan Livingston, that he is searching the most fundamental nature of him. What is the most fundamental nature for him? Flight!

Actually not only about the flight that the book tells us, but the search of inner most natural ability to expand, grasp a new experience, and settle in a new way of life. Here is the law sat up by the early habitats of the society, which is served as fetter of for all members of the society. If someone is tried to modify it, they must cast out him from the society. If someone develop the gut to break that rules or laws, and could bring the new one, he will be the leader of that society.

In part one the book describes an interest of Jonathan Livingston flying business and everyone, including his father and mother, does not accept that interest. In the Gulls community the reason of flying is to eat. Living to eat. This means living simply without the natural ability of doing something and quest about existence. Jonathan is not the same as gulls as one but he is different. He drives by ambition. He quests why everything is like that like this but most of the answer is point out to the rules and regulation. He doesn’t satisfy by the answers. Then he begins to search by himself. He always is arguing with himself or the society.

Once his mother and father told him if he studies, then studies food, and how to get it. As most boys he accepted their advice. But them don’t understand his ambition why he wants flight. Conflict begun even from his family. Then he begins to behave like others gulls. But he couldn’t stay, as his family wants. His ambition derived him. “Far out at see, hungry, happy, learning.”

Also the flight business was not easy as he thought. He practiced speed from a thousand feet. He became fastest than the fastest gull alive. Tried, tried, failed, failed, ten times tried, out of control, crashed down into the water. Still he is strong to try another methods. He is alone. Here is nobody to teach him. “ In ten seconds he has blurred through ninety miles per hour. Jonathan had set a world speed record for seagulls!”

He achieved the first step of his lessons. As the book tells us his victory was not permanent, short –lived. “ The instant he began his pullout, the instant he changed the angle of his wings, he snapped into that same terrible uncontrolled disaster, and at ninety miles per hour it hit him like dynamite. Jonathan seagull exploded in midair and smashed down a brick-hard sea.” Then internal conflict begins with him. A strange hollow voice told him that his nature is limited. He felt failure. He wished death, finally to end everything at all. He thought that his father was right.

But he never gave up. His ambition was still with him. Again he started practice flight. From this topic what I learned is that when I try to do some unusual action I must consider failure might be become and I should try another way of doing the same task. Conflicts are the main obstacle to do as desire, like Jonathan experienced. Practice, practice, learning, learning and patience are the main tools to success. When things gone on bad way I must change my thoughts and action.

Finally, practicing a lot and learning hopefully, Jonathan could fly two hundred fourteen miles per hour! It was a breakthrough, in the history of the flock. And in that moment a new age opened for Jonathan gull. He must call a pioneer. He achieved a higher purpose for life. After a thousand years a new day come. But it was very restricted to broke a laws and rules. Whatever the result, how it is great, the gull community refused to accept Jonathan’s breakthrough. Instead of giving him a triumph they gather together and passed memorandum to outcast him.

In every uncivilized society a new way of life is not practiced. If someone from the society tried to behave like he found, they are cruel to do penalty. In human history it is doing by them like it done before, on Buddha, Jesus, Socrates and others.

He outcast. But he not frustrated. He goes his way freely. He gets freedom. Actually he is not alone. He is not the only one to outcast.

In the book, part two; Jonathan Livingston met other seagulls, which outcast like him. They are very experienced and from his flock. Then they trained him higher form of flight. High-speed flight, more practice a new group, all outcastes. Finally he wants to share his new way of life to his brothers. They accepted willingly. And he begins to teach entire gulls community. He fulfilled life’s purpose and always remembered in the society.

So I learned from the book that knowing own nature and ability is the first step to success and practice and learning is the way and teaching others is the goal.

When I was at young age I started quest the relevance of religion, the existence of God and other social customs and taboos. Then I searched the truth in most of great religions. But I didn’t found the truth any of religions doctrine and sacred books as I want. After all I became living without religion and others look at me as a mad man and anti-God.

Nobody could show me the way of truth or existence of God but they begin look at me as enemy of God, his angels, and his prophets or holy books written by his messengers.

Finally I knew one thing. Truth is not merely found in heavenly bodies or written holy books but in me. Mind is truth. If I could control my mind, I could do right things and actions that lead me the way of absolute truth and freedom. As long as there is no a perfect way I must obey my mind. I don’t mind about the society laws, rules, regulation and taboos. In Ethiopian culture it is difficult being non-religious. When you start communication with somebody the first questions are what is your name and which religion do you have. When they understand, I am non-religious they offend. But I don’t care about any body.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The most important new concepts are trying unusual things is more important than living as usual one. It doesn’t matter weather others agrees or not I must do things accord to my nature and essence. But trying unusual things are not easy. Opponents are not only from the external world, also from internal thinking. The conflicts of internal thoughts are very hard to solve easily. I think that human nature is not fast to decision. Lack of knowledge and faith will leads to dilemma. Jonathan Livingston is could conquer both the internal and external world. I learnt from him trying, trying and trying to conquer everything.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

Yes! The book is challenged me in the way of doing something without the interest of get conformation from others. When you tried things for the first time the society wants to warn you that if you fall people will condemn you and if you achieved they gather to admire and appreciate you. Therefore, I must try what I want first and whatever the result I must be responsible for it.

If I want to do like as my desire I must struggle to tap fear, doubt and dilemma. Otherwise I should agree with the society rules and laws then are like the other gulls living is only for eating.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

Study and contemplation are valuable tools, but life itself is the training ground. Everything is not possible as we want. Often circumstances and situations are the most obstacles that we couldn’t change ever. It isn’t easy to persuade others as Jonathan Livingston did. To understand new ideas may be needs another generation. But for him to was not that much difficult. Is that easy like that? Whatever that most of the society members do like the ideas it is difficult to follow as most young gulls did. “By the end of three months Jonathan had six other students, outcasts all, yet curious about this strange new idea of flight for the joy of flying.” How ridicules is?

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The most helpful ideas are trying incredible action is best instead of stack in the society rules and laws. Don’t give up you will win the competition. The least idea is I think it is not possible persuasive others like Jonathan did. It takes a long time and great effort. What is that mean no limit? Also this is the least idea. We are not perfect. most things are limited.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The main idea the book trying to assert is everybody should quest his existence and where came from and for what reason he is here and must find the way of his own new life and stick on it. Whatever other suggests he has agreed with his nature.

Please rate each of 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? 9
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? 9

Psycho-Cybernetics 2000
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

This book is indeed a finest one. What is the most interesting, Maxwell Maltz insight was based on natural knowledge that was more reliable. Basically every discovery and invention required deep intuition and careful observation. Actually he was lucky that he had a chance to met patients with their weak personality part which they didn’t recognize yet.

in the first chapter the book introduced two basic principles life instinct, which intensively grow with positive self image and destructive instinct, it depend on the feedback of ourselves that failure and disappointment makes us unwanted loser and hopeless.

To put myself as an example it is easy to experience those two instincts everyday. When I see myself as capable being positive life spirit stream in my consciousness, then every door of opportunities come towards my way. Fear, doubt and uncertainty, negative self-reinforcement engulf my thinking, always I wonder why negative thoughts are easy to think and shelter to dwell, or is our thinking is simply wonders everywhere like the river water? Is it a must to build a dam and make irrigation channels for our thinking? I am just asking myself being naïve.

Bobber Sommer and Maxwell Maltz taught me simply to go to my visual cinema and enjoy canceling bad habits self rejection, self condemnation, feel weakness constantly, bound past unfortunate and mistakes and hopelessness Replacing by self imaging of capable, at least I can achieve something in this world which benefit around me, positive beliefs and affirming new positive beliefs are makes strong and firm to tackle any problems also focusing on new positive beliefs and affirmation on the change and struggling to overcome bad habits that rooted in subconscious mind early finally mind training which is might take six weeks long, according to the book.

Creative imagination is also a new idea that leads great mental development which creating images in mind has well impact in reshaping personality.

Chapter two holds other idea. “Success is instinctive” this idea was shaking my mind. In the culture, which I live, I grew up told that everything is pre-destined and luck and chance are have vital role in whatever ours affairs. Every success related to luck and chance. If success is instinctive there is no room for luck and chance, hence effort and reprogram success mechanism.

I am comfortable along the notion “All living creatures possess such a built-in goal striving mechanism, a success instinct that guides them toward goals of nourishment, defense, and reproduction.” if I have a natural gift to reproduction and defense why not for success? Is it undiscovered real potential inside us? Certainly yes! I have a tendency day dreams something and becoming someone as my deep wish most of the time. The subconscious principles are indeed useful. Most inspirational books have the same understanding on it. Psycho-cybernetics describes in two more clear terms. The agreement principle: the subconscious mind always says “yes” to everything the conscious mind tells it. The compliance principle: the subconscious mind always moves in the direction in which the conscious mind points it. Language loop is also anew idea. I am using chanting words to myself and listing words back has positive impact. Whenever I affirm something to my mind it is with language loop and its benefit. I already have begun playing with the subconscious!

Mistakes affect and increase self-condemnation and self rejection. Usually humans suffer dwelling in past mistakes. The left brain always pops up past mistakes and increase fear and uncertainty. Its remedy is living present moment. Now and here are my slogans.

Using the conscious and the subconscious mind ability as their real nature and feeding positive thoughts and ideas to the conscious mind will help the subconscious mind to function, behave better and serve us creating positive self-image. Our subconscious mind never forgets, either-unless we consciously choose to make it forget. In chapter three the concept “fake it till you make it” is dramatically expressed. Act as if you have already achieved success and your feelings, attitudes and behavior will become consistent with actual success. in chapter four I found affirmative message that declare boldly I am a human being who deserve better than to be constrained by unreasonable fears, expectations of failure and feelings of unworthiness.

I certainly believe on concept they wrote on beliefs. Indeed beliefs are very powerful. Unfortunately beliefs come not within rather external orders, families, societies, religions and governments. Once our country was ruled by communist regime and everything was must related to dialectical materialism. Still this concept is ruling even partly now even though freedom of thinking and faith written
in the country’s constitution. Select and apply checking mechanism and rational thinking on bad habits and false beliefs are listed in this chapter. Relaxation, in chapter five, holds more space. It is the key to freeing the mind for creative, holistic, right-brain problem solving. I am comfortable using mandala, an ideal mandala is illustrated in the book, to relax and focus.

Chapter six advices I to not go any of tranquilizers drug to reduce tension. I don’t use ant-depressant drug at all. Chapter seven dealt setting goals distinguish wishful thinking. It gives the freedom of choice, even though putting the SMART test. Generally speaking the book is indeed full of practical methods and has simplicity ideas, thoughts and concepts.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this bookto your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

Some of my friends state that I am skeptic. When it comes believing in existence of supernatural beings and any gods I am skeptic. I think believing in self is not a cult. Some ideas in the book, like success is intuitive and faking the mind are valuable teachings what I agree.

My attitudes, feelings and behavior changes inthe direction of what I believe to be true. imagination is vital component in self development, as Albert Einstein said once” imagination is better than creativity”.

Various methods on the relaxation necessity have real and practical significant. Very often I feel stress and when I take one of the methods described in the book, even the simplest feeling a need to stretch, move around, or take a break in office makes me relaxed.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The most important ideas are changing thinking patterns, self-image, success mechanism and relearning false beliefs, just using five simple ways could have resulted. Those are easy to cutch and repeat and practice, canceling bad habit, replacing anew one, affirming reputedly, focusing without doubt, and training mental.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

I have decided to tryout the six weeks experiment. Building a new self-image doesn’t happen overnight. The process is cumulative. It takes daily effort for about six weeks. It is not hard, just trying doesn’t cost anything. I have plenty of time and issues that I should focus. Meanwhile it required repetition and time. When I read the book I had the chance frequently check back my thinking of copying stress and problems.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

In the book this idea is over generalized “All behavior- all actions, all feelings, all human capabilities-was defined by the self image. No real behavioral changes could take place unless the self-image was changed” and it seems the only way. It sounds most of the time but we don’t have to forget real nature of external pressure and something phenomena might happens beyond our control. Therefore, to make a decision that generalizing saying it “All” unless self image is must change meant put the authors on polarization. They have to give at least some space to readers to make their judgments. Also the book underestimates the slogans “will power” and “positive thinking” which are still changing millions. How could be self image changeable unless we possess the power of will? Even what is the book talking about at all? Isn’t positive thinking? What do we replace in our habit and mind? Why we affirm positive beliefs replacing bad behavior? In what matter we should focus? If I have the right to sum up the book ideas they did the other side of the coin. I don’t want to focus on the disagreement instead of enjoy benefit of the rest ideas and concepts that works if I faithfully implement it.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

I found the most helpful ideas are self imaging and picturing oneself to be successful in any life endeavor that is empirical. Of course the brain works in picturing. Language loop is also most helpful that listing words by own voice. The way how brain works has nice influence to understand two brain halves of hemispheres and which thinking patterns are reside in each other. I certainly believe on concept they wrote on beliefs. Indeed beliefs are very powerful. Unfortunately beliefs come not within rather external orders, families, societies, religions and governments. Once our country was ruled by communist regime and everything was must related to dialectical materialism. Still this concept is ruling even partly now even though freedom of thinking and faith written in the country’s constitution.

In the book they didn’t wrote more clearly about rational thinking. It left just as advice, develop or apply your rational thinking. Rational thinking is, I think, theoretical concept and must be discuss more. Therefore, I take it the least helpful.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The book is trying to convey; your self image is the point that you are now. Mind works picturing everything so if you want to embark whatever you call it “success” you must change your self image. The book stress the correlation between self image, picturing something and subconscious mind.

Please rate each of the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

I would like to keep the burning flame in my life of studying, trying and practicing, these new ideas, concepts and on time advices to enrich my life that passes the flame from those very important persons, including Napoleon Hill and W. Clement stone.

The book indeed gives some very new ideas to achieve physical, mental and moral health, happiness and wealth.

The idea that Talisman works in life is amazing fact. Since we possess the ability to talk with ourselves the talisman is indeed real. Therefore, how many of my identities and self am I? My thoughts are obviously negative; sometimes positive thoughts come in my mind. Which talisman is working more?

If there should be likeable talisman, he must be the kind of positive thinker and success adviser and a developer of positive mental attitude. That one is seems on the way to replace the old one, corrupted and full of anger, grief, fear and unsuccessful
talisman.

Believe of God’s will also is a great lesson to be strong and to guide our fate in a way that positively manner. Yes I am not poor because of God! I am poor because of myself. Poverty accentually related with luck of proper education, bad up bringing, weak family relationship and so. At the same time there are wonderful people that broke up the fitter of poverty with out proper living and up bringing; in every matter of course successful. I never say that was come by chance. No. they had started from the scratch! Often they speak in public that they got everything using effort and ups and downs.

What do I want? The question is must get the answer to going in search of potential ability and achievement and success. The book says that “if you know what you want you are more apt to recognize it when you see it’ and also easy to search it.

Do have I a burning desire? This asking also deep related concurrently with what I want. If I could develop a burning desire and if it goes parallel with clear reason (it was wise giving some information of about the reason) and if I really know what I want it comes on my way definitely.

It is not easy knowing what really we want. If we know exactly what is it can we say that almost traveled half of the road? May be!!! Then life will be easy and we will be ready to have fun whatsoever comes as a problem or challenge because nothing is accomplished with out work. Because now at the position to think PMA and trying and practicing whatever.

The expression of Positive mental attitude and right mental attitude to achieve faith, integrity, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tact, kindliness and good common sense are great knowledge to a person with positive mental attitude to aims for high goals and constantly strives to achieve them.

The benefit of laws of Infinite intelligence and the rights of fellow men also goes synonymously fruition life no matter where we live.

If I do try to change my world there will be right and just at least in my environment. The real change comes from within; there is no way waiting and looking external factors. I don’t want blame anyone for my failure; I don’t wait anyone for change as well.

Personal initiative and Self-discipline and Creative vision and Organized thinking and Controlled attention (Concentration of effort) and Budgeting of time and money and Enthusiasm are themselves good practical ideas to takes ones to the state of self fulfillment. Even they need strong practice habit!

The first great advantage is the subconscious mind that begins to work under a universal law: what the mind of man can conceive and believe the mind of man can achieve. Yes almost everything starts in thinking then goes be manifest in a way of as conceive. I am happy that knowing the power of the subconscious mind and the conscious mind. Knowledge stored in the subconscious mind and acquired through individual experience, observation, and education Emotion, concentrate attention and strong feelings are the main shaker and mover of the subconscious mind. The point is, of course practicing the two powers is essential! As the book says “A most effective form is a flashing from the subconscious to the conscious in time of
need” “A flash of inspiration” idea that comes out from the inside has a great impact to the way of personal development.

The ideas of clearing the cobwebs from thinking are also practical way to purify the mind; and to think orderly and to think straightly. Negative thoughts and evil actions, like negligence are indeed cobwebs.

Of course we don’t act from reason alone. We destined to use intuition as well! And action based on common sense is the result of more than just reason. It depends upon habits of thought and action, intuitions, experiences and other influences such as tendencies and environment and education and family. “Emotion and reason should be in balance in everyone’s life” otherwise life will difficult.

The power of Conscious autosuggestion on self is well known in every culture that keeps someone either strong or weak. As the author says everyone has problems therefore we have to affirm positive words on ourselves.

We have to step carefully because that leads to complete the whole, any part is smaller than the whole. Therefore, it’s important that we add all the necessary parts.
Any way the power of PMA will help if we obey the rules that are useful and workable.

Ones talisman, whether visible or invisible is common expression in our culture. When someone knows something, evil or good, and he cannot reason out using facts and information he just says easily he got that information from his Kolay (talisman). But the fact is his mind worked in the manner of forecasting.

I have some disagreement with the guy in our organization, the problem lies that I am not tolerate his stubbornness, whenever I say something or request for ongoing work he tries to complicate any of my requests. When I put critics in his mind he doubled the case. One day I could control my anger and explain him the matter peacefully and for the first time I got his support! You know why my thoughts were positive.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The book invited me to explore my mind, you know that everything starts and ends in the human mind. I like the saying goes like this, I think therefore I am. How do I see the world? Just like as I think. If I think positively I would experience the finest outcome.

The most important living person lives once and once in this world is me. This is very important because I will never get the chance to live successfully anywhere after death. This is the last and the most crucial time.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

No doubt that the book challenges in some ways of present thinking that when I finished reading. I am trying to be right, because if the man is right his world will be right. I want to add if the world is right it is pleasant to live in harmoniously. I have started to see any of my endeavors to work hard and make out of it great pleasure and joy. No more feeling work as a burden, even though, I am working in the place as not my desire.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

The author says that “Man’s greater power lies in the power of prayer”. As far as I know if someone prays there must be something and somewhere to appeal whatsoever between the prayer and powerful being. We already agreed that our mind consist of energy that brings tremendous power like telepathy and clairvoyance. Therefore why we need to pray to acquire power? Are we really the master of our fate? And is it true that we are the captain of our soul? Most of the times we are going drift drown in the course of life; whether we know it or not. How can we tackle environmental, even emotional influences? Often life has very strong control of everything in most people living. Otherwise it requires sainthood gut!

Also the author states in the book that” There is no other known method by which you may keep your mind positive”. I think there must be other methods to keep the mind positive. Such affirmative expression will limited and protect the experiences of searching more useful books and ideas. He didn’t claim that he has been rewriting the gospel!

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

The most helpful ideas are personal initiative that everything starts, self-discipline that the most challenging task and acting and living routine system, creative vision that looking in side deeply, organized thinking that doing systematically and full of consciously, controlled attention that direct the energy on the concentrate task, budgeting time that is the most precious item in everyone hand and budgeting money that spend wisely, and enthusiasm that the most pushing force to go forward.

The least concept of the book are using cosmic habit force that might be lead to trust and to believe and to depend to unknown mystical sentient beings and leads to cult tendencies. Also divine guidance (prayer) might affect the power of critical thinking and logical problem solving ability.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

Positive Mental Attitude will help everyone if it develops with understanding, effort and practice and practice everyday. Human mind is the most valuable resource and if we keep it feeding positive thoughts it will bring any of life successes.

Please rate each of 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? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Keys to Success
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

The book, “Key to Success” is really an astonishing book that has enough key ideas to precisely to lead to the way to firm personality and to success. The author main idea is purpose is very necessary in one’s life. Definiteness of purpose is the book’s key convincing idea.

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. Definiteness of purpose

Definiteness of life purpose is captured great emphasis in the book and the author was frequently makes other correlated ideas with definiteness of purpose. If I don’t plan clear purpose in my life it is likely easy to go anywhere, drifting aimless and unfortunate lasting finally achieving nothing. I am not here for the sake of eating, drinking and breathing or procreation.

Somehow I think that there is something purposely twined that I am here and there is really some ways of expressing the “I”, living fullness and use latent of my real talents, and I have to manifest it in some practical ways I could do.

b. Mastermind alliance

I appreciate and strongly believe in a formal or informal mastermind groups or alliances just similar like the book says” The other quality is the ability to work in a spirit of harmony with others”. When we do have just simple look of even our planetary living, it is likely depend on harmony with others. I got my shoes at exact number and size and color from far country of China made by someone else. Whether we know it consciously or not we do things in harmonious way.

We could do form a Mastermind Alliance consciously and collectively it amount a great achievement. “Two heads are better than one”

c. Faith

It is fascinating to know faith is a state of mind! I was thinking faith is related or believing in super natural being or some kind of spirits. The book introduced me it is “a state of mind”. Faith is a natural human tendency to have initiative to embark any action.

d. Initiative

Personal initiative is one of the most important ideas I found in the book. I think personal initiative is crucial to keep the spirit higher and to feel energetic all time. This world is fortunate of those people of eager to accomplish their mission by themselves whatever the circumstances, but they are determined to lead, to invent, to discover, to explore, to learn, to know, and to reach somewhere as their heart desire .

Recently I am a witness of this idea does a lot of practical output in our city that some youth are doing economical self-help projects just organizing themselves initiatively and getting micro-finance and land.

e. Positive mental attitude

Positivity is indeed the good one quality to achieve successful life. Mostly our mind is busy of thinking negative thoughts of fear, angry and failure. When I think positive and develop an attitude mentally I could advance towards my goals and purposes. Cooperation is based on positive attitude of people. What I heard this day almost Positivity is our country everyday issue that deeply related with good governance and development.

f. Attractive personality

It is also another idea that captured my attention. Personality matters in modern world especially it must be attractive. The book has very timely things that someone possibly could try to do assemble to have attractive personality. In our country even dressing well is very matters. Justice and fairness, sincerity and courtesy, the habit of smiling and facial expression have practical impact in any relationships of business, love affairs and working environment.

I like very much the idea of keep your speeches short! This is very good comment for us. We spend too much time just talking for the sake of “talk”.

g. Emotional control

Temperament has root on emotional control. What I know myself is I go easily anger and get boredom. When I am the state of emotional disturbance it is impossible to think clearly and cope easily as well. Based on this fact it is well-know around my colleagues, family and friends. Sometimes they just do trigger it for fun and I go in that way.

I got the same idea of put aside bad emotions just learning that each emotion is related to mental attitude. So I can organize, guide, and completely command my mental attitude. I must take control of my mind before emotion controls it completely.

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?

I think this is a matter of practicing and giving attention to be a beneficiary. I have to practice to have positive mental attitude and have faith in myself and try to set up purposes and goals. It helps even to organize a mastermind alliance around my family, co-works and friends for the same objectives.

Very lovely to have an attractive personality that will be an “example” for others. A better world is based on what we think and act for the betterment of this plant. If I think positive and act beside this the environment makes me feel friend and we live accordingly. Fairness and justice, tolerance and patience are very useful even to survive in this dynamic world.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

“Opportunity is everywhere!” this is very true quote. Its only requires our attention and the gut to explore and wisdom to act.

“Confidence begets confidence!” it is another quote works naturally. It states the power of attraction and similar ideas work for the same achievement and success.

“There is a right moment and a wrong moment for everything!” . Indeed! That is why positive mental attitude works attracting both. But are we aware of a right and a wrong moment consciously?

“The only privacy you have is in your mind!” It is true. Thanks to nature that gave this privacy to human being. I could plan, wish, and meditate, being positive and whatsoever exercise using this wonderful freedom.

“Your mind attracts anything it dwells upon”! That is why we are as our thoughts.

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?

Yes there are! What does mean Universal power? What and where is the source? It seems plainly preaching that there is some super natural being! It is not clear even how to access the powers, I mean practical and easy ways.

The author says” The human mind is an intricate machine designed to accomplish things. The power that operates this machine comes from outside the mind”

How the mind does get its power from outside, this same book says” Never wait for some outside force to trigger your actions”?

I think the author failed to mention it clearly or I am not at the position to understand it.

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 gives some practical approach to live consciously doing little and very possible exercises such us

Autosuggestion- reminding the readers Emile Coue, the French psychologist, formula known as affirmation “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better”. I use this autosuggestion slogan when I feel depressed and weak, I shout in my office or home two times or more and feel back well.

Eating habits- it suggests nutritional value of foods that should be regular habits. I have strengthened the habits of eating fresh fruits; our country is very reach of fruits and vegetables plantation for that matter, even though people don’t have the culture of eating yet enough. I begun do drink more water, liquid oxygen!, than before to keep myself from dehydration.

I am strictly obeyed this advise “Never eat while angry, frightened, or worried.”

Relaxation and play- relaxation and play also another exercise suggested by the book.

I do walk almost every day to relax and I usually read books, as the book pointed out, and Internet blogs.

I found them very helpful and I do continue doing more of this stuff consciously.

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.

It might be my general comments, if to could be possible to include in the assessment that most books have numbers, figures and chart or diagram. It will invites students to find out the accuracy and relevant of these expressions.

I am not saying to do it just merely listing things down like this; how many chapters are in the book or how many pages has that book and could you please do the ratio of the word “SUCCESS” the author used in the book per page. Not at all! Instead; for example in this book of page 116 and 117 are two charts. Why do we more clarify and do more research on that? How scientific they are? Just like this I am saying.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

What To Say When You Talk To Your Self
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

The main Idea of the author is trying to convey in his book is self-talking should be reprogrammed in ways of developing and practicing positive thoughts when we talk to ourselves.

Looking for a Better Way
The author could able assert that our thinking is mainly influenced by our surrounding that consists of family, friends and colleagues. Basically human nature is positive so that our thinking should be refined in terms of peace and happiness and cooperative. This is the exact time to change our attitude and looking a better way to reprogram and force our thinking towards to positive attitude including positive self-talk.

All of us talk to ourselves all of the time and Self-talk becomes habit
We do talk every time but I don’t think if I were that much aware of what exactly my thoughts are and how I have authoritative power that in my thinking. After reading carefully this book I decided to know and to gain a little bit power on what I must to think and not somehow. At least to examine my self-talk and to ask this fundamental question; “are my thoughts pleasant?’. I deserve the right to own and control my own thoughts!

A joint effort of body, brain and mind, we become the living result of our own thoughts
Whenever this joint effort goes in accord with, the result would be positive. Healthy body and mind and brain cease suffering and generate positive thoughts and actions. Ideally this is our very natural. Cause of external influence and limited knowledge of our own mind we do not make effort to harmonize our body and mind and thoughts. Anyway this is vital to lead success and harmonized life. I try to keep my body clean and neat and healthy, fill the mind positive thoughts to keep sanitary and I concern every time to breathe pure oxygen and I have eat nutritional diet.

Resources of my own mind
It is better to understand what are my mind resources and abilities. Whenever I look inside my self I truly understand that some of basic human qualities are deposited in such us absolute happiness and joy, peace and tranquility, compassion and essence and latent potentials are basic resources of my own mind.

I deserve the best out of life
What do I need from life? Whichever is it I deserve the best out of it. I know that I don’t have enough in this moment because I still in search of something from life, but if I have to get, it must be the best. How do I get the best? The say goes like this that there is no free lunch. I do put my effort and practice and then I claim the best out of life.

The better condition our internal biological environment is in, the better we think and act.
I think it is about wellness and to be in a good state. But what is biological environment anyhow? I can say that it is finest breathing and bold walk in strength and it is also great freedom from defilement of body and every internal biological system. The body has great influence of our thinking and action. There is a body mind spirit theory. No pain is enjoyment, no suffering is indeed holiness.

Wanting to be a positive thinker isn’t enough
It is chosen to be the last one of ideas of the book that personally most important. Wanting alone does not give any meaning. However the prime motive is wanting, arise from lack of nice personality; to be a positive thinker there must be determination and put some initial effort to embark on practical matters as well.

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?

Defiantly these ideas are very much correlated in my daily personal life and to create a better world for that matter. This situation is created by my own thoughts and if there must be change it is depend on how I reprogram this thinking and develop positive self-talk and positive attitude.

It is believe that there is something in our living that seen like quality of life, which consist of personal integrity and some pure quality should be live for the benefit of oneself and the whole universe.

So these ideas are great impact in daily living and this world if we do understand their applicable.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.
“We are creatures of habit.”

This is very true when we observe carefully our deeds. We carry out Most of our actions habitually, based on our sub-conscious mind routine habit. I often heard the notion of this around friends, “when habit comes strong it will be nature”. That is just the way the mind works. It works because we tell it what to do habitually.

‘The better the attitude, the better the results, in almost anything we do”

Positive attitude brings positive out come. That is why this quote exactly indicates firmly says” the better the attitude, the better the results, in almost anything we do”.

“Repetition is a convincing argument’

Even a lie did repeat again and again has some influence in any argument. It seems that propaganda sometimes could move a nation towards something. I have learnt that if I repeat positive affirmation all of the time to my mind it would convinced towards positive.

“You already have all of the necessary equipment”

Yes I have! I have at least a great mind and time that gave it my by nature. My mind has everything that necessary for personal fulfillment and growth in every direction. I have also time to practice and practice and practice everything.

“Energize your spirit, focus your attention, and keep you in tune, on top, in touch, and going for it”

Energizing the spirit is very vital to keep in tune and to going extra mile. We have to do something passionately in order to fill energy to our mind and body as well. Attention also a form of energy that concentrated in our mind.

“You deserve the right to own and control your own thoughts!”

This is very fantastic even to know it just too merrily. Of course I deserve to tame my mind and control my thoughts. If I fail to own it I live just drifting every direction without any destination to stop. This is very unpleasant.

“One of our greatest daily motivators is the heap of demands of daily living’

Indeed it is very true and daily fact in our time and this world. I wake up every morning to go to work and to have my daily bread on the table. I respect this routine daily, therefore, on the other hand it motivates me to struggle for that.

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?

Nothing ever happens by accident

I don’t understand exactly what it means. Anyway this seems over generalization or judgmental that due to misunderstand of the law of uncertainty. We live in very uncertain world and we don’t know which cause has effect and even we don’t be sure if the cause exists. It does not mean cause and effect are not exist, instead asking where the source is. I can say it simply this is the doctrine of Judeo-Christian theology.

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 contains some practical exercises for the reader such as affirmation. In chapter nine there are five levels of self-talk that give clear understanding and exercise. As I say it before the exercises are mostly can practice talking with oneself.

The book encourage saying anytime and anywhere such powerful and positive affirmation; “I do everything I need to do when to do it. I enjoy getting things done and I enjoy doing things on time and in just the right way!”

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.

Not only positive self-talk gives strength me, also it is crucial to have a positive attitude towards anything. Even though the book stresses basically to reprogram our self-talk, positive attitude is emerge from in self as a way to check how we developed our thoughts.

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

Real Magic
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

It is very clear that Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s main idea is anyone who is searching a real
magic is found lay in deep within him on the way to spirituality.

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.

Purpose
Almost all motivational books and great writers tell their readers that setting purpose is a fundamental aim toward successful life. In this regard Dr. Dyer is able persuade his readers to go along with purpose. He says that the great and glorious masterpiece of man is how to live with purpose.

Actually anyone can live without purpose. What the problem is if we don’t know where to go in life this is completely wastage. Human being is smart to ask himself who he is and where come form and where he is going. These questions have appropriate answers and definitions if we truly set our purpose and live according to it.

I personally moved by his words that stress “everything in the universe has a purpose, stay on purpose in your activities, rather than focusing on the ultimate reward”

Openness
I found very interesting the advice of openness. Once I asked to quite a few students in our center that “what do you very like from someone?” one of the respond was openness. Since then I just think why openness is helpful for one’s personal development.

The society, like I live in, is at first skeptic to a new idea as obviously. Therefore, its influence has significant role on people. What are the consequences? Late in development and suffer more lack of adequate examples in successful life.

Silence
Silence is the way to contact with the inner most nature of our self. When the surrounding comes silent there is a voice that speaks the essences. We almost know the mind is like a monkey, continuously thinking and rushing and worrying and planning about the future. Between this silently intervals we could hear that we are not alone. Every creature and nature are related with us. I have got some ideas on silence from the book “The Alchemist” written by that Brazilian guy.

Meditation
As we know the religion Buddhism is much related with meditation. Since I attracted by Buddhist philosophy meditation is very encouraged to do so but some complication has due to the fact that Buddhism is based on its dogma. Even if the desire is strong inside me there is a reservation to not be entangled with the religion than the art, meditation. I found in the book concrete idea that there is no right and or wrong way to meditate rather the process of meditation is nothing more that quietly going within and discovering that higher component of you, meditation gives me an opportunity to come to know my invisible self. For that matter I just experiencing difficulty sitting for long time but the result is very pleasant and it gives strengthen for the mind and the body as well. I am happy starting very recently sitting for several minutes meditating.

Relationship
I have never read a book like this tells what exactly relationship is! Dr. Dyer writes not only to motivate us but to tell us what the truth is and what are the facts. He genuinely speaks what should be in the relationship and what not. I impressed when he says that allow space. Let there be space in your togetherness. This is a fact! I understood what privacy and space are meant. I have a constant, ongoing relationship with my mind and body that is why I call my self a human being

Love
There is another great revelation knowing about love. It is not a new idea or discovery, rather a new insight that I found. It is clearly stated in the book that love is a virtue of inner self, basic ingredient for human survival.

Dr. Dyer also advises us by telling this when we are in love with another person “ Seek to enjoy each other, not to possess each other. No one wants to feel like a possession. No one wants to be dominated or controlled”.

Forgiveness
This is also an act of the heart. As a human we have to reconcile with our self and others. I believe this not only works forgive and forget at the same level works reconciliation for the fruition of total forgiveness.

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 practical lessons in not only in daily living but ones entire life. How do I forget those great heroes, sages and folks, who gave their life for love and wisdom and forgiveness centuries ago? How do I feel for those who taught me to do the same in my life?

This world will be the better one when we go back and find these loving and caring and knowing wisdoms of ancient and integrate with our lives this day. This is the golden rule we have to abide within “Treat others the way you want to be treated”

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

The ancestor to every action is a thought, obviously there exist invisible connections b/n our thoughts and our actions.

I just touched by this ultimate truth. Its simply mean that our deed is very weak, my thought is weak certainly. That is why discrimination, hate and violence arise first in our mind.

All that you fight weakens you

This is true fighting weakens anyone. As I understood there is a difference between fight and struggle. Struggle strengthens everyone. Fighting arise form hateful mind and has a game of competition. On the other hand struggle encourages cooperative.

The enemy is hate itself

No one is my enemy. I don’t remember who says it. Indeed it is true, we don’t have to hate any sentient being, but instead we should avoid hateful sentiments.
Behind trust is empowerment and love

The core corner of love is trust each other. Trust leads empowerment of living in harmony and tie correlation among individuals and nations. I trust each one; I don’t have more options to trust anything than human being.

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 is a lot. But the most unclear to me are as follow,

“Because of your formal training you have very likely adopted a skeptical attitude toward spirituality”.

What this is mean? I think this worldly knowledge is based on formal training, sci-Tech, and methods. I don’t want to go back to darkness, based on religious mentality.
The author says “for me, the existence of the soul does not need any scientific
validation. I know what I know about myself and my proof is in my own experience”

May I say it subjectivism? Can we think this is true without empirical validation?
There is also one; “the spiritual being knows Thoughts come out of nothingness…
cause and effect play no role whatsoever”

What is nothingness? Wow! This is beyond my experience and imagination. Unwise saying this is not truth or vise versa contrarily. It is better silently think deep so far.
“Trusting the limitation of your senses is to be living a delusion”
Oh! Dr. Dyer do you believe in the theory of “The third Eye” ?

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?

Meditation is very likely advice in any condition and method to practice in the book. I have to say I am at the beginning to do meditate persistently and achieve the desire result; someone might call it the path to spirituality.

The book also encourages finding a God or a super being asserting examples of
personal experiences. I don’t know whether it is an exercise or not.

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.

More or less, should I say this? The book met its objectives to convoy anyone to be a better being, asserting that spirituality is a priority. It was very clear to understand to do so.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Giant Steps
Assessment Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

He simply tells us how to plan for life and making even minor change and decision will have tremendous result in our daily life.

There are some useful ideas in the book, but I just picked out these seven most important ideas that serve me to stand firm in any situation.

Question
“Never lose a holy curiosity!”

Human nature is fundamentally depends on asking questions and searching for meaning. That is why we are witness since ancient consciousness era till our time that great changes taking place because of inquisitive personalities in their respective fields. Despite this fact most people never quest why they are here and live in miserable condition.

This fact is very common in our country; very deep in people heart that fate is inevitable. When they fall in any circumstances they blame their fate, calling it “40 days chance”.

What I got form the book is if I really want to grow in my lifetime, I should learn to be as inquisitive as a child. If I continue to ask any question, I will certainly receive an answer; new answers come from new questions. The saying goes, “Ask and you shall receive”

Not only asking is relevant but questioning qualitatively creates a quality life. Never and never lose a holy curiosity.

Change
“Get the knack of change”

What is static in this universe? May be change deserve this static quality. Nevertheless almost everything changes either its quality or quantity. What is the lesson here? We have to adapt the power of change and it becomes habitual. Any pattern of thinking, feeling, or behavior that is consistently reinforced will become a habit

Change also has responsibility; any change we make will be only temporary unless we make ourselves-no one or nothing else- responsible for our own change.
Wisely speaking know-how is necessary what sort of my life should be changed and how.

Some times there are lots of barriers that prevent us from making a change such as some of our beliefs, both personal and cultural, can hold us back. To create a new pattern of thinking, feeling, or behaving, we must first interrupt the old pattern.

Emotions
“You are the source of all your emotions”

As one article says that as human beings we have a wonderful capacity- the capacity to feel a many of emotions. From elation to sorrow, from passion to peace, from satisfied to wanting we can “feel” in ways that no other living thing can. We experience the world not through just what we think but especially through how we feel.

We are indeed the source of all our emotions. We can decide to feel good right now, because “we are alive”. Basically most emotions are our servant, but in order to get the appropriate service we have to understand their qualities. “There is nothing wrong with you.”

Meaning
“Search for meaning”

What is human ultimate search? Some say it is looking a meaning in life. Somehow it is our tern to give it a meaning as the book says” Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning we give it.” We have to get at least a meaning and live for it; otherwise, life will be very boring.

The ability that we have also is creating a new meaning and revolutionizes our life at any time.

Beliefs
“Beliefs drive all of our behavior”

I think the most controversy subject of religions and philosophies is belief. Mostly it drives all of our behavior. The author assert by saying” A belief is nothing than a feeling of certainty about what something means.” Rather Beliefs have the power to create, the power to destroy. If we can change one global belief and we change every aspect of our life for the better.

Ok this is very good to have an idea that one of the most effective ways to improve your life is simply to identify and reinforce any beliefs you have that will move you in the direction of your dreams. What’s the purpose of a belief at all? ‘It guides is in making decisions about how to avoid pain or gain pleasure quickly.’

Decision
“Each of us has the power of choice!”

Decision making is an art and it takes an intention of responsibility. Anyone can to make a decision today that can immediately change or improve the quality of his life. Even making no decision at all is a decision in its own way.

Change might be much correlated with any decision in life. Decisive nature goes far and far in any endeavors. ‘The more decisions you make, the better you will become at making them’. It is also the same art not only decide somehow stick by it Let us make a decision right now about how we are going to change it immediately!

Pain and pleasure
“Enjoy life’s puddles”

This conception reminds me the theory of Masochism. Actually our lives are swing between pain and pleasure at all time. These “mixed emotions” enforced us; rather strive to do something in life. Any sensation is available at any moment.

One of the miracles of being human is that we can decide what causes us pain and pleasure. In the right state of mind, ideas and abilities flow in a seemingly effortless fashion or it doesn’t flow effortless ways might be a cause of pain.

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?

Directly or indirectly these ideas have impact and influence to be come a desired being and in ways very related in our daily living. We need to change this world for the betterment of all sentient being and still we have to put some decisions in order to find meanings.

We are gifted that having the power of emotions. Emotions give meaning to our lives. Emotions give a power for the creation of a better world.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

The human spirit is truly unconquerable.

The flame of human spirit is always burning. That is why many endure passing through great suffering and never perished. We never fall but go through ups and downs.

We have goals, whether we know it or not
Daily motivators, living stuff, alone might be goals. Most people live in this condition every corner of this world. Oh! I want to seek and find my goals. “Unexamined life is not worth living?!”

We must grow and contribute
We must find an appropriate place that for growth and we have to contribute at least something for the better world.

The past does not equal the future

Oh yes! How dose? The past is gone and we have in hand this moment and we plan for the future. Stop living in the past.

Remember, the more you use something, the stronger it becomes

Like iron, if we could constantly use our mind, in positive attitude it becomes very strong and sharp and tame and smart and powerful and positive.

Live with an attitude of gratitude

Thank you Mr. Anthony Robbins. You indeed did a great impact in my thinking, after reading your book I have increased something in my daily life.

“ this, too, shall pass”

Nothing in this universe remains the same. I am very interested by the Buddhist philosophy of this ultimate truth of change.

A powerful agent is the right word

How many doors opened to me by pleasant words? …and always.

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?

“Most people who say, “Be realistic” are living in fear”

How can we be sure about this? Instead, being a realistic person is will help well understand life better. I don’t think so the reality only based on reason and science. We actually live in multi- dimensional universe.

“The questions you ask consistently will create enervation or enjoyment, indignation or inspiration, misery or magic.’

How do questions do this?

“What usually drives our behavior is gut reaction, not intellectual calculation”

What about thinking? We think we deed. So, why we do learn science and reason? Does it mean there is no intellectual influence? I need more clarification.

‘Everything in life happens for a reason and a purpose, and it will serve you”

This notion is always follow me.

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?

Honestly speaking the book has designed to be daily lessons for 365 days. I did read the book for this assessment once and right now what can I say I have got a lot ideas and I do contemplating on these ideas every time.

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.

The book is easy to read and understand and simple to carry anywhere as well.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

The New Dynamics Of Winning
Assessement Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

Denis Waitley is trying to convey in his book about dynamics of winning that first achieved in mind.

Authentic Leadership
Even though authentic leadership discussed widely in chapter nine, I bring the idea at first front because of its relevant. The author knows what it meant and he never tried to complicate it putting jargons and sophisticated philosophical theories like; authentic leaders are born to lead or learned? Here is more contradiction; are they chosen by superior being or anointed by.

He simply put it in a way that makes very core idea of leadership, saying “Authentic leaders listen and learn”. If you have a boss like I have you will understand what I mean. For example our boss sometimes calls meeting and he doesn’t listen our opinions. Often he tried to tell what we should have to do. Then I heard he says he is not a good leader.

What I got form the book are not only listening and learn but by setting a good example myself. Real leadership power comes by empowering others. As one of IILG students knowing what qualities possess are an authentic leader is very crucial. It is well articulated in the book that saying a real leader appreciates the differences among individuals, and finds value in those differences that enhance all our lives.

Commitment
I found the most interesting idea in the book, it is COMMITMENT. Total commitment is an entry fee to success. Then what is commitment? It is not only responsibilities and duties it is also a strong belief in something and a promise to do something putting full hearts enthusiasm.

The author says” How would you rate your commitment to achieving your career goals? It’s something that can’t be measured simply in terms of hours worked or dollars earned. Quite simply, it’s question of how much you want it.” This is a strong belief.

If the commitment is there and real without hesitation the achievements will follow. In our country the government propagates for its civil servants and people to have a strong commitment towards sustainably development and uncorrupted system.

Expectation
Expectation is widely discussed in the book. The author encourages high expectation of success more than natural ability or the lack thereof. I do agree with high expectation and seeking the best out of anything. He says that learn to expect the best, even if you have to force yourself to do so.

In our own language there is a saying similar of high expectation literally means, expect or wish the best and you will get it. “Cher temege cher enditagege”

Visualization
The mind is what matters! Since our mind never distinguishes between the real experiences and visualized, what matters is the mind. This is that makes our mind very distinctive from others. The power of visualization gives the mind clear messages to act upon desired result.

“Visualize both the successful outcome and the steps leading up to it… recreate in your mind the beauty of a sunrise or sunset” I impressed reading such kind of easy and simple idea.

What never limits beyond time and space? It is our imagination and visualization never and ever have boundary. How much it costs? Nothing it is Free!

Self-esteem
Self –esteem is the root of all behavior both positive and negative. How do we act is influenced by our self-esteem. Self-esteem is the total sum of self-worth and self-trust. Self-worth is simply the feeling of being glad that you are you, with your genes, your body, and your background’. Self-trust is the functional belief in your own ability positively and effectively to control what happens to u in a world of uncertainty’

The most important conversations, briefings, meetings, and lectures I ever have are those that I hold in the privacy of my own mind.

This is the thought that gives birth to action, for better or for worse regarding on someone. Anyone is worthy in his won way.

Don’t compare yourself to others
“The happiest people in life know they don’t really compete against others. Their success comes from doing their best, based on their unique skills and goals”. What can I add more that this idea. I do agree in the whole of my heart and mind.

Everyone is unique, in terms of talent and ability and perception. Therefore, he must act according to his own way and never compare himself to others. Comparison leads to unpleasant competition.

True success is not measured by what others may say or accomplish but by the meaning that gives us. We have to seek to do something that we love and able.
“What make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need”

Coach
Some of my elder friends sometimes say about coach. The book gave me very clear idea of what mean coaching.

The art of achievement is, somehow, having someone who is able to guide you and correct you to the way that dreams.

“The coachable performer respects the role of authority figures’
‘In addition to the ability to accept guidance from others, coachable performers have a healthy personal impulse toward self-direction and freedom of interpretation’
The quality of a coachable person is a high tolerance for order and organization. Those are some examples told by the author.

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?

If I were an athlete he must be my coach. Very recently the 29 Beijing Olympiad finished, but our everyday is at the beginning. We have to develop an authentic leadership quality and have commitment for that and try to visualize to expecting the best and develop self-esteem and keep worthiness.

This has great impact to our personal life and to create a better world.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

“The greatest battle of all: the fight to stay alive”

Yes! That is why we strive. I completely believe in this idea also; “The fight is depend on how we are the smartest”.

‘Mind over muscle mind over competition mind over everything”

Mind is over everything. We create our world using the power of the mind, almost everything moves around it.

“Fear dissipates and often disappears with knowledge and action”

Ignorance is the root of fear. If some one who knows how to live and act never fears anything. Fear is the worst fetter of human being.

“you get what you pay”

No more no less. The more you pay the more you get. This world acts upon it. This is the fundamental rule that we have to dwell at any time.

“You are worthy in your own way”

Yes I am and you and we, as long as it manifest.

“Real success is peace of mind’

Oh! Very true! It is likely attainable.

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?

On page 80 in the book there is an expression says “high expectation are the key to everything” in the same book on page 167 says “…expect the unexpected’. It is not clear what the paradox is. If I expected some thing and got the unexpected might be uncertain and leads to confusion and disappointment.

“Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised’

This is also the kind of same paradox, unexplained. Why should I plan for the worst?

“Having power is like drinking salt water; the more you consume, the thirstier you get.’

Very usual and the most boring notion! This sentence alone degrades those who have power over others. Is it true human wants are unlimited…? He must explain whether “search for power” is natural or not. I think power gives a lot responsibility and decisive energy for one self as well.

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 are very simple exercise that have been advised, deep breathing and stress reducing methods.

I tried to breathe as advised and I got it easy and very useful to follow. I inhale deeply and completely through the nose and keep four seconds and exhale through my mouth, slowly and without blowing. I say when I do this peace and love and happiness.

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.

Numbers and figures

“There are the same number of hours I your day as there were for Shakespeare or Einstein”.

‘The magic of ninety days’

‘Eight hours per day, ten thousand hours and training and practice’
“It’s 10 percent talent and 90 percent guts and determination’

“ you breathe some twenty thousand times per day, or about fourteen times per minute…”

What the most I admire from Denis Waitley is the way he used to describe ideas in terms of numbers and figures. Precisely he writes dates and years and figures. What matters? It helps to understand easily and, numbers are widely known as symbolic representation, to remember at any time.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Goal Setting 101
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

The main idea that the author is trying to convey is, I believe that rather teaches the reader systematically useful way that how to set goals and achieve these goals with careful planning, thoughtful strategy and faithful execution.

Careful planning, thoughtful strategy and faithful execution

The author of this short but highly important book, Gary Ryan Blair teaches his highly important ideas on goal setting since the beginning of his writing an Introduction letter. This Introduction letter has three main phrases which are crucial to point out the way how to set goals and to succeed effectively. A careful planning is the first achievement by itself that simply leads us to recognize what in life that we want and to harness sweet fruits out of life as well. Just knowing how to plan any goal carefully would activate our minds ability to thoughtful strategy which gives some meaning to our lives. Then, the inspiration & diligent of the execution of any plan to reach our goals will bring tangible results and success!

Goals challenge us to grow- Only by stretching do we grow

In fact goals challenge us to grow; I believe that growth is very fundamental human’s inner attitude to achieve something in own life. It is said by the known psychiatrist and writer Erick Fromm in the book “Mans for Himself” that this inner attitude for growth as a Productive Orientation. How do we grow? We must stretch towards our setting goals whatever the price we must do pay! If that is a must to leave our “Comfort zone” we should bear the pain.
Once I was discussing about success in life & satisfaction in life at all, An Indian friend of mine told me a well known saying; “no pain no gain”. When I heard the quotation for the first time I just improved it to some extent replacing the word pain saying pay and I would say it here that if we do not pay no gain! Whatever the price we are going to pay to achieve our goals there are results we enjoy harvesting soon or later. Some outcomes may be easy to show as tangible as a bright day or a sense of feeling of self confidence and a positive attitude towards oneself which improves our self image.

Goal setting improves your self-image, gives you confidence

Somehow we are in the age of fulfillment that whether we pursue personal development & relationship, material gain and peace & happiness as long as we can put forward some wholesome goals in life. As far as I understand we have better means & methods in 21st century of globalization such us information access and wide range of communications that boost humanity to reach each other and flourish a new civilization based on deep understanding. So what understanding it requires is how to know-includes how to do it- and for what real purpose we need it. Therefore goal setting is one of the requirements. Even a little fulfillment of a desirable goal would improves our self – image and gives us quite fair self confidence to envision more clear and attainable goals in the future for the betterment of ours and others lives.

A vision is a way of seeing or conceiving what you want to create or achieve.

Visionary man, in fact he is a leader who knows where to reach and how to do it in his heart. We possess the power of vision which is a gift of our mind. The power of vision is to see the future and conceive what could be attainable that according to our defined and envision goals in the mind. This powerful tool can give a meaning to our lives that bring a reason for living.

We all have to give meaning to our lives. We must find or create reasons for living!

I have been asking for many years that “What is a meaning of life?” In some extent not yet answered because the search for it is not end at once! I mean that to know even the path is maybe not so simple and I think that there is no determined destination also. What’s great about it is that there are many reasons to live – commitment for peace & happiness and light works, I wonder to know how consciousness works & accomplished in life-creativity, sharing and cooperation- while keeping the question in heart to find a realization of something of somewhere and anytime. Meanwhile we can to do a lot and even best knowing that having some powers on our destiny and fate which is ideal to create & carry on any meaningful lives. Life by itself gives us the way to find & search or rather to create a meaning time to time. We have many choices! And opportunities are everywhere!

The Power of choice

As the book “Goal Setting 101” clearly expressed that whether we know it or not we make choices every day in every sort of our lives. Perhaps everything needs the power to choose! “The difference b/n what one person and another achieve depends more on goal choices than on abilities”. Of course goal setting and success are depending on the quality of our choice. There are no insignificant choices; therefore “every choice counts!”

Everything counts

According to Buddhist teaching we are bounded by our own Karma, literary translate as any cause and its effect. Every thought, speech, action and decision has bears result and counts. This is why we must strive to set our own goals-even authentication counts!

Be authentic

Real Authentication that regarding our goals and creative ideas are essential causes for desirable effects. Otherwise we might suffer a value conflict that instead of enjoyment of our success story we will feel guilty and burden.” If a goal is truly your own, you will take pride in it”.

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?

There is no question whether we need setting goals or merely living life as it flows without mastery of ourselves and blaming circumstances. We know that there are many problems in daily personal life that need active decisions based on our goals. As mentioned above these ideas and lessons which I acquired from the book would help me to apply in daily life and think to improve immediate environment and to create a better world at large scale.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

! The examined life is the one worth living.

Life indeed is worthy living if we do examine and adjustment time to time to nourish it applying an appropriate philosophy and ethical moral principles.

! Don’t be in a hurry to call that gray area black

I think it works even begin at miniature level and leads to wider perception that make us to judge unfair- why not even discrimination? Not harry at all.

! Momentum is essential to goal attainment, and planning is the starter

Never forget that opportunities are everywhere and just planning anytime

! The first rule of personal leadership is to act if you are a leader-cause you are!

It is not pretend saying the above quotation in fact that we are all destined to lead our lives as we think and act. For sure quality differs!

! Do more than is required

Yes! Going extra mile increase inspiration and diligence.

! IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

Exactly it is very important to know what we are doing and going on.

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?

?“These days it’s far better to be 80 % right and quick than 100 percent and 3 months late.” -Page 26-

Why we in harry? It is said in the book that do not be in a harry to call gray area black. Dose it not work here? It is so good to do anything on time but 100 percent perfect even 3 months late!

! The best ideas typically have a short shelf life. -page 26

I do not agree! We are not discussing about goods! Are we? Which wine is more delicious? I think the old one is more expensive.

?”Reasonable people can talk themselves out of anything, no matter how great the merit of the goal. If anyone tells you to be reasonable- run, don’t just walk, away!”-page 30-

So, why we are going to set goals? I know it is to be reasonable. Not bad to be reasonable person. As the same time people are say not possible most of the time for even possible things. I go and do against their opinion but I should keep reasonable tendencies.

?”The more intelligent you are, the more you may be frightened”

What do I frightened if I am more intelligent? If I am the more intelligent I can do more right things-GOAL SETTING- includes!

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! There are four exercises for the reader to complete. I did two exercises out of four and I found them very helpful and the rest two need Psychological preparations and careful planning!

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 ask some questions to the author and any reader that; what are your highest goals in life? What I mean is just it’s beyond our perceived daily reality which is strongly drive us for necessities. Is there as such a highest goal that the average person could reach?

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Goal Mapping
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

In every life in the world there are life purposes and goals to fulfill and so anyone who desires a real success and achievement with positive intentions this book teaches the way; to Be, to Do and to Have!

i. All of life itself is a success

I am very grateful to the author of this important book, Mr. Brian Mayne, that his ability, explaining and assertiveness these natural and ancient principles for the contemporary world and for those people how sincerely concerned to our current problems and many solutions. Myself as a concerned world citizen I could understand and assert that life itself is a success.
Being alive and have an experience in every moment is an excellent gift of life. Even though we may feel some resentment towards unfulfilled goals and plans still we have many reasons to be thankful that still we are part of the big image of all life’s success that constantly changing for the betterment of humanity.

ii. While in reality everything around us is fluid, flexible, and constantly changing.

Quantum theory is one of the fundamental natural laws or principles that regarded by many scientists and theoretical physicists. According to this theory everything; the entire cosmos, our own human and quantum realms are interconnected and always in flux. It may be true that whatever in changing state somehow has a nature of fluid and flexible. In its own Quantum realm; thoughts, matter and light are linked with “Quantum wave” as a medium in which space and time may never matter that much. Because of its subtle nature, we could not easily understand as those scientists do, but we are a living witness that in reality everything around us is constantly changing including our SELF. These days I strongly believe that at any point and anytime I have the power to change myself and circumstances for better. Love is the way that many changed and nourished their life since ancient times till now.

iii. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.

We have a kind of believe that love surpasses hatred and heal others or ours wound. In fact it is true. But why so many problems, wound and hatred in the world? I think this love is not from the intentional heart.

Like any practice in life love must be our daily, intentionally heart-centered to solve and sustain our real existence; just like well said by the philosopher Erich Fromm “Love, the answer to the problem of Human Existence” in his famous book “ The art of loving”.

I was delighted reading in the book “Goal Mapping” that “Love is the greatest creative emotion of all because it is self-generating, self-nourishing & self-sustaining.” Love is very powerful energy and creative emotion which empower us at a time of adversity and very important for our psychological, physical and mental wellbeing. Love’s energy is transferable and immutable energy that easily follow “law of cause and effect”

iv. Chief amongst all these laws is the law of cause and effect.

It took me many times to grasp the law of cause and effect in my personal Buddhist study. Many Buddhist scriptures give emphasis on this natural law, some say the heart of Buddhism is Karma, that every thought, speech and action has its own effect based on the doer intention and intensity. This law has a special place in our thinking faculty as known by many as the sub conscious mind which records and works with accord of the law of cause and effect.

In my study I understood this fundamental law and the way how to create equilibrium just practicing of generosity and loving-kindness meditation to cultivate my own subconscious mind in real life.

v. The subconscious mind is extremely powerful.

Our subconscious mind will work with accordance of the law of cause and effect that if we truly and repeatedly set a cause (goals), it is so extremely powerful attracting results and responds by follow timely manner.

What’s in there? There are powerful emotions like love, peace & happiness, creativity and many solutions to solve problems and our subconscious mind can even perform miracles! Remember that MIND is over MATTER!

Conscious and selective thinking, wise self-talking and affirmative action’s put us in touch with subconscious mind, in fact it has many lucid and subtle ways to manifest results and desires, that whether we noticed or not it is working 7/24. What I have desire to achieve? First let the process in motion.

vi. Set the process in motion!

Knowledge and understanding and imagination are not sufficient unless we do put in motion. That is a motion which takes any purpose in life or goal to success and achievement. I have been dreaming many dreams and planning plans never have fruit! Why? It is so easy because I was entertaining ideal thoughts than made any action.
After all if I am not sure to take actions, there must be wrong by default whether my goals are genuine or the knowledge which I have sufficient to apply. That is why goal setting and mapping are important knowledge prior to set the process in motion, as far as I understood recently by studying this book and some others. May be only we come to understand and enjoy “infinite possibilities” while we set the process in motion!

vii. Infinite possibilities -“have an open mind”- Natural balance

For those who practice openness in their life there are infinite possibilities, abundant in the world and beyond. I have to say this that it took me a long to grasp the meaning and develop trust on infinite possibilities while heard the phrase from my dear friend Anita Ness. I grown up in the midst of the society that says never tell anyone none seemingly matters to your wife. In fact the reverse is obviously seems that we don’t appreciate any new possibilities and your thinking. The result i would easy predictable that this society is still backward not the poorest one in the world. An open mind serf the infinite possibilities and make his life rich in terms of many dimensions and maintain natural balance.

Anyone who practice infinite possibilities in many dimensions and who has an open mind knows how to motivate him and others that by affirming that motivation comes from infinite inspiration which is powered by purpose.

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?

Now I can trace the techniques following these ideas and lessons from Goal setting and mapping to infinite possibilities in a practical way that I can apply the syntax; BE-DO-HAVE. I believe this in my life and immediate surroundings to create a better place in the world: I have to BE before I DO in order to HAVE.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

I have never read a book like this one very reach in so many wonderful and inspirational quotes. For my wonder I did count how many boxes are in the book and I found that there are 176 boxes that those are contained a lot of saying. I wish to have more space and time to work on those quotes alone but for this short assessment of the book I just selected and commented on the following:

Chance favors the prepared mind

Opportunities are everywhere when we are ready to embark on chances. This is the way how infinite possibilities work. I like to say to friends that expect unexpected!

Clarity on reality

I liked this quote very much. The clearer on reality the better to see and move! Here I say- Clarity on Reality- less ambiguity – more certainty!

Our greatest battles are those with our own minds.

Here is in the mind all and everything begins. Somehow our own minds lead us to greatness or loser. That is the place where we fight the sacred war for mastery on ourselves and to be a better self.

The ancestor of every action is a thought.

It is true. And then the best thought is the father of nice action! Bereket please Watch out your thoughts.

Involve to Evolve

Very short and precise phrase! Nothing is static nor we, involve or extinct.

Life is the greatest of all teachers.

If we learn life teaches us how to evolve and develop. On the other hand if I listen carefully and pay attention life leads me to become wise in both ways, harsh and soft.

Energy flows where attention goes.

What are my thoughts and where are there? Indeed my energy, proven, is there. Do I often think positive? O yes Bereket so why I am very energetic these days.

Look for what’s right in other people and you will create harmony, peace and synergy.

O.K cool. Why should I waste my time just finding faults and feel resentment all the times after all? As everybody else me too have to look for what’s right in myself and create harmony, peace and synergy.

“Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.” Marcus Aurelius

Own mind is the exact quite and untroubled place in the world. Wow let us try to still the mind and we by ourselves experience this very truth as Marcus Aurelius said it before centuries ago!

“Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living. And your belief will help create the fact” Henry James

Bereket Say again the following, I am never afraid of anything! For sure life is worth living if we see many dimensions of it and have a sense of purpose through it.

“We will either find a way or make new” Hannibal

There are options and roads less traveled by others. Just remember to never cease your meaning of life that matter a lot!

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?

“Your magical Genie- Genies are all- powerful; they can grant wishes and help make your dreams come true.” Chapter 1 page 31

In our culture the one which I live talking about Genies has a bad connotation. Somehow people say Genies are bad spirits and brings bad luck. Leveled for a negative or bad person and regarded as an insult. Years ago I read a feature in The Economist magazine and I still feel the same superstitious express about Genies.

”While I knew that momentary inspiration springs from divinity.” Chapter 2 page 72

As usual I think different on the subject of Divinity or God. It is my pure intention that anyone can achieve and make himself a better without intervention of the so called Divine or God. Why do we think or wait or ask something outside of ourselves?

The key is to proceed with the energy of desire, not need. Page 89

Genuine and immediate needs are also quite nice motivators, I believe so.

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 has some exercises and I did complete three of them, I liked them because they are basically on meditation and breathing exercises, I was so fascinated by the first one and I did it three times with laughter then I found out same results as mentioned in the book.

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 think the book would help me to develop and map my own goals and purpose in life and even to guide other people and hope anybody who reads will find the same usefulness out of the book. Thank you very much the one who chooses such a book for our study!

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? 10+
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10+

The Power Of Intention
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu

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

Intention and its very power that creates anything in the universe and at same fortunate level we are one with intention or we ourselves are intention as well.

As usual as before, when I have read any of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s books I easily impressed by his wide knowledge, practices and openness, after then many of his ideas put me in awesome states for several days or even weeks. It seems that, at least for me, that his deep convictions to tell people some of his truth and realities; after his experiential knowledge which emanates from deep realizations of life’s vastness and human beings preciousness. This greatness of being; as expected by many people put Dr. Wayne’s status very popular and useful personality in the world. This would be, just to express my gratitude on him, that I have a great affinity of Dr. Wayne Dyer.

The Power of Intention is so well intentionally written book and besides there are many very important ideas and facts in the book but to make this assessment short and precise, here I would like to discuss particularly some of them.

i. The face of kindness
Generosity is, as clearly told by the author, one of the gifts of human beings that anyone could experience in terms of many facets. A kind of warm smile and any pleasant word like appreciation will fill someone’s heart with joy and delight. Before I knew what consist of kindness, I thought that kindness or generosity could follow material or financial giving rather anything that we have. I can say now that whatever I give kindly has a power of kindness and that deed has same power to increase and expand. As a conscious being in the plant I greatly indulge this kindness of plenty air, water, love …and cooperation from the “source” and feel indebt to repay in any possible ways, like sharing what I have and appreciating one’s deed as well.

As Dr. Dyer says “Since you came into this life with noting and you’ll leave with nothing: you can give it away.” It must be a matter of understanding that what life is really worth.
In Thai Buddhism the same word for generosity is Boon and this Boon (benefit, advantage, godsend, gain…) will accumulate in Light form and would be helpful when necessary “something” is. As we all know light is so beautiful and if we keep being generous for life beings for sure we gonna radiate like light rays beautifully.

ii. The face of beauty

Just as I believe firmly and as said, before many centuries ago by one of the Greek philosophers Sappho, that beauty endures by the beholder but Goodness is always beautiful. I think this is the point that very important to understand the face of beauty which is truth by itself.

To quote from the book which is so sublime saying is “There is always something beautiful to be experienced wherever you are!” Anyone who sees beauty from something such as nature, life, kindness, and handiworks and so on would experiences truth as it is. Sometimes we can see this out of the box, I mean let’s put aside our conventional terms for beauty and see things at their intrinsic nature and we can understand how things are so deferent when we look at them a deep level. This may be called silently knowing or silent knowledge.

iii. Silent knowing, silent knowledge

Silent knowledge is a skillful insight of knowing of a thing; let us say even intention itself -creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, abundance, receptivity – which leads to a great understanding and awesome experience when that happens anytime in our life. So to say that silent knowledge is a consciousness that moves us into unknown depths of reality. Mostly it is difficult to explain to others, let alone to analyze its deep depth!
As a given experience, of course abundant everywhere! that silent knowing is possible to mastery of oneself and the power of intention as well.

iv. The path way to mastery

Since ancient times there are many great people and sages who speak the relevance of mastery of the self through diverse of their experiences and teachings. Even we claim this is a modern time with its science and technology most people lack self mastery to understand causes and conditions which govern our lives.

Discipline-with practice, exercise, nontoxic habits, healthy foods and drink, and so on, is the first stage. To share my experience to you I say this; In my personal life I was the most wild and non-disciplined person due to many factors. I say now that our immediate environment is never conducive and suitable to have any discipline that what I think or witnessed in other countries people have- personal integrity! It could be judgmental to say like this right here but let us take what people feel about punctuality. Don’t worry about time-people say here my country- Habesha (Ethiopian) never on time! Being late 20 minutes is common. Even we have a song on it! The late famous singer inquires why we lack this integrity.
Thanks to my six months training in Thailand, now at least I can understand what discipline meant and I mostly keen to work whatever in discipline.

According to this book wisdom, love and surrender are the next paths to mastery and I will give emphases to love which mastery involves loving what you do and doing what you love. Why mastery is important? Because it’s the only way to realize our beingness!

v. Your purpose is not about what you do, it’s about your beingness!

Erich Fromm, One of my favorite writers, have a book entitled “Having or Being” which talks about our real existence in the current world. He asserts what “mode” of existence is really worth one. The inner beingness exactly knows why we are here and what purposes we can accomplish but “the mode of having” covers our beingness and we strive or chase mere shadow of the reality. It’s ok!

Nothing is wrong with the mode of having, unless it overpasses our beingness and it induce to have more greed and hatred or if it happens as if our real identity. Instead we can share what we have and bring more coherence into the world. This the same beingness that link up with the power of intention and, in fact they are one intrinsically speaking, and encourage us to make every improvement in our private world that improves the world at large for everyone.

vi. Every improvement we make in our private world improves the world at large for everyone

I was very amazed while reading chapter five of the book and understood what does mean every improvement we make in our private world vs. everyone in the world. This scientific truth revealed by Dr. David Hawkins in his book Power vs. Force. Indeed what we think and do affects all other people!

Here is what I welcomed well the conclusions of Dr. David Hawkins research; One individual, it is me, who lives and vibrates to the energy of optimism and a willingness to be nonjudgmental of others will counterbalance the negativity of 90,000 individuals who calibrate at the lower weakening levels. I trust that those who calibrate the energy of optimism and willingness are connectors.

vii. Connectors are exceptionally kind and loving people

Whether it is said directly or indirect in the book I found myself one of the connectors in our world. I was laughing when I read about those connectors; who they are and their distinct characteristics. Of course we are the people whom eager and those who know every single positive improvement, mostly personal enhancement will sets the motion in action.

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 great impact on me personal life and some are practically proven as “very important” such us love and kindness if available help to engage in a better world. As a meditation practitioner and Dr. Dyer’s great emphasis on meditation, I believe that anyone who practices meditation understands that these ideas are timely and very useful to practice on them whenever and wherever possible for the betterment of himself and the world at large.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

Dormant forces, faculties, and talents come alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be” Patanjali

O yes! When I master myself and surf the ocean of intention for sure there will be discovery of forces, faculties and talents coming alive!

Lighten moments of doubt and depression

The art of going forth is lightening the emotions of doubt and depression; and if possible all negative thinking. Sure there are times when they grow intense and make the world hell! But we are more than our emotions. We are “Sheer luminous” as the Dalai Lama says!

You cannot remedy anything by condemning it

Right! Remedy would be finding its root causes and bring a solution rather than condemning anything.

The powerful energy a person feels when inspired

I was so inspired before reading this book by one particular idea and so feeling energetic, even I couldn’t sleep that night easily. This must be why inspiration gives tremendous energy; talking based on my experience!

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?

* Conscious contact with spirit. Page 4
* There is no particle at the source; particles don’t create more particles. Page 7
* Activating intention means rejoining your source and becoming a modern-day sorcerer. Page 9

* Your mind and your thoughts are also thoughts of the divine mind. Universal spirit is in your thoughts and in your free will.
* As it moves away from spirit, life appears to be a struggle. Page 14
* There is no such thing as luck or accidents in this purposeful universe.

These saying and ideas which I mentioned above are not clear for me for the time being and I keep an open mind and say that some are beyond my current understanding or need more investigations.

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?

In the book meditation is the most advisable exercise and one particular method is encourages by the author. Besides meditation there are many suggestions for implementing ideas in every chapter. I did find almost all of the suggestions useful, and day by day, as a connector I put in practices to implement those wisdoms!

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 can say only that the book, highly gives many wonderful ideas and teachings for the reader to meditate on them and very important for life, on the other hand understanding and being accord with the power of intention is timely knowledge.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

The Law of Attraction
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

In the universe there are some fundamental laws that govern the existence of life systems; among the basics is Law of Attraction. The book is dealing to convey the reader about the law of attraction and abundance in our life and nature.

The book, Law of Attraction is such a small but simple and powerful book that tells the reader about the science of attracting more of what we want and less of what we don’t in gentle words and explanations. In the book there are some profound ideas that worthy enough to discuss about them and explain, while I was reading- attraction- just as what I understood in my heart. The following are very interesting to share with anyone who is interested to understand what the law of attraction is and what it consists and asserts.

i. Vibration –a vibe equals a mood or a feeling.

As it is well known by many scientists and some people, it seems that matter is linked by vibrational waves which may cause positive or negative vibe. for that reason we humans are too connected by waves of moods and feelings around any given vibration. Most of the time we think insistently in our mind whether we are conscious or unconscious based on the situation and surrounding we are in just follow our moods and feelings. At the time being this fact alone would put us in what kind of states or attractions we dwell.

This would be a great lesson to understand our moods and feelings anytime and to link only the positive vibe with many of our lives. There is also a place where; what we radiate outward in our thoughts, feelings, mental pictures and words, our current vibration stored- called- Vibrational Bubble !

ii. Vibrational Bubble- around us, where all of our current vibration is stored.

A vibrational Bubble idea around us – This is an idea -as the book said it but I found this idea so a useful imagination to think all of the times, when our current moods and feelings and thoughts have an effect on the attraction subject and responding based on where they are strongly – inside or outside the bubble. Why the bubble imagination is so important for me? This effective tool ensures that to include and keep any of my new desire in the vibrational Bubble. And also it is especially useful when dealing with new desires to give deliberate attention.

iii. Deliberate attraction- the law of attraction will give us more of what we give our attention, energy and focus to.

If there is an attention, energy and focus for any particular desire, the chance to attract that desire and manifest it will be so quick and effective. After all this what we call it is success. Most success in the world is a combination of deliberate attraction plus great attention and strong will. When our attention is becoming strong and focused the attraction will speed up. A sense of attention for a desire that thinking and affirming – in the process of coming- puts us in a state of deliberate attraction. The attention for deliberate attraction could create a motive force.

iv. Create a motive force

Anyone who wants to attract a desire has to create a motive force to speed up the process. A motive force could be created by and when a desire, attention, energy and focus aligned to pull together in the same direction. The pulling to the same direction will emit a vibration and would be an attraction towards a desired manifestation.

v. Ideal- using the word ideal is important here.

Every thought about any ideal use words and those same words generate our moods and feelings. The book is advice to use the word ideal often because when we think ideals we never restrict our fantasies. If our fantasy is strong enough can trigger a feeling and mood that the law of attraction would attached to the fantasies of our vibration.

Usually our thoughts or fantasies mainly articulate by words, that is why words are everywhere. Specially the feelings generated by words have many meanings and send out these meanings to positive or negative poles. One of the feelings that got my attention in the book is abundance.

vi. Abundance is a feeling-

Law of Attraction is goes along with abundance in many ways. In some great books many write about abundance as one of the laws in the nature. Almost anything what we desire and attract is in abundance around us.

Some years ago I was attracting to have times somewhere in the world to practice meditation among people who practice and teach. I made this desire a real one because someone has been telling me just to feel abundance regarding my desire.

vi. Appreciation and gratitude- help you send out strong positive vibrations.

Appreciation and gratitude are by themselves positive feelings. In many filed of life we meet brothers and sisters who mostly motivate by our kind words and gratitude whatever service they provide for us, on the other hand it is same when we receive appreciation and gratitude. . I think we are witness in everyday activities. By the same token when we send out positive strong positive vibrations we just draw more attraction and manifestation.

Always Appreciation and gratitude have a loving feeling towards the object. A loving force is the strongest one across the entire creation which bound all of us together. I believe this loving force is the one which manifest itself in the law of attraction.

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 powerful in a practical way. Every day we live attracting many of our necessities and needs whether we know it or not. Ever one in the world attracts every single moment at least the air.

Knowing which moods and feelings would affect our immediate environment and relationships will help to attract peaceful co-existence among us and nations. The law of attraction has to be one of our core pillars of belief to make our world a better place to live in and enjoy peace and happiness. It is so possible!

4. 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.

“The mind is a magnet and attracts whatever corresponds to its ruling state.”
Dr. Raymond Holliwell

The mind works in this way! If we feel peace and happiness the mind acts same. What is our mood mostly? Our mind attracts that mood more and more. The most strong magnet force in the body is our own mind.

‘It’s important to understand that the law of attraction is already existing in your life.’

Of course it is very important! Everything in our life is and, every time for that matter, we are the one who constantly attracting things.

‘The law of attraction is orchestrating circumstances and events to bring it to you.’

All the times its orchestrating and bringing many things. So, we have the will power to differentiate what good attraction flows for us in our life and to avoid bad vibrations, based on negativity thinking.

‘ Having a strong desire is not enough.

We must aligned energy, attention and focus along with a strong desire to attract what we desire. Having a skill to work on these factors would be help to understand 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?

Almost all ideas discussed in the book are clear and without any ambiguity. I appreciate the author that he can assert these ideas using simple and clear language and examples.

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 are some exercises regarding the law of attraction to work out on the subject and the author suggests his website for extra worksheet.

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.

On page 9 the author recommends the movie, What the Bleep Do We Know for the reader and I enjoyed watching this and I found it very interesting movie ever done, based on my sincere observation, about Quantum Physics. O sorry of course there are a lot of movies on Quantum Physics.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Leadership For Dummies
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

The authors of this interesting book assert the reader, how to become a skilful leader just telling A-Z issues of leadership.

Leadership for Dummies is a kind of book that packed with very useful techniques and practical examples with interesting exercises. As usual I got myself choosing out of the best ideas and so trying to fit the assessment format, and then, for while I just stay discussing around the following seven ideas.

I think, I as I did learn through the book, the following three core ideas are got special emphasis by the authors, therefore, it might be a good idea, itself, to start sharing these three first.

i. Elicit the cooperation of others-you must be able to get others to buy into your vision of the future and the right way to get there.

As long as there is a leader and any followers, above all – if there is something to achieve together, cooperation among is a vital ingredient for accomplishment of many things. What I was a witness while taking some trainings with Chinese friends, their willingness to cooperate each other and obey the senior one among them. At that time most of us thought this cooperative tendency that might be something imposed by their cultures, but the results were amazing in our learning environment! All of them, Chinese, were very kind, supporter and ready to help everyone there from their heart, so almost every time their rank was among highest in the training! (Even though most were lovely, it was a sad memory that some friends had hostility towards them, as I felt; just because they are Chinese).

Eliciting the cooperation of others is requires to have integrity and persuasiveness and just believing that the vision will make a difference and benefit others.

ii. Listen well: you have to be able to gather many kinds of info. From others in order to lead; doing so requires that you hone your listening skills.

In this book it’s clearly distinguished the difference of listening and hearing. What most of us possess is the ability of hearing, not a listening skill. Sometimes I ashamed of myself, in the case of listening by the inability to do so, then I see simple matters get complicated and waste times. If people are not willing to listen but to hear just what has been said for sure there would be a confusion- what I see exactly my own people do in most public offices and areas – .

Here is Good news! “Personality traits can be developed, too.” At any time we can change our inability to listen well and understand the matter and gradually develop a skill. Also the book advises to listen our own inner voice- “Learn to develop your own inner voice and then learn to listen to it.” As a leader when our listening skill get develop wide then we can synthesize information easily and our communicative skill also will change.

iii. Information & communication- An effective leader is someone who pursues information so that he or she can make the best possible decisions.

Anyone who accepts a leadership position, the first thing he needs is information. It is vital to know where you are in the given position and gather a lot of information; mostly the best sources are people and written documents. In case of the people you have to know how to communicate with them wisely and you have to listen carefully from your heart. Months ago I went to rural area to attend a local celebration with natives and after assessing the surrounding & their environment I found some displeasing cultures. Even though they have plenty of land in everyone premises there are no toilets! It took sometimes to persuade them to dig and build toilets but at least theoretically they agreed to do so.

I did communicate wisely with everyone just to create awareness among them. It was supposed to stay one more night with them but I refused to use open toilet and left the place giving that reason and promised to come back next time and document more their festival if they do that.

iv. Place the needs of others above your own needs- leadership requires that you be willing to sacrifice for a greater goal.

In our culture we have a saying that when you come to talk about placing the needs of others above your own needs- people will tell you this- above the head is the air (tapping their hair and pointing own head and the space). Somehow it is so bad and simply shows selfishness in our heart. As the same time same people will tell somebody that as a nation we are not lucky to have leaders to take the country to the development and prosperity way. In such cultures and societies there wouldn’t be surprise that most leaders are corrupted and not capable to lead the people for that matter!

Whatever the cultures depict and societies established we are now aware the difference between being put ourselves under other fellow people shoes to make their suffering alleviate or get power over them to make their lives worse. I believe that it’s a matter of empathy makes this difference.

v. Empathy- is the ability to understand other people’s emotional makeup, and the skill of treating people according to their emotional reactions.

Empathetic leaders know how to understand other people’s emotional and Psychological makeup because they are too human! Compassion and love for each other erase past wounds and encourage people to do good for others “People who are highly empathic look for solutions”. If the leader is compassionate and empathetic his emotions, for sure, will touch others same way and he can harness any cooperation from followers. Just put someone else’s needs above own.

It is written in many books and proven that when someone does generosity or a good deed for somebody else, even the passer by whom has been a witness will get a comparable benefit of emotional uplifting; in fact our mind works beyond our mere understanding and we couldn’t grasp this fact easily unless our sense of consciousness awakened towards higher thoughts realm.
So this seems the self awareness of a leader will lead him to understand others in order to achieve any desirable goals and vision.

vi. Self awareness- is the ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others.

If you invest some initial time, effort, research, and study into building a solid self awareness you will know which of your moods, emotions, and drives are keep others near you or make go them away. I used to tell about this to our mother that as long as she is a head of the house, she must careful of her attitudes, moods and emotions, because these greatly influence her children wherever they are.

After all the same thinking patterns are the dominant manifestation of our realities so any given leader, even his own life is based on this fact, have to improve self awareness day by day. I think it’s really is learning by doing.

vii. Learning by doing-Use common sense if you want to lead, start with normal, sensible things, things that seem to obviously relate to reaching a goal.

Whoever needs to improve something; it could be self awareness or leading a team for a good cause, first he has to learn from many things in life in fact basically by doing the desired skill. Mostly practical knowledge and learning are spring to excellence if they are just tested and done without any hesitation. It is well known that the results seem not the same always- sometimes cool or sometimes bad- but they leave always many lessons for our ongoing learning process.

Why is important learning by doing in leadership? It is because leaders are the cause for many changes- Change for the better-change means that the action you take Can Have a New Great Effect!

Also it is a kind of tool to help Communicating thoughts and ideas as well.

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 and lessons, I discussed above are highly helpful to create conducive environment and mutual relationship with others based on understanding and cooperation. In one way or the other I live with people and work with them daily, so many of these ideas are wonderful to apply and get the benefit of a better world.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

“Learn to like people”

What we need is? Love. Liking people is a conception of love for humanity. Better to see and find goodness of people rather than dislike those just counting faults. At least it is good to have nice attitude for our own health!

“You are never going to make everybody happy.”

O! Yes that is true. But never stop saying this one as a mantra and keep yourself away helping when they need your support.

“Trust is sacred”

Trust is a burning issue in our society. Romantic relationships, business deals, family matters and politics are endangered because of lack of trust among each others. Watch out!

“Go along to get along”

Cool! Let us do it together folks! Get up stand up stand up for the better!

“The solution to a problem lies in its definition” Piet Hein

At least it is better to know exactly what the problem is. Then we could define it and go for solutions.

“The most innovative thinking comes in the solution of personal problems.”

Those personal problems and solutions improved our world so far. That’s why it is said that looking for all solutions within us.

“You become free by acting free.” Lech Walesa

There is no free thing as such to be free unless we act free! Once a Mongolian novice has told me this amazing fact- you are taking free air in and out but in fact it is because of your good actions-Karma

“I would help others, out of a fellow-feeling.” Robert Burton

What fellow feeling? This would be compassion and love for others and respect for life.

“People change themselves for the better all the time.”

Yes! What is after all “free will”? The Neuroscience field tells us that our human brain is elasticity by its nature. Anyone can learn and change for the better and advanced level in life.

“Work is love made visible….” Kahlil Gibran

If only we do what we love and by love work can be a blessing. Otherwise, as said by Gibran, that would be better to go and beg for food.

“Live and learn, live and learn”. Woody Allen

Even let others to live and learn. Why I live? to learn and to do good deeds for humanity.

“Use silence as a weapon

I appreciate those people who take silence for grant and practice it all the times. And also use smile as a weapon as well.

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?

* Leadership doesn’t happen naturally, and it doesn’t occur overnight-
Partially I don’t agree. We have many stories supporting on this. What do we mean by GUT feeling? Some are naturally better than others.

* Almost by definition, people are believers. They may not be religious- they may, in fact, be atheists- but almost everyone believes in something. To lack belief is to tack the will to live, Page 232

* Because most people don’t know what they know, you have to coax out of them gently. Page 278

* Did I tell the truth? Most religions say that a lie is permissible if telling the truth to someone will cause them pain. Page 297

O really? I thought they teach against lie sorry if there is light lie or not! After all they are the one who say lie is a big sin or … die for truth…

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 there are some and I did a few! I did test my leadership IQ and found myself “Already known as a leader”.

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.

The book is typical for leaders, unlike from these other self-development books we study, and very useful for our leadership study. Is the book similar with academic textbooks? I felt this when I was reading. Anyway I am very happy studying the book and keep my memo for further references.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Unlimited Power
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

The author is trying to convey the reader, if you can adjust or change your brain, behaviors or physiology, and the way your actions there are unlimited powers to your personal achievement.

Unlimited Power is such a great book which has many parts and, it’s told by the author just intended to publish as two separate books but we are fortunate to get it as one large volume as three sections. There in the book have many ideas and stories; some remain vivid in the mind of the readers. Hence here I would like to share some of the ideas these were discussed widely in the book but I use here for the assessment purpose as short as possible as the following;

i. Clarity of Values- values are specific belief systems we have about what is right and wrong for our lives.

The book clearly asserts what values are and how they represent with our beliefs and how we react according to those values. I never thought our values are correlated with emotions. The story of patriotism in many nations are linked with values that the people give meaning what their country mean to them. What are values? the book says “Simply, they are your own private, personal, and individual beliefs about what is most important to you”. This clarity is the great idea to know what we stand for and get life’s meaning out of it.

As many people I did not have a clear idea of what is important to me. Thanks to the book I was in awesome state when I understand what I missed in my life, in fact I had a vague concept of values for some years, while I was thinking for a moment then just reconsidered many things in terms of clarity of values.

ii. Belief system- A belief is any guiding principle, dictum, faith, or passion that can provide meaning and direction in life.

Belief is what a person believes, what he thinks is possible or impossible; belief is a strong emotional state of certainty. In our language those words such as Belief, faith, trust and believe have the same meaning rather one word and when I express my opinions and views with people mostly I go through a disagreement because I don’t infer the meaning with some kind of superstition.

Mr. Tony, the author, gave me that a belief system is not something beyond reach but any guiding principle the person has to provide meaning in life is. If anyone wants to change for the better it is clear where should look first and make many corrections in our belief system.

iii. Physiology- we can, however, change our mental and physical actions and thereby immediately change our emotions and behaviors.

Unlimited Power is the most discussant book on Human Physiology; the comparison is among my study books. This is true we simply must learn how to turn on and use our minds and bodies in the most powerful and advantageous ways. Our physiology is the screen of our thoughts and most desires- states. Sometimes we can easily differentiate a person just looking his face in what state of mind is. In the long run those our states affect in a positive or otherwise condition based on what we think and desire. The Buddhist doctrine of Dependent Origination is most about what we think and which state we get ourselves in physical, mental and even rebirth.

iv. Reframing- The idea is to change the frame, see the joy, see the gain, and see the growth

Reframing our values, belief system and minds will change the physiology of our body and the environment. Since life is not a static thing we can reframe things to work for us in order to change the circumstances. You get the statement in the book the map is not the territory, one way is simply on the level of careful, conscious thought.

Most of the time we can make adjustments in life after countering some adversity and we learn hard topics with pain. Sometimes, Instead of waiting for lessons by our failure it would be a great idea to change the frame before and enjoy the growth.

v. Modeling- find models of excellence

Reframing might be difficult unless we carefully observe what we lack in life and where are our faults. Building from the successes of others is one of the fundamental aspects of most learning. I think modeling would serve to duplicate excellence. Those people who achieved excellence are masters of tapping into the most resourceful parts of their brain and minds. Hence then knowing someone’s main modality is a great start. The book suggests that- If you can read and think and hear, you can model the beliefs of the most successful people on the planet. For example regarding to develop compassion and wisdom I am very happy modeling His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

vi. Pattern interruption- You can use pattern interrupter in daily life

We humans are, like those beings in the planet, easily could adopt things and we do habitual patterns in daily life. Well, there are many good ones and bad patterns as well. After all if life is monotonous and boring following the same patterns we better change it by breaking the pattern and we can make it dynamic. Of course, often, flexibility doesn’t come naturally. But once we understand what unpleasant patterns are working in our lives would be simple to break the process- a key to personal success is learning how to speed up that process.

vii. Breathing patterns- … and the lymph system is activated by deep breathing.

“The body’s cells depend on the lymph system as the only way to drain off the large toxic materials and excess fluid.”

While I was reading Unlimited Power for my study I got a chance to take some yoga class in our city. The practice was for three days and I proved for myself that deep breathing exercise is the foundation for relaxation; detoxify the body & change of the physiology. The practice was similar as written in the book and the only difference is it was guided by the instructor and we paid some money!

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?

Oh Yes! They have many impacts in the path of my life and every day, whether it is in my daily life, like deep breathing and pattern interrupter and giving value for value system, would help to create a responsible person and a better world.

4. 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.

Power is a very emotional word.
For sure, power is a very emotional word itself. What I realized nowadays most people like to have power over their minds and lives. I think it’s a good sign in order to create a better understand among us.

In the modern world, the quality of life is the quality of communication.
Indeed! How do we communicate with ourselves and others is a matter of fact of quality of life. The better we communicate in both ways the better we nourished our lives.

Trial and error is fine
Yes we are in a continuous learning process, after all life is quite a wondrous school. How life is evolving? – Trial and error – There are many things goes in trial and error. – Lessons…

“Things do not change; we change” Henry David Thoreau
I think things follow their natural order, this seems very simple, they are what they are but we can change them or change our attitudes to understand what change is.

There are phenomenal resources and strategies all around you.
Our families and friends and co-workers and the earth, the air, the sun… books, magazines… good health, communication skills… computers, cell phones… the list is endless… the possibilities are endless.

Awareness is a powerful tool.
In fact it depends on the situation. If we are seeking quality in life we have to be aware in many dimensions of our own life and others too.

For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.
Discipline is one of the requirements to go up to any success. I really admire those people, some showed me practically and who put great effort to discipline their life and behaviors.

Small changes can make a big change in the quality of your life.
This statement is the greatest one. If we consider so little improvement in everyday life on our thoughts, speech and actions there will be a tremendous change- clarity, cleanness and calmness- in every direction of life. Any big picture is assembled by small parts.

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?

Here is the list of ideas which I do not understand or I am not unclear about;

* Nothing has any meaning except the meaning we give it – Page 9
* Things just happen to you. You’re an object, not a subject -page 76
* Remember, we don’t know how life really is -page 93
* So mirroring is a natural process of rapport.
* Nothing in z world has any inherent page -290
* All human problems are behavioral problems! -Page 392

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?

Two of them got my attention and I did complete them. They are very interesting and useful to work out on them and indeed very helpful.

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

I would like to say only thank you Mr. Anthony Robbins and those guys who working in NLP science.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Nonviolent Communication
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

NVC is a book that conveys a reader how to get a systematic approach for dealing with people around and, even oneself through a development of compassionate and empathic manner.

As usual I liked the book “Nonviolent Communication”-NVC. Being an expert on the subject, Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg is effectively asserts why empathy and compassion are very important for humanity. As the same manner understanding and making a habit is important apart knowing what these are.

I have selected seven main ideas as I got a light of understanding on NVC methods and here I will discuss with you why those are important.

Language and communication skills
NVC is founded on language and communication skills that strengthen our ability to remain human.

This is so true we humans possess diverse languages and various communication skills in the world. Time to time, thanks to science and technology, we are able to device fast and quick communication methods- Internet & mobile- and trying to make easy worldwide languages and symbols like –English & traffic signs-.

Even there is much advancement on the methods of communication we are still very far to understand and hear each other- heart to heart. Mostly I wonder why sometimes we don’t feel understand each other while speaking the same language, same words with every meaning. I think there is not that much fault in the language we speak but there is, for sure, some problem using it. Then the question is where the problem is? The answer would be – express yourself with honesty and clarity!

Honesty and clarity
We are led to express ourselves with honesty and clarity…

No matter how that our ability to speak or command ones language or with such greatness on the articulation of words, unless otherwise we express ourselves with honesty and clarity that would be a rare possibility to reach any understanding or agreement among us. In our main language, called Amharic, there is a saying goes literally like this “it is better to tell the truth and sleep wherever”. The saying shows honesty is better than temporary comfort.

It is also the same relevant to bear in mind about clarity of our expression. In the book I found some clarity of differences of our feelings, needs, and requests in order to fully express ourselves.

Empathic Attentions
Paying others a respectful and empathic attention

Attention itself is one of the greatest human qualities of mind. The more we listen and observe others with respectful attention it is easy to link up with their needs and worries. So this is the finest way of understanding of others in order to develop empathy and compassion.

After all some people just only need to heard and get attention, not always want support or help something out of that. In fact we all need sometimes some attention from our families, friends and the leaders of the country. The more we pay others a respectful ad empathic attention the best we can reach the desired mutual understanding and we feel happiness and peace.

Consciousness
The consciousness and intent that it embraces may be expressed through silence, a quality of presence, as well as through facial expressions and body language.

A consciousness that what we may have to develop toward others is not judgmental and blaming but rather in the light of listening their- requests, needs, pain or suffering- through silence, being attentive and facial expressions & body language.

One of many sharp criticisms in our society is when you are not giving your ears when needed, even in many families people blame others just saying he/she is not listing what said. So in order to communicate effectively with others is- no matter wherever it is- having a quality of presence, while listing definitely will help human relationships.

“What I want in my life is compassion, a flow between myself and others based on a mutual giving from the heart.”

Observation
Observations are an important element in NVC, where we wish to clearly and honestly express how we are to another person.

Another quality of communication with others is the ability of observation. In fact it is not easy to have observation without evaluation the happing. As the great Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti said that observing without evaluating is the highest form of human intelligence.

I say this; cultural conditioning and our psychological makeup have a great role shaping many people to express with or without evaluation. I believe that before making a judgment or reach any conclusion on any given happing there has to be; at least, know what’s going on at deep level and careful analysis.

Positive language
Using positive action language- use positive language when making requests

Positive language is one of the good ideas discussed in the book. When we use positive action language in our every endeavor in life the result would be for both sides; we can easily communicate each other and we just keep positive feeling -for us -most of the time as well.

Please and thank you are how pleasant they are when uttered properly. Sometimes my girlfriend reminds me to say please and thank you when I get request something and got it. I am happy that somebody is around to empower me use positive language. I can say this we don’t mostly use such words and gratitude in our homes with own family members -just my little observation in our country.

Judgment
Blame, insults, put-downs, labels, criticism, comparisons, and diagnoses are all forms of judgment.

In my own society we are accustomed these negative attitudes in our lives and day to day life. We blame others for something, concerning insulting others – I feel sometimes it’s just like praising someone when some young people utter insult on girls and women- and labels. As I do criticize others same every time I feel bad at those judgments. Time to time coming to realize that naïve judgments are clearly shows the level of our quality of mind (thinking) and understanding. So be aware is important for effective empathic communication and compassion.

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?

Effective Nonviolent Communication is a language of life. The book contains many useful methods and teach empathic and compassionate manner. Every day we communicate with others, since the main method is language and when we communicate using language we have to be aware to avoid vagueness and bad judgments.

The world we live in has huge diversity of languages & communication methods and that beauty of diversity must work to develop heart to heart understanding to create a better world.

4. 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.

Nonviolence means allowing the positive within you to emerge. Arun Gandhi

This statement is so right that when we do practice nonviolence we completely immerse in positive attitudes.

It is our nature to enjoy giving and receiving compassionately.

Absolutely it is so true that our nature is mostly consisting of giving to others compassionately. It is a big enjoyment when we give and receive fairly.

Life energy is most palpable and accessible when we focus on what we need in each moment.

The universe is full of abundance and love; we just need focus what we really need and strength of mind to harness the life energy.

Express appreciation to celebrate…

Appreciation is the expression of celebration. In order to tune with the infinite provider the best way is appreciation and gratitude al the times.

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 am not in agreement with the author about the following suggestions;

Judgments, criticisms, diagnoses, and interpretations of others are all alienated expressions of our needs. Page 52

In fact, such intellectual understanding of a problem blocks the kind of presence that empathy requires. Page 93

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 book contains some exercises for the reader and I did complete all of them and got helpful insight about Nonviolent Communication out of them.

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 am the lucky one reading this book and develop NVC skills time to time, so to say sincerely I appreciate Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg for his brilliant understanding of the subject and let us to share the knowledge.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Teaching beyond the Facts
Assessment by Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)

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

I have to say this with gratitude of the author of the book H. Lynn Erickson that did wonderful writing about designing of a Concept-based curriculum and Instruction for the people whose profession, carrier and hearts are with teaching business, and I think applicable curriculum designing is the most pressing issues of the world of learning and teaching environments. Days ago, I was reading a national newspaper, Addis Zemen, and an article says that in Ethiopian elementary schools, based on the researched assessment in various regions, and indicated the failure of quality in education across the country. According to the newspaper there was a hot debate among professionals between the Ministry of Education and the institute who has done the study. These days lack of quality in the education and learning fields is one of the greatest concern in our country and we can hear that, some would say, quality could come after, then let us building infrastructures before ! So the government is highly involving building so many schools and universities all over the country. We are happy to see many institutes all over the country; it is a fact that Ethiopia is among the poorest countries and has highly illiterate and unskilled population of 85+ millions.

The ambiguity is when we shall start the concern to qualities in education to educate the country’s valuable asset, the younger generation who are learning everywhere, to do them well educated and equipped with necessary skills & knowledge for the sake of tangible change that the country needs in every direction. The author of the book is trying to postulate some ideas – concept-based – to consider and, if fact it is suitable time to replace the existing an old fashion topic based curriculum, with the new one that can work in the 21st century of our world that the teaching and learning business is going on.

a. ‘’Student are not products. They are people with motives, wills, capacities, needs to be satisfied, desires, and longings. They are not clay to be molded, or widgets on an assembly line, though sometimes they must feel as though they are.’’

The first idea I encountered reading the book was foreword by Carol Ann Tomlinson that asserts the facts that students, in general human beings are capable of making their own lives far better than supposed by some pessimist, if they could equip with life skills and learning tools, the tools which could craft creative ideas to help everyone just to understand and then apply most resources and possibilities within oneself and in the world. I strongly believe that education & lifelong learning would create a better world of ours; most would agree that learning itself is one of the biggest assets which we have as human beings. As Tomlinson said whoever desires to design a teaching curriculum that fundamentally he/she should consider the nature of human minds; what motives, aspires and desires people pursue to fulfill in life. After all the goal of education would be making the person who is learning happiest, capable and useful.

b. Deep and essential understanding—–meaningful learning —deep and felt meaning Genuine understanding links thought and feeling, mind and body.

In order to make our life meaningful and beautiful somehow we desire to understand the nature of things and wish to align with our thoughts, feelings, mind and body. I think this is what we say when we do experience something new deeply – felt meaning- that touches our heart and mind. Deep and essential understanding of whatever the things nature and how they work can make us far better persons and shall lead us a capable, friendly and useful world citizens.

c. The relevance of the study to their everyday lives.

The study of any education & learning is to put in action many applicable ideas in everyday lives. At the same stance the relevance of the study should be making people to think and entertain many ideas for the better achievement of their lives. As well known even daily living demands our understanding and mastery of tools, options, relationships and ideal communication just to fulfill our daily sustenance and survival. Therefore the driving motives of education must be to create conducive environment for Idea-centered teaching and learning.

d. Understand the human condition and our world.

This is one of the ideas that anyone can easily grasp while reading the book. The more we understand the human condition & our surrounding and immediate environment, more we can strive to make it much better. As I mentioned above one of the goals of learning should be to understand our own life; the life with a touch of meaning, some purpose and final destination.

e. Conceptual development is a lifelong development process.

Within the business of teaching and learning environment generating contemplated concepts both for learners and teachers is the way to lifelong developmental progress to success. According to the book learning facts only & memorizing will never lead to habitual thinking on conceptual ideas and make learners inquisitive. As we know it in learning & studying any given subject knowing the tools how to ask essential questions are vital to master the desired subject. So it is true to say that conceptual development is a lifelong developmental process.

f. The focus on “Inquiry” and other key processes of science allow students to be thinkers and Learners.

The art of asking essential questions was dealt in depth in the book by the author. Some years ago I was reading miniature books published by Center for Critical Thinking Foundation and one of the book’s title was asking essential questions, if I am correct!. The point is that applying Socratic Method, arriving at the truth by continually questioning & inquiring, could create a deep understanding and allow most students to be thinkers and learners.

g. The idea is stated as a deep understanding (a transferable, conceptual idea) that requires a like performance.

New Ideas are great motivators, if we think carefully and logical they are valid. Ideas once appear in your mind they are so powerful push you to put them in action or you have to find a way to let out of your mind. Also many ideas are sporadic! Therefore you have to be aware how to tame your ideas and initially what they require you is to understand the concept (deep knowledge) and then can motivate you for a likely performance.

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?

I recall now that when I was in the schools we were a victim of inadequate curriculum & educational policy, when I compare the outdated educational policy of the country with the existing one. It is really true that after studying for 12 years in schools I wasn’t able to read, write, listen and understand English before leaving the school, even though they taught us all the years English as a subject. It was, for me, amazing that after 6 grades we must learn almost all subjects in English and finished my high school knowing very little all the subjects. In my generation many feel sad the same as I feel today. For sure my motivation especially in the high school was very low and I did finish after 3 years lag of regular period. Not sure today whether I was aware of the curriculum & policy but I used to say that I am not comfortable with the learning & teaching systems. What was true is that I spent many of the school years reading so many local books written in Amharic.
After leaving the school I was trying to improve my English by just reading books & magazines as anew in English, then once I was reading a book written by Stephen Hawking entitled “A Brief History of Time”, that made me sad just realizing that nobody was able to show me the beauty of Physics, chemistry and math’s before as he did. What can I do now? I do advise learners and students wherever I go to study hard and to focus on their learning business if they want to enjoy better productive lives.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

“Principles are always true and have significant roles in a discipline.”

It is true that to know principles and abide in them once we get ours. Generally speaking principles are ethical standard, guiding force and sometimes are meanings living for.

“A key component of education is to prepare students for success in work.”

This is what we are better for life. Once we educated well and understand the meaning success is attainable. Knowledge will liberate us from ignorance and leads to awakening.

“The delicate relationships of man and nature.”

Education is the key component to deep understanding of the nature of reality and our place in nature. Learning is the way to cope life’s uncertainty and ambiguity.

“Knowledge is expanding exponentially.”

I think it is so great to know that knowledge never acquires once in life rather we learn every time lifelong observation and experiences.
“The spirit of going beyond.”

Going beyond is one of the inquisitive forces that make the leap greater far. I really appreciate those people who do going beyond the limit and find many new avenues.

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?

“We are living in an increasingly complex world.” Who created the complexes? Is not our own ignorance and foolishness?

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 are some useful templates and plans designed for school teachers.

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 say so far the book is well thought and hold so many useful conceptual ideas and did cover what should be done.

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?                              10
D. Would you recommend it to others?                      8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it?        10