As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Ermeco Sintayehu Asfaw (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
I think that in my understanding the main Idea of the Author conveying in the book is: any thought or vision found on the persons life becomes visible or reveled on the earth if the man seriously or diligently focused is thought on his vision.
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.
For this introductory book it is known that, there are seven points that differentiate on roman numbers. all this points even as a title they gives me many lessons. so my seven lesson is generally focused on the seven points. by the way, in each points I have got many lessons but according to the request I focused on the seven points only.
- Being noble
“A noble and God- like character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with God-like thoughts.”
I think and believe that, the above statement is correct and truth because for reaching God-Like thoughts or to reach in good character level the option is open for all peoples. any one whom needs to become on the category of right thinking, the word of God and The low of Good thinking is available to him. If any man, thinks right, his thought shaped on Good manner. To say something from my personal example, I am so happy that, by the Grace of God and positive thinking of the word of God, my personal thoughts always focused on right way, but am sure that this is the continuous counseling and lessons of the word of God.
“A man does not come to the alms-house or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the path way of groveling thoughts and base desires.” Yes it is true that, every good things and bad things comes to our life because of our activity in the past. Because of that we must focused always on our activity on good manner.
iii. Control of mind and body.
“The body is the servant of the mind.” It is true that the control or the power point of our body is our mind. Our mind is the command post of our body. So we must think, transfer or guide good and correct ideas for our body.
- Greed
“The universe does not favor greedy, the dishonest, the vicious, although on the mere surface it sometimes may appear to do so.” Being greedy is not good and fare. In my personal life, I so hate to be greedy.
- Dreamers
“The dreamers are the saviors of the world.” In this point we can see many savior of the world in a short king martin Luther and Joseph the son of Jacob becomes in my mind for this quotation.
- Calmness
“The calm man, having learned how to govern himself, knows how to adapt himself to others.” I believe that being calm is very important for everything, the calm man even can manage and administrate the city. Being calm and cool being patience is important characteristics of being a human being and leader.
vii. Calmness continued
“The strong ,calm man is always loved and revered” this point also the continuation of the above: the calm man loves by many as adviser. Being calm is so important as is feeling calm.
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 or lessons are helping me in many ways to grasp the important life principles. For my personal life, it helped me to increase wisdom. The word of God says that, “the people with out knowledge is perish.” So taking the above life principle in my life saves me from negativity by increasing my capacity. For day to day activity knowledge is the basic principle. For example good thinking and thought helped me to mold my character for better life and useful communication with other people because thought plays an important role on environment and circumstances. In addition to that good thought plays an important rule on our health and body. We must think or speak well and wish good to our body too. If our thought is good the implication becomes also good for our health and mind. The other important point of gain is our thought must shape with our purpose. Our purpose must be clear and clean. Every one of our foot steps must follow our purposes because it plays a vital role for our thought achievement. Our visions and ideals should be similar each other. To be a beneficiary on that we must fill with the sprite of calmness.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
There are a lot of Quotes in the book. I can say many of them are teachable and exemplary. Among them I will quotes one of them and include my comments.
“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.”
To progress in life or to fulfill the dream requires: patience, peace of mind, tranquility and calmness. Patience through out life is one of the basic fundamental principles for making visible our potentials, skills and gifts. They are each a part of serenity.
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?
The book is clear and understandable. I read with joy by grasping a lot of knowledge throughout the time.
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?
I found that the book with wise manner speak that, about basic and fundamental issues for practical assignment. From the fundamental issues what I learned that first of all thinking or thoughts are the basic fundamental element for our development and mental growth. Because of that, I was able to give more concentration to my thoughts again. In addition to that, controlling the wrong habit becomes a basic necessary element for me. I also understand that impure and malice thoughts may have bad side effects. Generally after reading this book, I have given the most attention for thinking. Without the best thinking, nothing happens for our life development. If we, think good things positively, we will bring best result for our circle of influence.
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.
In the last sentence of the topic “serenity” there are the words that say “Self-Control is strength.” When I read about this, I think that, if the book could elaborate something about self-esteem it would be helpful. Generally, this short book is very important for readers. I am glad I read it!
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? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Ermeco Sintayehu Asfaw (Ethiopia)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
Always hearing our little voice in side is necessity. It is also thinking “out of the box” that is very important. If we don’t “think we could” use the given potential that is created when we born and found within us.
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.
- The low of the Great Gull to be your own or your self
Many times through out my life, I have had to make big decisions in my life. I remember more since my childhood from elementary school on, I developed the experience of exercising my “Idea” without fear. Yet before taking my Idea, I want to assure that, the Idea is based of truth. I consider the decision from my spiritual knowledge of the word of God, family experience and social values. It is known that, many times, standing our own Idea even if it is truth, there is side effect because minority Ideas influenced by majority even if it is reality. The above experience became high priority after my journalism and communication profession. Still even now it is challenge. I prefer being my own person for bringing benefit for the masses including my self.
- Anger, fear and heavy loads re the reason to make our life span short
Frankly speaking as I said earlier, my spiritual background helped me to read the word of God and to know the above listed points are damage for life. Therefore, even though if I fully controlled them I try to out from my life. Therefore I am happy by the Grace of God.
iii. Love
Love is watching the best on others and encouraging them to see it in there own image and themselves to speak from my heart about this issue. I don’t know why, but I have people and I encourage them any time if I see something good in them. When I read Jonathan Livingston Seagull, it assured me to continue this gift. I believe that, this kind of encouragement should be always with husband and wife, children, friends, co- workers and with leaders to his followers. It will bring unity for all people of the world.
- Not minding timely problems or difficulties pursuit of a worthy goal
It is known that with out any scarification there is no good result. If anybody is diligent in his work, He will get awarded. I heard one history example about the former merchants. It was, that they buy and sell their properties by passing the desert to reach others’ countries. Some of there neighbors said, “why you go through the desert when you can face difficulties for the sake of your life.” Their answer is to live many years with happy times passing through the desert for a month is good scarification. Therefore minding to timely problems is a barrier for success and progress.
- View of Life
There is more to life than power, fighting and eating. Now at times, life is so difficult on the earth. Sometimes for our mind freedom or mental satisfaction we decide on some options. I passed on this kind of decision many times.
- Companionship or friendship
Companionship or friendship doesn’t depend on space and time. In the word of God says that: there is time for everything. When we look back and analyze we passed through different friendship and work atmosphere. Currently, thanks to technology the former communication barriers are solved. For example email takes the place of the former post office where a letter or document messages can be sent in easy and short ways. In this book the idea of friendship impressed me a lot. The current world situation is good example for this matter.
vii. Any number has a limit
Perfection does not have limitation. It is true that number in this world has a limit, for instance to grant a professor award for some countries university: there is research paper limit. To get anything in the world there are listed limitation. I believe it is true that, perfection doesn’t have limitation. When I write this point, I remind one home land language “Amharic,” a spiritual song in my mind. It deals about the perfection of God. In short the song translation is: for problem, sickness and death has limitation but the perfection and the blessing of God is without limitation.
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?
We are leaving in this world with different societies and cultures. Many times our activities judged with others. In our mind also there are many different kinds of ideas that flow. When we share or speak that idea in the midst of our society, many times we couldn’t get positive feedback quickly. What I learned more from this book is practicing and exercising our dream or interest is best. We must show our effort continuously. Our eyes should focus in on our dream. If we continue like this with out stopping; always we will get the best results.
4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.
There are a lot of quotes I liked from the book. I can say many of them are teachable and exemplary. Among them I will quotes three of them and include my comments.
“You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day.”
My comment is that it is known that, everybody is born for a purpose. So the man should think that what is his purpose on the earth. What says his soul tells him, enjoying to do that. I believe that, everybody has his own diamond talent or any specialty in him. Therefore instead of copying others, a man should dig for his talent and show it off. For me, I know, I have a Leadership talent. In a short I learned from the quotes “change is a process, therefore, we should change our selves still finds our self.”
“That it is right for a gull to fly, that freedom is the vary nature of his being, that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form.”
My comment is that freedom is vital for critical thinking and to grasp different kinds of knowledge and data from free side.
“I don”t mind being bone and feathers! Mom. I just want to know what I can Do in the air and what I can”t, that”s all. I just want to know.”
My comment:for explaining the above quotes, I want to remind you the life of long run runners. Especially runners of 5,000 or 10,000 Kilometers.. There are with out fat in there body, but the championship is their portion. Therefore success needs scarification of something according to specific requirement.
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 don”t disagree with the things stated in the book. I understand most principles and concepts. I received all lessons, positively. Therefore I want to say that I understand the mentioned points in the book.
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?
No, the book did not contain exercise for I the reader to complete.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
None.
Please 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? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10