Nyakpo Koffi Anani – Assessments

As A Man Thinketh
Assessment By NYAKPO Koffi Anani (Togo)

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

The main idea the author is trying to convey in the book is: «The power of our thoughts».
James Allen reminds the whole world of a truth: the universe gives us a key which open two great doors. The door of failure and the door of success. We have freedom to choose each of them. And that key is our own mind. If we sow and take care of unhealthy thoughts in our heart, we are going to failure. But, if we choose positive thoughts and encourage them, we will be successful men.

It is happen to each of us to choose unhealthy or positive thoughts.
In my case, I advocate positive thoughts.

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.

In this part of the book, James Allen wants to emphasize the importance that our thoughts have in our life.

i. Our character is a real picture of our thoughts. We must know that everything we are thinking about will happen to us: sweet or bitter thing. That’s why we must encourage positive thoughts. And on the other hand, we must get ride of unhealthy ideas. In his book “Le secret pour acquérir le succès”, teddy EDDOUARD said that “our future depend on our attitude. It’s an universal law. This law asserts that we transform our thoughts, our mental attitude in physical reality”. So, we must assess every time our thoughts. Each of them will be transformed in physical reality, sooner or later.
According to our behaviour, we shall be called either a wise person or an outcast. Our behaviour or character is an outcome of our own thoughts. Take care of our thoughts and we will be a model in our communities. Act according to our best thoughts and we shall be blessed.

ii. “Each of our thoughts is an act”, said Mark FISCHER. It means that our thoughts produce effect on circumstances in which we found ourselves. What is happened to us is not free. Circumstances are attracted by our thoughts. Then, we have to purify our thoughts, if we
don’t want to be in unpleasant situations.

If a thief hate prison, he must break up with ideas relating to rubbery. He must stop to steal.
On the other hand, he will be always caught and put in prison. The prison is merely the result of his unhealthy thoughts.

Let me give this example concerning my own older brother.
He loves alcohol. Most of the time, he drinks blindly. And when he returns to home, he used to beat his wife, for nothing. She shouts and insults him. People who don’t know the reason of the fight say unfairly the wife in impolite.

A spouse is meant to be a respectful man. My brother wants his wife to respect him, but he isn’t ready to alter his own thoughts about drinking. He attract consciously or unconsciously the fight circumstance. As long he will have love for alcohol, as long his wife will disobey and insult him unluckily.

However, he will become a respectful spouse, if he decides to alter his thoughts and correct his attitude facing his wife.

We can’t be the master of circumstance, unless we decide to purify our thoughts and act according to tem.

Corneille, a writer said that «when the patient loves his illness, so he has difficulty to suffer with the view to be cured.» It is a question of decision.
Here is another example concerning my cousin. He was an accountant in Zinder, a town of NIGER. I was still a small boy when he returned to our country. He was comfortable. He had bought two cars and built a house in our village. He was kind, blindly generous and had happiness. However, he was mad about sexual activities and others vice. The worst is that he didn’t create any income source. He hadn’t cleverness when he became less and less rich. He is yet an intellectual person. But, his thoughts lodged always a fragment of vice.
Today, he is destroyed. There is no light in his rooms. And he isn’t taking care of himself (health, food…).

If we are willing to be ever in good circumstances, we must have marvellous thoughts. We have the power of decision.

iii. Our thoughts have powerful effects on our health and body. The grief coming from an unhealthy event, like death, makes thin. How much the death of his baby hadn’t made a mother? How much the fear of an uncertain future hadn’t made people sad?

However, let consider a student of a farmer family. He had hardly his bachelor’s degree. For him, it is the end of his studies. One day, he is told that he has benefit from a scholarship from the government. He will go to United Stats of America to continue his studies. Imagine in what state would be this student. His would be in heaven. His face would sparkle happiness and joy. Likewise, people who have jealousy and hate thoughts in their heart are never satisfied. They can be serene and happy. If they look like happy persons, it is with the view to hide their unhealthy thoughts. They have an inner bitterness which grows slowly their health, their body.
Furthermore, the world suffers from disease. I would like to talk especially about HIV/AIDS. It‘s very dangerous and kill many people through the whole world. Some years ago, doctors and some No Government Organizations talk about this illness. They advocate averages in the manner to avoid it. So, if somebody wants to protect his health, his life, he must avoid risky behaviour. And avoid behaviour means alter our mind.

Those who accept to alter their thoughts adopt new attitude according to this illness. And their health is saved. But, people who refuse to change their mentality don’t mind. They perish. It is a question of mentality and choice.

I have learnt through “La maîtrise de soi-même”, a book from Emile COUE, that the author helped his patients to be cured using a method. This method is base on our thoughts and called affirmation. He advises his patients to have positive thoughts about their illness. He urges them kindly to consider themselves like those who are already cured. In short, let us have positive thoughts and our body will harvest the fruits.

iv.It is important to have a purpose, an objective. We must know what our main goal is. It can be in spiritual or professional field. Without purpose, we should be a toy for circumstances. We should be a perpetual victim for events. Once we have a purpose, we must make us sure that it is really the subject of our desire. We must also have conviction that we are able to achieve it. Do we have this inner strength which could help to achieve our goal? If so, we have to make a plane. And we must respect this plan until we achieve our goal.

I remind that there will be obstacle or problem on the way. But, that inner strength I’ve previously talked would help us to overcome them.

Other feelings we must annihilate are fear and doubt. James Allen called them the” worst enemies of knowledge.” So, we must get ride of them and undertake bravely project which could lead us to our goal. Franklin Roosevelt said that« limits of our future accomplishments, there are our daily doubt».

v. We are master of our destiny. We are responsible of what is happened to us. As well the success as the failure. Whether in spiritual, professional or any other field, we are responsible.
Those who have success, are they different from us? The answer is “NO”. The only difference dwells in how each of us uses his mind. Thus, if we desire to become successful men, we have to do constant and methodical intellectual exercise. We must ask ourselves the best questions.
I met some handicapped persons beside roads begging. And I know others who have learnt a job and are making it.

The first decided to be beggar. The second were willing to be respectful people. They wanted to win the same goods (house, car…) like persons who are not handicapped. And they achieved their goal. Both of the two categories of persons have ideas: being beggar or rich and respectful man. Moreover, they have a common point: their mind. The difference is how the use it respectively.

Mister HONDA is a Japanese genius of mechanical. I learnt in the book: Osez la difference. Le secret du success from Mark FISCHER that HONDA has a physical weakness. Then, his friends made fun of him. So, he decided to create powerful and fast machine. He was willing to compensate his weakness. We know all that he has succeeded.

We must count ourselves. There is nobody who will alter our living. We have a precious gift: our mind. We must rise ourselves. We must perfect and lift up our thoughts. A proverb said: help yourself, the sky will help you.

It is not easy to reach our objective. It is not easy to get success like a man could drive on the freeway. But, if we know how to guide our thoughts, we can become successful men.
Furthermore, he who want to reach high spiritual level must make sacrifice. If we consider catholic religion for example, the priest agreed to live without wife and children. Even though someone are now guilty of sexual activities. It isn’t easy to have a lonely life.

In short, if we want to achieve our objective, we must count ourselves. We must hate intellectual idleness. We must challenge and overcome obstacle or problems. And we have to think and act daily according to our main goal.

vi. The creator allows us to have desire. He gave us averages to materialize them. So, if we conceive a project, we must know that we are already able to achieve it. We are well-advised to dream, to be ambitious.

James Allen is right, when he said that “every great accomplishment was a vision at first”.
Martin Luther King had a vision, an ideal for American society. He had said: «…I dream that my four young children will live in a nation where they will not be judge according to the colour of their skin, but worthy of their character. » It is the case today, even though King isn’t alive.

Barack Hussein OBAMA had a dream. He dreamt to become president of the United States of America. He is.

vii. Serenity is calm, an inner insurance. It is the result of a long effort in self-awareness and self-control.

A calm man knows that he has the key of his life. That key helps him to open every door. And that key is his own mind. He has acquired many things through his age or his learning. He has a great inner strength. If he undertakes a project, anything couldn’t shake him. He makes the difference in his community. He control his speak, he overcomes easily difficulties. He improves himself from day to day. And he succeeds everything he undertakes. He is a success man. People rely on him and ask him advice.

The sum of all these qualities is what I understand by” serenity”.
But, unluckily, it isn’t the case for everybody. We must strive to get this precious ability.
I loved this sentence of James Allen, which is a good summary: «self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

I’m a man who likes respect. So, I must have positive thoughts. I must purify them, since our character is a material existence of our thoughts. Using my thought in the best way, I can attract pleasant circumstances. What is necessary is to make harmony between my thoughts and my behaviour. Most of the time, we say that we want to be successful men. But, we don’t have an exact objective. So, through the reading of this book, I understand better that there is no success without a precise objective. I have to ask myself the best questions. What kind of success we desire: spiritual or material. We must know also the field in which we want to have the success. We have our thought to plan all this.

Furthermore, I have interest to be ambitious. Since I know that from my thought, I can realise all my desire. An old adage said: «What is upstairs is like what is below». Everything we are thinking about can be realized. We have only to dare.

Likewise, I must show to others that they can come from their poverty. The secret is to learn how to use their mind. Of course, in our communities, there are many persons who suffer from poverty. They are waiting for help from government. They forget that they have already a wealth in their head: their own thought. Then, through our discussions, I can let them discover this wealth, the power of their own thoughts.

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.

“As a man thinking in his heart, so he is.” This sentence explains entirely the human life. Whether his speak and his behaviour, his failure or his success.

“A reasonable person has a precious treasure: his thought.” He has power to control and alter it according to his objective. Honda, Japanese wanted to create a powerful and fast machine. He had materialized his desire. He became a genius of mechanical.

We are able to do everything we want. We can also become the type of person we desire. We have to mature our thoughts according to our objective. Then, we make a plan which could help us to achieve our goal.

I have a friend who planned to have master’ degree. He had an ardent desire to support his parents. He was willing to help his two brothers in their studies too. He had just bachelor’s degree. As his parents couldn’t help him to continue his studies, he became a seller in a shop. Some years ago, the husband of his employer found him an employment. He began to work in a project of European Union (7ème FED). But, he didn’t forget his objective. So, he began university studies. He did it during the night and paid at least 250 000 FCFA during four years. And, he had his master’s degree. As I know, he worked respectively in Red-Cross, World Health Organization (OMS). Now, he works in airport of Lomé. He achieves his objective. He is much respected in our village, even though he is a young man. I could name him, but I’m not allowed. As a man thinking in his heart, so he is. Each of us has abilities to change his living. We have a key: our thought.

Bruno LALLEMENT, actor of personal development said: “Think according to what you want. Act according to what you desire. And, if you don’t succeed, search what is wrong and start again. Again and again. “

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 anything in the book that I don’t understand.

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

There are no exercises to complete.

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

I have anything to comment.

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

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment By: Nyakpo Koffi Anani

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

The main goal the author is trying to convey in the book is:” We are the master of our own destiny, not somebody else.”
We must forget that somebody else would change our life. Not at all, we are responsible of our own fate. Every thing we wish to do must result from our own thought. However, it is very important to have positive thoughts.
So, if we are willing to become successful men, we must have positive thoughts. Then, we have to make a plan. And respect that plan until the achievement of our objective.
HENLEY, a poet, said: «I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul».

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

i. We must have objective if we want to succeed. We must have habit to ask ourselves some questions. I must know what I want to do with my life. What kind of person I want to become, or what activities I want to do?

According to our objective, we can know what we have to do daily. Actions we must do which can lead us to our goal.

In the book, Jonathan has an objective. He was willing to fly. Without objective, our life could be a disorder. It could be also a perpetual failure.

Now, I have some objective. One is to have an income source. It will permit me to start another project. And, I am not far from its accomplishment. Until, the end of this month, I am sure to have a telephone booth.

Another objective is what I am doing presently. I want to become a leader in my country. And why not in the whole world. That is the reason of my application to become a student of your studies program.

Brief, it is important to have objective in the life. Mark FISCHER, an actor of personal development said: «If we don’t know were we are going, we shall reach were we didn’t want. » Otherwise, if we don’t have objective, we will have unpleasant surprise.

ii. If we want to achieve an objective, we have to desire it ardently. The more our desire is ardent, the more we have strength to achieve our objective. It must be the most important thing for us. In the book, Jonathan has a desire: know what he can do in the air and what he can’t do. His desire was so ardent that his parents couldn’t stop him to practice. He continued and reached his objective at last.

When I was at primary school, my father makes a promise. He said that he would buy a bicycle for me. But, I shall have to pass my exam before. My desire to have and ride a bicycle was very ardent. So, I learnt hardly and I passed my exam. Therefore, I got the bicycle.

It was the same motivation when I was in junior high school. An older brother told me that he would invite me in Lomé (our capital town). There, I could see sea, harbour, airport, provided that I pass my exam. I have learnt as I could, I passed my exam. And during the holydays that year, I Went to Love and discovered sea, harbour and airport. It was very wonderful for me. Furthermore, I am the most educated child among the children of our parents. My desire is to become an important person, a rich man. I want to honour and help my family. Therefore, I must improve myself. I must be competent and useful. This challenge is one of the reasons that I am striving to become a student of your studies program. The more our desire is ardent, the more we have possibilities to achieve our objective.

iii. It is an inner insurance. A powerful insurance. It is a feeling each of us can have concerning our projects. Then, if we initiate a project, we must be sure that we shall succeed. If we have conviction to win, there is no place for fear and doubt! Without conviction, we can’t move forward. Everything we undertake will give feeble result, or be a failure.
In the book, Jonathan has this feeling of insurance. His parents advised him to be like the rest of the flock. But, he refused; he had conviction that he will discover his capacity in the air. He continued and he was the winner.

My own example is simple, I think. I am not from a rich family. It‘s means that my financial situation is not pleasant. I could teach in private schools and win a little money. Thus, I could satisfy some of my needs. I had that possibility, of course. But, I didn’t have conviction that this was my way. I choose rather to work in an organization. And now, I try to do leadership studies. I have conviction that it will help me to achieve my main goal.

iv.Self-help is everything we can do which arises from ourselves. There is no exterior intervention! We must have self-help. If we have positive thoughts, and initiate a project, opportunities appear. Most of the time, we say that we are suffering from poverty. Or, there is no person who could help us. But, what do we undertake like project in the manner to alleviate our poverty? We stay at the same place crying. When and how can we make progress?

Jonathan is from a community which has a standard kind of living. But he decided to change that kind of living. And some teachers appear while he was practising. Chiang and Sullivan helped him respectively. If the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Are we ready to change our life? If so, we have to take initiative. Certainly, we shall meet person who can help us. The help can be «advices» or «material». One day, I told myself that it is time to create an inner source. My project is to have a telephone box. Then, I proposed to a friend to put money aside. He agreed and we have begun. Now, I am quiet and sure that I have already my telephone box. Bruno LALLEMENT, an actor of personal development, gives us this advice: « Think according to what you want. Act according to what you desire.

v. We are imperfect being. It means that we can be short of some qualities. We can have feeble body. We can have intellectual inadequacy. We can make mistakes or be poor. We must know who we are! We must strive to recognize our weakness, our mistakes. We could correct our mistakes and improve ourselves. Then, we could consider things differently. If we don’t know our limits and overcome them, it would be very difficult to progress. Hardly, we could earn our living.

Mark FISCHER, author of Osez la difference. Le secret du succès, said: «There is no shame to make mistakes. Not take advantage of them is silly. »

Furthermore, we are from a society. So, we must ask ourselves if thoughts and habits of our communities are right. If some of them are brake for our development, we must break them.
Christian GODFROY, advices us to « get out of the limits of received ideas. »

In the book, Jonathan discovered that boredom, fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short. He couldn’t be victim of the same bad feeling.

Through our search, I have noticed that some of my friendships were not benefit. Most of the time, there is no harmony between my acts and my thoughts. I didn’t ask myself the best questions. And now, I am striving to improve myself from day to day.

vi. I have said previously that we must have objective and conviction. But these conditions can’t lead us to our objective directly. Problems can hinder us. So, we have to persevere. No result, no success without perseverance. It is clear that we can’t succeed if we don’t persevere; even we have the best will. Napoléon HILL, author of “Réfléchissez et devenez riche”, said that «people who have habit of perseverance had acquired an insurance against failure. » Jonathan had had setback but he perseveres and he succeed finally.

Some years ago, I applied for job in many societies. But, none had agreed my application. I didn’t abandon, I continued to apply. And, in September 2004 an organization (Mission Mondiale pour la Femme Et L’Enfant Déshérité) employed me like trainee. I was the particular secretary of the president. From that moment, I know that perseverance lead to success.

vii. It is necessary to have knowledge. But it is better to let another persons know them. We have no interest to keep them for ourselves. If we want to make real change in our society, we must share our knowledge to others. There are people who decided to share their knowledge to the whole world. That’s why we have possibility to do many researches on the net.

Furthermore, you also you give knowledge about leadership to whoever is eager.
In the book, Jonathan could remain in heaven. But, he was impatient to come back to the flock. He taught to the eager gulls how to fly.

Meanwhile, I found in a book website concerning personal development. I didn’t hesitate to show them to my friends. I found them very interesting.

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 will help me to be precise concerning my objective. I know that I must be ambitious, if I am willing to have great successes. Most of the time, our thoughts and actions are identical to others one. It could be an error. We must make difference, the best of course. I am ready now to think and behaviour like I want. Even though people are against me. What is important to me is to be sure that I am right. The end of my actions will give me reason. And In this case, people could adhere to my ideas. People could adjust to my living.
Jonathan was accused to be guilty of betrayal and shame. He was cast out of gull society. But, he didn’t mind. Finally, he succeed and came back to teach the others gulls how to fly.
Moreover, I have learnt that setbacks are different from failure. I must continue my actions even though I meet setbacks. I could ask myself about what was wrong. And change strategy, if it is necessary. Mark FISCHER said that « there is no success without defeat. »
The more my actions will be success, the more people will believe me and the more the will follow me.

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.

Statements according to “though” and “love” got particularly my attention.
Our speech, our behaviour was born in our thought. Our happiness and sadness come from our thought. Why if there is a death in a family, the members don’t have the same attitude? Why if two students failed their exam, one cry and the other seem to be somebody who doesn’t mind?

It’s according to their thoughts. So, we must have positive thoughts.
Likewise, our actions must be followed by love. Jonathan was comfortable in the heaven. He could remain there as long as he would like. But, he had love for the flock. That’s why, he returned to teach the other gulls how to fly.

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 anything in the book that I don’t understand.

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

There are no exercises to complete.

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

I have anything to comment.

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

How interesting was it to read? 7
How helpful were the contents? 8
How easy was it to understand? 6
Would you recommend it to others? 8
What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

 

 

Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude

Assessment By NYAKPO Koffi Anani

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

Glory to God. We are created with body and mind as it is mentioned several time in this effective book. Our body is a way our mind uses to turn into reality its thoughts. And our mind is a powerful and momentous key. That key can be used to achieve both marvellous and dismal goals at any time, in any circumstance. That which is important is which side one must turn this key in order to attain pleasant goals. Success is handy to each of us. But what to use our mind if we are eager to get success? Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude gives us solutions.

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. In this book, you will meet the most important living person. You will discover that he carries with him an invisible talisman with the initials PMA emblazoned on one side, and NMA on the other.», said the authors of this book.

We are that most important living person. And our mind is what the authors of the book termalisman”. As I told previously, our mind enables us to realize good or dreadful things.

However, we have to use it in order to achieve solely positive objective. We must have constantly a positive mental attitude. It means to have only good thoughts, feeling and purpose. We must purify our thoughts keeping them on positive ideas and off evil things. We have average to become successful men provided that we sow good seeds in our mind and undertake good deed. Bruno LALLEMENT, actor of personal development said:” As much as you will not plant the good seed within yourself, you will not have the good harvest. As much as you will not master the good manner to think and act,…Your life has no chance to get better.”

At last, let use the positive side of our talisman. Let think with a positive mental attitude, and the door of blessing and wealth will be opened to us.

B. As the world has its origin in God being, everything in the world has a beginning. And every achievement has a starting point. The authors of this book said:«Definiteness of purpose is a starting point of all worthwhile great achievement.» Yes, we must have a definite aim in our life. We must know what we need to do in a short or distant future. We have to ask ourselves which type of person we want to become. If we find the answer to these questions, we have already our objective.

Mark Fischer said that Goldsmith(a rich business man) told him that “people don’t succeed because the don’t ask themselves questions, the best questions”. Napoléon Hill also said : “The purpose is the cornerstone of every achievement». Once we define our goal, we can establish a plan which lead us to its achievement.” And before, we must use one of the success principles: faith applied! Faith gives us conviction, and conviction is an inner strength which help us to persevere, despite obstacles, until we get success.

But, unfortunately, it isn’t always the case. Many people complain about their situation. They don’t ask themselves questions about the cause of their suffering. They accuse rather an aunt, uncle, or a black cat. Simply, they don’t have objective!

One day, I asked a friend questions:«Dear Paul, do you want to remain teacher in the private schools with your low wages? What is your main goal?» He laughed and said that I was asking him those questions because of leadership studies I am doing. Yes, things change withing me, thanks to inspirational books I read and leadership studies I’m doing. So, I told to my friend that as long he will have no objective for his life as long he will lack success.

If we believe that” we can if we want”, then aim with a positive mental attitude and go into action.

C. What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude. We must recall that we are born in sin. It means that we are not perfect. We can make mistake, we can often be guilty of wrongdoing. Unpleasant desire can flash through our mind. We can also suffer from influence from our environment. All this is the cobweb we have interest to clear from our thinking. Some cobwebs like habit, could be very difficult. But we must struggle to discard them.

When I was in third year of junior high school, I had a group of friends. Many were smokers and seemed to be strong boys. They were apparently happy and felt at ease. So, I began to smoke cigarette. I didn’t know that I was losing my money and harming my mental and physical health. What a pity! However, when I reached high school, I began to ask myself questions about my behavior. I recognized that cigarette was noxious to my health. So, I decided to stop smoking. I tried two times in vain. But in December 1998, something happened. It was Christmas day, in the night. I came from a party and went to my apartment in university. I had a packet of cigarettes. A kilometer from my department, I stopped and asked myself these questions: Louis( is my christian name), what are you doing? Why are you smoking? Are you unable to respect you own will? If you want really to stop smoking, so throw your packet!» I obeyed that still, small voice which urged me to stop smoking. Since December 1998, I cleared permanently that cobweb. I used some success principles without knowing them: a Positive Mental attitude, maintaining sound physical and mental health and self-discipline.

Likewise, this is something I want to emphasize. It is that which I consider like a cobweb. It is current in our communities. People wait for aid from others. It is true that some persons, before having professional and financial comfortable situations, were helped either by their parent or their relationship. But, that is not a rule! Unfortunately, there is people who accuse their relations, because they don’t find them job, they don’t give them money in order to learn a profession. What are they doing themselves to prove that they are really willing to learn a job? Nothing:

Jean-Jacques ROUSSEAU summerizes well this bad behavior in his phrase:« Hill is from othres.» Let clear quickly this cobweb from our thinking.

In Africa, we need to use especially success principles like “Creative vision” and “personal initiative”.

D. A proverb said: « Help yourself and the sky will help you.»

Now, we know that definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all great achievement. We know also that it is necessary to clear the cobwebs from our thinking. But, there is a question: if we don’t attain our goal inspite of our struggle, what can we do in this circumstance?

If we agree that” what the mind of man can conceive and believe the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude” is an obvious, so keep trying. There is “something more” we lack. And we must search and find it. We can use the skill of Dr Elmer Gates:”sitting for ideas”.

In November 2011, there was a general population census operation in TOGO. I competed in that operation. I was put in charge of register population of a village. After two weeks, I noticed that my work doesn’t progress, but I had almost a month to finish. The problem was that majority of the villagers went to field. They sowed the seed of maize. What can I do?, I asked myself. A night, I use “sitting for ideas” method. I thought, sought and found the “something more.” I divided the village into areas. I subjected my new plan to the chief of the village; he agreed. Thus, the following days, each area stayed respectively at home and the work was less difficult. I finished my work and helped others.

But, if we don’t succeed with the previous skill, we can adopt the method used by Alex F. Osborn: brainstorming. The sum of knowledge ant experience of others is a valuable asset to get success. Internet and inspirational books can also help to find the “something more”.

On the other hand, we can have the best ideas and remain still poor, unsuccessful men. Have an objective is important. But, if we want to fulfill it, we must go into action. And apply a self-starter:” Do It Now!” Many lack it and their good thoughts remain dreams. I consider”Act and Now” like a something more. We must get ride of procrastination and turn our thoughts into reality.

A president, I think Nicolas SARKOZY of France said that ” the future belongs to those who get up earlier”.

Get up earlier, Act and Now! are powerful “something more” we need to succeed.

E. Sometimes, in our life, we need motivation to overcome obstacles, difficulties, adversities,or to win challenge. When I was in fifth year of primary school, my father had motivated me with a promise. He told me that he will buy me a bicycle if I pass my exam. I got into action learning hardly. i passed my exam and got a bicycle.

We can notice the force of motivation when the death strikes a family. A word« courage, courage» with a compassionate voice is enough to lessen the distress of the parents, if the death concerns a child, and vice versa.

Moreover, message on internet and letter are also efficient sources of motivation. Lovers who don’t live together use it frequently to motivate themselves and reinforce their love.

On the other hand, I learnt through personal development books reading that suggestion or self-suggestion is a powerful source of motivation. And we are not all aware of this fact. Emile COUE used to use it to his patients and cured them from illness.

Discussing between friends, advice of parents, are suggestion and sometimes self-suggestion. That’s why we must purify our thoughts before sharing them with others. Therefore, we must recall at anytime and everywhere the success principles. They can help us to prevent bad and noxious suggestions.

Finally, God also motivate us when we read the Bible. The Bible is the surest and the more powerful source of motivation. Let read it in order to be right. “If the man is right his world will be right”.

F. Apart from the glory we owe to God, obsession of each of us is to fulfill a goal. And, I am sure, our common goal is to get wealth. It can be in spiritual or material field. We are willing to get it as swiftly as possible.

Then, is there a shortcut to riches? Yes, of course. But thid shortcut was hidden to must of us, indeed. And I think people are still now in darkness.

We have our mind and our body to make great achievement. But we didn’t know really how. There are people who are disappointed and stop trying, if they meet obstacles or adversities.

Likewise, there are people who got riches. But, since they didn’t know that shortcut, they became poor.

The shortcut is the seventeen success principles contained in Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude. If we learn and apply them in our daily activities, we can succeed. One thing is to assimilate them. But, follow them with actions is as important as the first step. As for me, I strive to use them everydays.

Another shortcut to riches is, I mean, “other people’s money”.

If we win money, whether like a salary or a business gain, we must put a part in bank. In due course, we can borrow money from our bank. And with a positive mental attitude, we can realize our project and increase our income.

Our banker is our friend, but an intransigent friend. So, we must pay attention regarding that which we want to do with the money borrowed. If we borrow money, it means that we have already an objective. It means we have already establishes a plan. So, once our banker gives us the money, we must act and immediately.

G. Everybody wish to live in a better world. But, there is no better world without happiness. Now, how can we get happiness? James Allen said:«As a man thinketh in his heart so he is.» It means that the mood we have, good or evil, result from our thoughts. So, if we want to be happy, we must keep our thoughts on thinks which provide us happiness. We must purify our mind, get ride of ideas of selfishness, anger, fear and especially of sadness.

A self-motivator is to be enthusiastic act enthusiastic. I say” to be happy think about happiness”. Let think with a positive mental attitude and happiness will be ours.

On the other hand, happiness is equally based on understanding between people. there people who didn’t experience peace and happiness in their families. Why? Because there is everytimes missunderstanding between parents or parents and children. Those families lack somethings:oneself mastering, tolerance and a momentous value:love. Where there is no love, there is no happinesss. A man is the product of influence of his parents, his friends,…

Everything that furnished his childhood determine his current behavior. A poet said that “child is father of the man”. So, if parents are willing to see their children in happiness, they must love them sincerely. I stress the case of families because each society is the sum of several families. Shortly, if we want to attract happiness, let make others happy before. Let share with them a part of that which we have (advice or money).

Where there is no love, there is no happiness.

Moreover, it is true that nowadays, a great number of children are guilty of wrongdoing. In this case, parents must advise them with a tender and harmful voice. They can give them inspirational books. Wisdom of God contained in the Bible is equally a great recourse. Child must also obey their parents in order to maintain happiness in the house.

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?

Once more, an inspirational book proves me that I am able to do what I desire. I am able to become who I hope. I can also attain great goals. I am the only person who can direct my life and guarantee to myself health, wealth, success and happiness. But, before I must learn to use the right side of my talisman. From thinking to acting, I must begin with the first success principles: a Positive Mental Attitude. If I do so, I can say like a poet, HENLEY that:« I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.»

We must be aware of this precious and unlimited gift God gave to us. If we use it in the best way, we can attain tremendous fulfillment. We can turn bitter into sweet, sadness into happiness, or poverty into wealth. That’s why I am very proud of a woman. She knows the cause of poverty of her family. She told to her child:«We are poor- not because of God. We are poor because father has never developed a desire to become rich.»

Instead of thinking, we rely on others. Let think and go into action. Only our own thoughts can make us rich, or poor of course. If we don’t think with a positive mental attitude, even though one gives us a million of dollars, little by little, we shall lose them. It is true, I have an example in my village. I spoke about that in my previous assessment.

In the book entitled AFRICA UNBOUND. Unleashing The Potential Through Individual Mind, Philip Emeagwali said:« Ideas, not money, alleviate poverty.»

Moreover, each of the seventeen success principles is a supervisor to each of my act. If I make use of them daily, I am sure, I will have every kind of success I would like. There is no doubt: “What the mind of man can conceive and believe the mind of the man can achieve with a positive mental attitude.”

However, we need a secret. The secret to get things done. We can build a sky-scraper in our mind. It is normal; we must aim high. But, if we don’t act and now, we can turn our thoughts into reality. We have interest to discard “procrastination” and “inertia”. Like fear and doubt, they are equally enemies of all great achievement.

Moreover, we owe to the world love. God advises us to love others like ourselves. If we don’t love others, it will be difficult to them to love us. Where there is love, there is joy, happiness and peace. Now, I have the strength to overcome every obstacle. I have the key of success.

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude is not only a useful book, but also both a referee and a guide for me.

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.

“Perhaps you failed because there was something more that was need to bring you the success you were seeking,” said the authors of this book.

Getting success is not easy, indeed. We must use properly our mind. There are many unsuccessful persons in the world than successful men. The reason is merely that the latter found something more which makes a difference. Some persons abandon ther project when they are faced with difficulties. They lack that “something more”. and they abandon their project which could be of benefit to themselves and to others.

We can find that something more by using” brainstorming” method.

There are libraries and internet where we can find it. But, we have a treasure which contains already that” something more”. If we excavate and use it with a positive mental attitude, we can succeed all that which we undertake. And this treasure is our own mind!

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.

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, it contained exercises. Yes, I did them all and they are 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.

Nothing.

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

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 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? 9

 

 

Psycho-Cybernetics

Assessment by Nyakpo Koffi Anani (Togo)

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

The main idea the author is trying to convey in the book is summarized in these words:”self-improvement, prerequisite of success.”

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) «Be careful what you say to your children. They may agree with you…», wrote Nathaneil Branden

During our childwood, many things happened that we are not aware of, indeed. They have influence on our life. I can mention education we receive in our families, instructions from our teachers, and relationship with our friends.” Message that we receive in the places of adoration (church, mosque or convent) create equally believes within us and influence deeply our life.

According to how parents consider and treat us, we can become either courageous and enthusiastic persons or shy and fearful men/women.

What about a father who always tells to his children: “Shut up, you’re talking too much. Children don’t talk when their parents are present!” Those children will be choked and introverted. Even though they are among their friends, it would be very difficult for them to express freely their ideas, to become leaders. On the other hand, not only what we hear from others, but also their behavior create equally believe within us.

Sometimes, our father told us he has no friend, especially if we have problems outside. He advices us to remain at home. And really, if he finish his business and come home, he didn’t go out again. So, I don’t know if it is the reason that I have now difficulty to have friends. Or, is it my own nature, I don’t know exactly.

Furthermore, in religious field, I remember that a Sunday at church, we’ve been told that we were approaching the end of the world. It was very dreadful for me. I was afraid so! I thought that I was almost about to die. At home, I was calm and very sad. My mother had watched and asked me what is wrong with me. I gave her the reason of my state. And fortunately, she reassures me that” God’s time is different from ours. So, I will live for a long time again. She relieves me of fear and despair. We must beware of what we are telling to others, especially to children and teenagers.

In his book: Comment déveloper vos resources personnelles (How to develop your personal resources), Francis Delval wrote: “Believes are the result of what we have heard, watched, read, experienced during years.”

b) “Self-image: the key to your personality” is a good advice.

We are entirely the product of the images we carry of ourselves. Whether they are negative or positive self-images.

The human being is a deep creature. I want to emphasize that our ongoing personality can be both the result of education we have received in our family and the opinions of others peoples about us. It can be also the consequence of how we assess ourselves individually., concerning the events of our life.

Do we have the feeling that we are able to achieve every worthwhile goal we set? Or are we looking like an incompetent person? Do we have that inner strength and assurance that we can change positively our life or are we afraid of achievement?

I believe that these questions can help us to recognize the color of our self-image.If we have a feeble self-image, we will be always be controlled by the feeling of doubt and fear. A reminder: doubt and fear are enemies of success. They are followed by hesitation and inertia. So, once we are aware that we have a negative self-image, let’s cancel that feeling at once. And everytime it flashes through our mind, we have to cancel it. Then, change that poor self-image with a positive self-image, image belongs to courageous and successful men.

If we manage to change positively our self-image, we will be able to change our behavior and ready to get success. So, keep shaping and enhancing our self-image. Doing so, we we’ll have motivation and strength to overcome difficulties. And we start approaching our goal attainment.

c) Every ambitious man has the desire to achieve great goals. But, we need a mental balance before. We must feel at ease as well in our mind as in our body. We need to be well-balanced. However, unfortunately, some events arise and disturbs our inner peace and cause imbalance within us. Thus, we can become stressed if we loose our job, for instance.

As Maltz has writing, “Stress is an inner disturbance,.the opposite of tranquility.” So, we have to master our state of anger. We must master our feeling of disappointment, if we are willing to attain worthwhile goals. Likewise, we can equally have stress if we accuse ourselves to be responsible for the misfortune of a friend, for instance. I have experienced this situation. And I say simply that it is very uncomfortable.

My business consists in helping people to make the number plate of their motors or cars done, in a service. I have a friend who works periodically in that service. His is a policeman. Most often, I request his aid in order to do quickly the number plate to my customers. One day, while he was not on duty, I used his name to do the work as if it was his. Unfortunately, his boss, an officer, discovered my trick. He was not pleased with me. And he was very angry against my friend. He told me that he can prevent my friend to come back in that service. Now, what is the problem? If my friend (the policeman) works in that service, he wins enough money. Now, he is about to lose that income source.

That day, I was overwhelmed by disturb and guilt feeling. Almost the whole day was unbearable for me. I was sad and indifferent with others. I regained my sense with difficulty. I told myself: it doesn’t matter, it’s a question of time, continue your work normally.

We must prevent or fight stress. If we have that feeling, let’s use SEEDS process showed in the book. We can also strive to remember situations which provided us a joy in the past.

d) “We can grow, solve problems, and discover the potential within ourselves only by developing the courage to explore new thoughts, behavior, and possibilities, to take appropriate risks, and to venture out across safe boundaries” concluded the California task Force. Courage arises from a firm and burning desire to make difference, to succeed one’s life.

If we aim to achieve goal, we have to be courageous. There is no success without a previous difficulty, setback or failure. So, if we are really willing to turn into reality our project, we have to brave difficulties. We must force limits of ordinaries things. We need courage which urges us to persevere.

In my country, Togo, we are suffering from unemployment. Thus, some years ago, a young man from my village called Aziavi Komi decided to travel. He decided to go to Mali (a country of west Africa) in order to teach there. I emphasize that he was teacher in a private primary school in Lomé, our capital town. But, their wage was too low. So, he had conviction that going to Mali, he could improve his life. However, he had never visited that country; he had no relative there neither. Whereas, he traveled. He challenges ideas like «the evil we know is better that the evil we don’t know», contained in Psycho-Cybernetic. He has turned his idea into reality. And now, he has really improve his social life (financial situation precisely).I was told that, once he visited his family here, he has bought a property. He has made a better step, I think. His courage helps him to change positively his life.

Besides, I’ve said in my previous assessment that I was a smoker. After two failed attempts, I finally succeed at the third one. But, it wasn’t as easy as I’m expressing it here. Most often, if I meet my friends, they tend to hold a cigarette out to me. Obviously, I refused. Their reaction was: “We know that you don’t want to smoke again. But this piece of cigarette can’t kill you.” Do you see what trap my friends set for me? I refused and I broke courageously with that misbehavior. Thus, with courage, I overcame those attempts. A courageous man doesn’t fear, or doubt. He has a self-confidence. He perseveres, overcome difficulties, and attains his goals. Courage having means almost success getting.

e) «A man or woman without a goal is like a ship without a rudder. Each will drift and not drive. Each will end up on the beaches of despair, defeat, and despondency», wrote Zig Ziglar.

It is usual to hear people saying: the life isn’t worthwhile. I struggle but I don’t succeed. Oh, what can I do to alleviate my poverty? I’m tired.

But, if you ask them question like: “what are they striving for?”, the answers are: “I’m looking for a job, but I don’t find it..” “I need money to do business, but I lack it.”

The real reason is that they don’t have specific or precise goal. So, it is very important to ask ourselves questions like: “what I want to do with my life?” “What kind of person I want to become?” “What area of my life I want to change?”

Thus, we can determine our goals. Then, we have to assess them against our skills, our abilities. If we have conviction that we are able to attain them, so, let’s go.

There is a second stage which is as important as the first one. It concerns to jot down our goals. Goldsmith, a successful man said: “The best manner to define one’s objective consist merely in taking a pencil and jot it down. “Mark Fischer, an actor of personal development, added: “Writing down your objective, putting your dreams into words, you do the first step towards it achievement”.

Then, we make an action plan. And during it’s elaboration, we must consider the potential problems we face, our past positive experiences which can be still useful, and advice of successful persons who can help us.

Likewise, on the way of goals achievement, we can meet adversities. People can discourage us. They can say: “Oh, my friend, why are you suffering? I tried to attain the same goal, but I failed. It is impossible, you can not. “Let’s consider that false warning like simple words!

Goal achievement is not like water we drink or air we breathe easily. We must be courageous men and women.

f) “I won’t think about it today. I’ll think about it tomorrow», said fiction’s most famous procrastinator” Maltz wrote. There is a mental poor attitude which prevent us to get success. It is very malicious. We must uncover and overcome it as quickly as possible. It’s name is “procrastination”. “I will rest a bite. In the afternoon, the weather will be pleasant and I’ll read my inspirational book.” But the next day, in the afternoon: “Oh my God, I’m very tired. Tomorrow morning, I’ll start early the reading. “Again in the afternoon, we do nothing unfortunately. In this way, we postpone continually our project without doing nothing. This is the way procrastination imprisons and carry us far from success.

We can have the best ideas in the world. If we don’t go into action, they will remain still dreams. After choosing and setting goal, we must act and now.

We have learnt that our goal must be followed by conviction. If we lack conviction, it means that we don’t expect our own abilities. Therefore, we tend to procrastination. Moreover, the failure of some students at their exam is explained by procrastination. Those students think that they have at least six months to prepare their exam. They content themselves with serials on television. There is no best time. Unfortunately, on the eve of the exam, they realize that they have wasted their time. They become restless, unbalanced. They fail their exam.

If we have something to do, stand up at once and keep trying. If we have an idea, let’s turn it into action without waiting for “the best time”.

I’ve experience it, and I know what it is. I would have already finished this assessment some months ago. But, since I remember that I have three months to study a book and send my assessment, I stopped learning. I told to myself that I have time. Everyday, I say” Tomorrow I will start learning”. Now, it is a regret for me to realize that I’m late. We must hate procrastination, and let’s prevent it with daily actions.

g) “Our self image can actually help us to live longer” said Bobbe Sommer.

In this part of my assessment, I want to emphasize the link between self-image, health, success, and our life in general. Brief, the worth of self-image.

Self-image affects our health. Low self-image arises partly from the lack of self-confidence. We can not feel at ease if we don’t have a positive self-image.

Let’s take the case of a student who has already failed once his exam. He is disappointed and unbalanced. He looses his mental, for he doesn’t trust himself. His self-image is low. Until the day before the nest exam, he asks himself:” Am I going to fail again my exam, or will I have luck to succeed?” Such questions illustrate what side his self-image is from. Therefore, he is shy and looks like an old sick person. It happens most often to those who lack self-confidence. We must recognize that negative self-image causes a state of panic and suffering. So, let”s take care of image we conceive about our own personality.

On the other hand, self-image induces actions. And nothing can’t prevent us from success, if only we have a positive self- image. We feel at ease, we uncover new abilities within us and initiate best projects. We act and turn into reality our dreams. In his book “As a man thinkith so he is”, James Allen wrote: Clean thoughts make clean habits.» Me I add,”clean habits leads to tremendous achievements”. A positive self-image is a cornerstone for every worthwhile achievement. When Barack Hussein Obama said: “yes we can…”, it means that he has a strong self-image of his personality. He had conviction that he is able to bring positive changes in American people’s life. Therefore, he is actually president of United States of America. A good self-image helps to have the strength we need to face difficult situations. It helps us to avoid mental and material limitations. Every worthwhile goal we set, we can attain it. And as it is written in the book “Success through a Positive Mental Attitude”, “If the man is right, his world will be right.”

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

I am very amazed by the lessons or advices contained in this book. It shows me in detail how to choose and set goal. It shows me equally how to achieve them. It is important to know the areas of our life in which we are willing to bring change. Thus, we can know studies we need to do, type of persons we can approach in order to benefit from their experiences. We need precision in the process of goal choosing.

Meanwhile, there is an important step we have interest to do: self-control. It is necessary to jot down our goals and read them frequently. This stage is really important, for it reminds and urges us to go into action. No project can not survive without control. At the end of the week or month, for instance, we must ask ourselves questions like: What I have done during the whole week/month that lead me towards my goals? What I should but I didn’t? Such questions help us to improve our behavior and enhance our efforts. Thus, we can ward off failure.

Let’s go into action and keep trying even though we face problems. Doing so, dear readers, you protect yourself from what I call a plague procrastination. I’m still writing this assessment now because of that plague. Please, avoid it here and now. Bruno Lallement, an actor of self-development, said substancially that “Success belongs to those who act, and not to those who want to ack.”

Another step in the process of goal getting consist in elaborating of an action plan. Let’s consider a man who has a burning desire to become a swimmer. He has to elaborate an action plan like:

.looking for a competent swimmer,

.discussing and convincing him about the training,

But, if that man is too in the hurry and try to learn swimming alone, he will fail and drown. Action plan is the way which lead us surely to our goal. At any rate, if we fail it, it’s obvious that we’ll fail everything we’ll undertake.

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.

“Successful personalities have some interest in and regard for other people. They have a respect for other’s problems and needs….They recognize that every person is a child of God and is a unique individuality who deserves some dignity and respect.” Three values stand out from these sentences: love, respect and charity.

I’ve said somewhere that the most important status of God is “love”. Love urges us to suffer from the misfortune of others. It urges us to do our best in order to alleviate pain of the needy persons. It demands us to forgive faults coming from others. Where there is love, there is peace and joy. But, unfortunately, our actual world is plenty of nasty and criminal. They kill in the name of “god”, blasphemy. There is no better world. But, we can create it with tolerance, forgiveness and love. Moreover, we must respect others if we want to be respected. We come from different families and areas. We’ve received different educations. So, we must react carefully to opinion that we don’t believe. During a discussion with some persons one day, I had had the clumsiness to tell to one of them that he was making a negative comparison. He got very angry against me. Now, I realize that I was wrong.

If we want somebody to be allied with our point of view, we must first respect his. Then, convince him to try ours. We owe respect to others, if we are willing to live in harmony together. No matter if we are old than them or not. Furthermore, love and respect must be followed by charity. Who can say that he loves his friend and let him suffer? Who can say that he loves others and let them die because of hunger? But, we attend those misbehaviors everyday. People die because they lack food. People die because they lack money and can’t go to hospital to be cured.

We must surround persons in need with love and provide them what they need. Of course, if we have possibilities. We must show them skills and tools we’ve used before getting success. We must share with them the principles of success. Love, respect and charity must go hand in hand. However, nobody must not sit down and wait for aid. We have a treasure, our mind. Let’s use it positively to choose a goal. Then, let’s elaborate an action plan and go into action.

«What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude» wrote Napoléon Hills and W. Clement Stone in their book “Success Throught a Positive Mental Attitude”.

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.

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, 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.

Nothing.

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

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

 

 

Keys to Success
Assessment by Nyakpo Koffi Anani (Togo)

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 in the book is:” The greatest and essential mental and physical attitudes people must adopt in order to get success”.

2. What are 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 seven ideas which were personally most important to me are:

a. Definiteness of purpose:

“Your progress toward success begins with a fundamental question: were are you going?” Napoléon Hill. I come back on this part of the book, because I’m convinced that it is very important for who want to get success.

One day, on the way to my house, I met a friend. And during our discussion, he told me that nothing succeed to him. So, I asked him if he knows at least what he wants to do with his life. His answer was merely this:” People promise to help me but nobody keeps his word. My life is stumbling.” He was unable to tell me what his main goal is. I advised him at first to rely on him. Then, I added that he has to search and find a major purpose, what he is willing to do with his life. After his main goal uncovered, he has to make a plan that can lead him to the achievement of his goal. Furthermore, there is a young man in my village. His parents are financially very poor. So, he didn’t evolve in studies. However, he learnt to ride motto. Then, he became a taxi-motor driver. Thus, he put money aside and after some years, he learnt to drive car, got driver’s license and becomes now a taxi driver. Recently, I saw him driving a taxi-car. I was very proud of him. He has set a goal, strove for it and gets it. He expected and committed himself to change his life and finally earn a living.

In Think and grow rich, Napoleon Hill said that “the goal is the cornerstone of all attainment”. Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement, indeed.

b. Build a positive mental attitude:

“A positive mental attitude is a single most important principle of the science of success,”said the author. Napoleon Hill emphasizes the importance and the necessity to have a positive mental attitude at any time. It is daily mental exercises followed by courageous actions. We must clear our mind of negative and destructive thoughts like: fear, doubt, procrastination, idleness, hatred and revenge.

Nowadays, we go through difficult and bitter situations: unemployment, poverty, famine, unfairness…In this case, the most mental attitude we need is to stay awake and tell ourselves that we are able to convert any difficult situation into the best one. It depends on the kind of thoughts we sow and “water.” No matter how difficult the problem is. We must consider it like a temporary one and have the feeling that we’ve already overcome tide Emmet Fox said;” We must watch our mental life, because everything we are thinking about with conviction will arrive sooner or later.” Let’s keep our mind on things we desire and off things we repel. Moreover, a positive mental attitude urges us to consider others with love and respect. We must help those who need us and strive for their well-being, their success, without waiting for any benefit. Doing so, the Infinite Intelligence will provide us with marvelous rewards.

There is a brave woman in my country called Makafui Abitor. She is a handicapped person. She moves only in a wheelchair. Apparently, this physical handicap is a great and pitiful problem for her. She could say that she is unable to do nothing worthwhile. But fortunately, she didn’t consider her handicap in this way. Rather, she had a positive and strong mind. She has a self-reliance and trust in God. She shapes his life differently. And, let’s me tell you that Makafui Abitor is currently one of the most famous singers and preachers in our country. Furthermore, not only she struggles to earn a living, she has a magnificent project: she support orphans in her own orphanage. Inspite of her physical handicap, she became an outstanding personality. If the man is right, his world will be right.

c. Applied faith:

“Faith is the source of the energy to put your thoughts into action,” said Napoléon Hill. It is a state of mind that we require to get success. And it comes from a right understanding of the life. It means that we are able to attract and get everything we desire. That is a gift from the Infinite Intelligence. Once we are aware of the fact that we can turn into reality each of our thoughts, we have already got a strong faith. In short, there are two tremendous secrets we must know and use in order to face situations and get success. The first consist in knowing that we have the almighty that is ready and willing to help us at any time. The second is simply the consequence of the first one: faith which makes fear impossible.

As long we will ignore or lack them, as long we will live in poverty. Rather, we must know in what field of our life we have to make improvement or change. We must set a goal, a worthwhile one. Based on faith, our greatest and worthy dreams can be realized; provided that we make a good plan and go into action with perseverance. And let’s focus our mind on things, conditions, and circumstances we really want.

“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude,” Napoleon Hill in Success Thought a Positive Mental Attitude.

d. Enforce Self-discipline:

“Self-discipline is the cannel through which all your personal power for success must flow.” N. Hill. We’ve learned that definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement. It is very important in the process of success. However, even we add the fifteen other principles of success to this one, without self-discipline, we can not reach any worthwhile goal. Self-discipline is a basic and essential condition of success.
Human being is a social being. But, most of the time, we have different purpose and opinions. Thus, if we are willing to live together in harmony, we must control our thoughts. In this case, we must choose and use the right words at the best time. Paraphrasing Napoleon Hill, we must learn to think before we act. We must talk to others on a pleasant tone of voice in order to be listened. After a given time, we will inspire confidence in our relationship. And the more we inspire confidence, the more we will be considered like a leader and followed.

Likewise, in our private business or project, we must respect a strict self-discipline. At anytime, we must recollect action plans we had made and follow them. Like an old saying, “time is money”.

e. The benefits of doing more than you are paid for:

“The quantity and quality of extra service you render will come back to you greatly multiplied,” N. Hill. People ask for help, but hardly have they accepted to render service to others. We notice that attitude in our families, friendships and service.

Most of the time, children urge their parents to offer them things like money, clothes…Whereas, they are not ready to render service to their parents. At the same time, let’s consider a child who renders service to his/her parents willingly without waiting to be told before. S/he will obviously be surrounded with the greatest love. And s/he will be more helped. The same thing is frequent in our friendships. We waste our time accusing our friends to be nasty. But, what do we do best towards them really? What worthwhile service do we give them? Nothing, “the hell comes only from others.” On the other hand, that misbehavior happens equally in our service. The employees do exclusively what they are told to do. No initiative from them. No extra work for the benefit of their service. Rather, they complain just about their low wage. And they despise their boss, instead of searching the way they could go in order to improve and increase the benefit of their service. I think we are too selfish in our countries. We lack a great value: the love for others. The best thing we have to do at first is to work toward the success and the well-being of others. An advice in the Bible stipulate:” There is more blessing in giving than receiving”. The Infinite Intelligence reveals here the necessity, best the value of giving without waiting for profit. The reward will come itself.

f. Learn from adversity and defeat:

“Defeat should be accepted merely as a test which permits you to discover the nature of your thoughts and their relation to your definite major purpose.” N. Hill

It is too easy and illusory to think that we can get success without defeat or adversity. Everything we undertake, it is possible to face problem, to meet adversity, or to have defeat. So, if such case occurs, we must consider the situation like a temporary one. Either we have made an action plan which is not really in accordance with our major purpose, or we lack perseverance in our actions. Or perhaps, we don’t have the knowledge that we need to reach what we are striving for. So, let’s persevere in our daily activities. In his book called Think and grow rich, N. Hill said substantially that “those who cultivate a habit of perseverance have acquired an insurance against defeat. No matter how often they had defeats, they are certain to become victorious.” Through a defeat, we must see an opportunity to make an inventory both of our weaknesses and assets. We have to consider it not merely like a bad thing, but rather like an adviser. It urges us to be aware of our weakness and help us to discover our real potential.

On the other hand, it is natural to meet adversities. For, we don’t have the same spirit state. We don’t have the same values like love which allows us to work for the well-being of others. Likewise, I consider poverty and lack of education like adversities. We must not take such situations like inevitable situations and a place to be. There is a man in my village that comes from a poor family. However, he told himself that he must leave poverty. So, he traveled to Ghana and became a farmer. Since he had no estate there, he worked to a Ghanean. The harvest was shared between his boss and himself. But, the boss took the greatest part of the harvest. That man was very wise. He put the benefit of his work aside. After some years, he bought a sewing machine. One of his cousins taught him how to sew up clothes, before he did the journey. He did this new job for a long time and came back to his village, in Togo. Then, he bought a mill and became a real self-employed. Until his death in 2002, he felt at ease and helped many persons in the village. Adversity must be the source of motivation. It is an opportunity to know the human being better. It enhances our faith and makes us wiser.

g. Budget your time and money:

“There is an old saying; wasting time is sinful.” Time is your most precious asset.” N. Hill.

In my country, you can see young people playing game at the time they could do profitable work. Likewise, some of them sit down somewhere, discuss and enjoy themselves about the misfortune of others. Negative attitudes we must strive to abandon. I think, those who have that misbehavior don’t know where they are going. They waste their time and think that somebody else will help them, for their own situations are not pleasant. We must know that we are the craftsmen of our own life. We are responsible of everything that happens to us. So let’s learn to use properly our time. Nicolas Sarkozy, the previous president of France said that” the future belongs to those who stand up earlier”. For me, this thought means that we must stay awake, setting a main goal and striving for its attainment. There is no time to waste. Time is money. Moreover, even though we become rich, we must learn to spend our money. It is very essential to entrust our money to our “best friend”: a bank! I am going to give you once more an example of what could happen to us if we behave contrary to this advice. There is a man in my village that was financially rich. He had worked in Zinder, a town of Niger (a country of West Africa).I was told that he worked there as accountant. When he came to our village, the most important thing he had done was to build a house. He bought equally two cars and felt at ease. However, he was not clever. He was stubborn, for he didn’t follow advices of his relatives. He has entirely ignored that he could save his money somewhere. And bit by bit, he became more and poorer. Recently, I was told that he is unwell. There is an American actress who has said: “I was rich and I was poor. Rich is better.”
Let’s use properly our time to get success. Let’s manage wisely our money in order to remain still rich and comfortable.

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 will help me to stay always awake and alert. There are tools that reinforce my faith and help me to have a strong self-reliance. As Napoleon Hill said, repetition is the mother of habit. So, up to me to enforce with a great self-discipline those principles of success; of course according to my major purpose. And once I master those ideas and implement them everyday, I will have fame in my family, in my community. I will be a model.

Moreover, I have the luck to be a member of a non governmental organization: Initiative for a Positive Future. Through our future activities, I will be able to share with our potential audiences these tremendous ideas. The most important step to do is to be still an attractive person, a model. From that moment on, I can have a positive influence on others. If we change a mind, we can change a community. If we change a community, we can change the whole world.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

None.

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.

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, it contains exercises. Yes I completed them all, and I found them 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.

Nothing.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is the 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? 9

 

 

Real Magic

Assessment by Koffi Anani Nyakpo (Togo)

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

The main idea the author is trying to convey in the book is «the discovery of our spiritual being, and how to make use of it in order to better our physical being».

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and how?List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

a. There are no accidents, everything I am experiencing is some way necessary for me to move ahead to the next step:

Most of the time, we think wrongly that we can always attain our goal without difficulties or setback. But that is not often the case in the reality. In almost every field of activities we commit ourselves to evolve, we will meet with difficulties, contend with troublesome moments. However, if those situations occur, it is not an end itself. Rather, we must be aware of the fact that something is wrong. Either we lack a sort of skill, or we didn’t have a good action plan. Or perhaps, we didn’t get suitable information before about what we have undertaken.

I recall that I was put in charge of a phone box management. At this time, the means of communication the most used in Togo was landline (that we call here the “fixed telephone.” This business was so lucrative that I was impatient to have my own landline. I struggle for that, and finally, I got it. Unfortunately, the benefit that I find was easily insufficient to pay my employee. The reason is simple: the moment I was about to set up my landline, I didn’t take heed of the fast evolution of the new technologies of information and communication. Almost every individual had his own cell phone. Thus, I was obliged to abandon this business. However, it isn’t an end in itself. Rather, I learned, through that bitter experience a lesson: before undertaking anything at all, it is important to take patiently some time of thougths, investigation and evaluation before. After all, what the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude.

b. Your thoughts create your experience.

Every situation we live is merely the result of the thoughts we create and look after in our mind. I learned through the reading of inspirational books that “we must take very care of our mental attitude, for predominant thoughts in our mind tern always into physical realities.” Pleasant or unpleasant circumstances, its depends on the type of thoughts we conceive regularly in our mind.

I know somebody who seems to be kind. However, he is very spiteful. I think I must keep secret his name. Nevertheless, to be sincere, this person was a close friend. Moreover, I lived together with them, for a time. Through most of our previous discussions, I noticed that he resorted to harmful and mysterious means to punish those who offend him. No matter what could happen to those persons. I can say without abuse that he ignores that feeling which urges to forgive.

Furthermore, he doesn’t want to struggle in order to earn a living, almost that. Many years after the death of their father, he was in the forefront of those who decided to sell the house they inherit from their late father. To make matters worse, after the sale, he lent his part of money to a cousin, with a percentage of benefits of course.

Unfortunately, the cousin, his debtor became insolvent. Therefore, he had no more money and was obliged to free the bedroom he has hired. As you see, looking for one’s happiness through the effort of another person is a negative mental attitude. And this mental attitude attracts obviously difficult circumstances. I am not saying that I don’t make mistake or fault, not at all.

Now, my friend lives together with an older sister who feeds him.You see, he copes with problems, and most of his close friends flee him now. I talk about the ongoing situation of this friend in order to emphasize somethings: circumstances of our life reveal the type of thoughts we have. And they are the detours our thoughts use to be expressed.

The more we sow thoughts of rancor, hate and revenge in our mind, the more we will experience undesirable, bitter and unbearable situations who often rely on other persons to get wealth and happiness will be always disappointed.

c. Becoming a spiritual being first, and a physical being second.

At first, sorry for those who are not Christian or don’t believe in the Bible. Nevertheless, I am sure that everyone agree that there is an uppermost spirit who created the world. No matter how people call “Him” in each erea of the world.Christians call him God (Yehovah). So, the Bible says that “God is love; he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”

Thus, I think that the best way to become a spiritual being consist in remaining in Love. Instead of thinking or taking always care of oneself, love urges us to think about others, especially those who are needy, and to help them. Love helps, forgives and permits rather to see the positive side of others. Currently, I live in a house. I don’t know what I have done against a woman. Before, we got on well, but at a given time, if I greet her, she didin’t answer. Or, she replied hardly. I said to myself that, if she continues in this way, I will stop to greet her.

You see, it is very important to read inspirational books. I read one titled in french:Maîtrisez votre destin par l’ esprit (Master your destiny by spirit: is my own translation).Almost everything Dr Emmet FOX talked about in this book and made is founded on love, forgive and faith. He proceeded thus and helped people to heal themselves from illness, and save themselves from bitter situations.

So, fortunately, I recalled myself about advices of this book, and decided to continue to greet that woman. In my prayers, I wish her love, self-mastery, and wisdom. The result was efficient: not only she reply me better, but one day she spokes to me the first.

I think that, becoming a spiritual being consist really in forgiving and wishing best things to others, even though they seems to hate you. On another hand, if we want sincerely to become a spiritual being, we have to be aware of the fact that we are soul at first and then body. God is the soul who works through the body. So, if we are convinced about this, we can experience marvelous things, we can realize great things. An author said, I think Napoléon Hill: “What the mind of man conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with a positive mental attitude.”

d. Real Magic and your relationship.

The author of Key to Success said:«At the center of purposeful relationship is love. Love is giving and it has nothing to do with what you receive. I agreed with him. And before we reach that level of attitude, we must direct our mind in this way. For, as we think so shall we be. That is the starting point of real magic manifesting in our relationships. Everything we get in our physical live, every circumstances we experience is just exactly the material equivalent of our thoughts. Once we have love in our heart, once we think about others with love feeling, our relationship will be pleasant and joyful.

However, we don’t have all the same mental attitude. There are many persons whose mind is full of nasty, hate, jealousy, or revenge. Somebody said that “Human born well, it is the society which corrupts him.” So, we must be very careful in order to discard these kind of relationships. Moreover, if we have some close friends or relative who have those misbehaviors, we always owe them love and respect. Then, if we want to establish a good relationship with them, we must avoid to critic or blame them. Rather, we have to consider them with love and struggle to change them positively through our attitudes, both mental or physical. It will be a continuous mental and physical exercise. I think the greatest gift we can offer to others is to send them love, forgiving and getting on well with them.

Sometimes, we are tempted to force our friends to do what we desire. We must remove that attitude from our mind. It get worse things in relationships. Each of us must respect the will of his next, the will of others. Once our friends, our relative are convinced that we respect them, they will not hesitate to rely on us and get quickly on well with us.

In short, instead of considering the bad side of others, we will do better to focus on their competencies, their qualities. For myself, I keep trying. Let’s be overwhelmed by love, and it will expands around us.

e. The big lie

Every day, we pollute our life with what Dr Wayne W.Dyer calls “Big lie.” When

I was child, and then teenager, I was very calm. I can say that I was also shy. I can not take initiative even in my own family. I thought I am born like that. Moreover, I recall that one day, while I was laughing, a neighbor, a woman told me that it is the first time she discovers my truths. So, many years ago, when I became an adult person, I realize that that attitude doesn’t work for me. People don’t approach me. And those who are younger than me were almost afraid of me. My own little sister couldn’t discuss with me: what a pity. Now, I recognize sincerely that I have changed more. Many persons trust me, and some of them don’t hesitate to solicit my advices.

Furthermore, some of these big lies, not only pollute our life, but destroy our health. As you know, there is a direct relationship or action between our thoughts and our body. As you think, so shall you be.

I know a young caretaker whose stomach is swollen. One day, we were three to discuss together. The caretaker took part of the discussion. And at a given time, we asked him if he doesn’t suffer from the state of his stomach. His first answers made us laugh. He replied that the “swollen stomach” is a common fact of his family. So, he inherits it from his family. He continued telling us that if he goes to a meeting, because of the form of his stomach, people offer him the seat among the first places. He tried to let us know that he was considered like a great personality and was very respected.

Unfortunately or fortunately, he reveals us that it hinder his breathing.

There are numerous big lies which prevent us to improve and enhance our life. And as long as we will imprison our life within those manners of thinking, we can not free our huge potentials. As long as we will connect our mind with those big lies, we can’t succeed. So, let’s break up with these big lies in order to hatch our spiritual being and allow it work for us.

f. The fear of death.

Some times, when we are seriously ill, death ideas overwhelm us. Maybe, we are living luxurious material things that we don’t want to leave. Perhaps, we are worried of the future of our children. Or, we are startled and disappointed that we have great projects that we didn’t achieve yet. All those ideas and feeling encourage the fear of death.

Nevertheless, I think that the fear of death comes mostly and deeply from some religious educations. Thus, we are told that after our death, there will be a judgment. The right persons will go to the paradise, and the sinner persons to the hell where they will be destroyed by a fire. At the same time, we learnt that nobody is perfect. So, as imperfect persons, who will reach the paradise and who will be doomed to the hell?

However, once we are aware of our spiritual being, we can eradicate the fear of death from our mind. Let’s know that we are firstly a spiritual being who has no boundary and limitation. It will allow us to go beyond physical limitative considerations and live peacefully and joyfully.

g. Stay focus on what you are for rather than what you are against.

This mental attitude (stay focus on what we are against) is a habit of most of us. We don’t know how to use our mind when we contend with problems. Thus, instead of thinking about what we desire, we take all our time to focus on what we de-test.We ignore that the more we focus on something, the easier that thing appears in the reality. I learned through inspirational books I read that “our thoughts always attract their material equivalents. “Otherwise, if a student for example, while passing his exam is afraid of failure, he has a great chance to fail. A person who learn how to ride a bicycle will have accident if his thoughts are on the fear of accident. In this case, I’m going to share with you what happened to me one day. I came back to home riding my small bicycle. The traffic was very heavy. So heavy that I was afraid of how the motor-bike drivers were driving on the road. I must let you know that most of the time in Lomé our capital town, the traffic accidents were caused by those motor-bike drivers. That afternoon, while I was riding my bicycle, I didn’t pay attention to what was happen in front of me. All my thoughts were guided by the fear of accident. And the accident happened, I hit a man who passed across the road. Fortunately, he was very tolerant. You see, we must pay attention to the thoughts we sow and water in our mind.

David Komsi, author of Le pouvoir de l’ attraction.(The power of attraction: is my own translation), gives an excellent advice. Every time we notice that our thoughts are on things we don’t want, in order to attract what we are for, we must ask ourselves at once this question: so what I want?This question help us to focus on what we desire. I make of this small but useful question a daily exercise. And it help me to direct positively my thoughts.

The same author, David Komsi said in his book that “People who have difficult life are those who focus too much on what they don’t want.” So, let’s think always about what we are for. I want to finish this part of my assessment with a quote of Albert Einstein: “The madness is to do every time the same thing, and expect a different result.”

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way,both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

First and foremost, these lessons help me to reach an inner peace, for where there is no trouble, there is peace. There is no trouble within our spiritual being. Now, I have to share this peace with others. I must send them love, no matter what they can think about me; no matter what could be their intention toward me. If we sow love in our heart and send it to others in our daily life, we let our spiritual being grow.

These lessons help me also to close my eyes on what I can consider like misbehavior, or fault of others: this is love in activity. In this case, I can build a fair and pleasant relationship. Moreover, I am now equipped to become a good leader. A person who inspires confidence and lead others to a higher level of achievement. Furthermore, the cornerstone of our spiritual being is Love. The Bible said in John15:7 that “if you remain in me, and my world remain in you, ask everything you want, you will get it.”

We are now in a cloudy world which urge us to search a refuge. And the best refuge is our own spiritual being,God in action within us. So I encourage everyone to be aware of this spiritual being, and to take care of it in order to live a life of peace, love, and success.

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.

None.

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?

No.

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.

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

No.

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

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9.75