Oluwatosin Osho – Assessments

As A Man Thinketh

Assessment by Oluwatosin Osho (Nigeria)

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

The main theme of the book “As A Man Thinketh” is based on the thought process of man and its inherent nature to forge the destinies of individuals. As rightly said by the author that ‘As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he’ and that ‘Man is made or unmade by himself’, we are made to understand the great powers of the human mind. The human mind is the most powerful and important part of the body for it is the warehouse of all cognitive functions. Our actions, inactions thereof and reactions are all products of the workings of our mind. Hence, it is important to consider our thoughts – a bye product of our minds – as a paramount factor in our future success or failure.

The author emphasizes the importance of our thoughts by critically examining its influence on our character, health, purpose, achievement and serenity. For instance, I learnt that a healthy mind makes a healthy body while an ailing spirit dampens the body. In addition, we are made to understand that our actions are borne out of our thoughts. According to the author: “As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them.” This further opens up a new perspective regarding the often complex but simple process it takes between thinking and acting out our thoughts. In other words, every action of ours until present – one time or another – has been a carefully cultivated thought. Thus, our actions are the fruits of our conscious thoughts.

Further, the author also points out the fact that we have the required power over our thoughts. In his words, “Man is manacled only by himself;” which means that we have the ability to control our thoughts and be whoever we want to be. In our mind lies the fire with which we forge our swords of destiny. To take charge of our life, we must learn to control our thoughts through meditation, self-discipline and continuous personal reflection.

Lastly, the author urges us to channel our thoughts into the realisation of positive goals. Centring our thoughts on ideals rather than vanities, would help us in our search to find meaning to our lives, and fully understand the true meaning of life itself. In addition, we are also encouraged to pursue self-control and sacrifice in our desires to be successful.

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 you. Use personal examples from your own life.

A. Character Building

The very first important idea espoused by the author has to do with character building. A wise man once said that an individual’s character/reputation is like a shadow – it follows him wherever he goes. Thus, the importance of a good character cannot be over emphasised because a man’s character goes before him to wherever he goes. Though a man’s appearance might change before the eyes of men, his character would always remain the same and define people’s perception of him. For instance, I have encountered different people at some point in my life who were total strangers but seemed to know a lot about me. This only point to how far our reputation, forged by our character can travel. Right from my youth, I have learnt the importance of an ideal character because it is often said that an individual’s character speaks for him in his absence.

B. Self-Control

The second important ideal is self-control. Self-control simply refers to the ability to prioritise your needs over your wants. In clearer terms, it is the ability of an individual to exercise a certain degree of control over himself. Great leaders have been famed to exercise a high degree of control over themselves, thus, I believe it is important for individuals to possess a strong ability to do what they need to do – rather than what their cravings suggest – at every point in time. For example, my team leader amazes me with how much control he has over his emotions. Sometimes, you expect him to get angry with some of our misgivings but the way he handles these situations surprises me and this has made him earn the respect of everyone.

C. Sacrifice

Third, the author’s treatise on sacrifice has revealed a deeper understanding of a sacrificial life in me. Sacrifice simply means giving up something in expectation of something bigger. In economic terms, sacrifice is referred to as opportunity cost. In the words of James Allen: “There can be no progress nor achievement without sacrifice, and a man’s worldly success will be by the measure that he sacrifices.” Thus, I believe that sacrifice is an important part in our struggle to succeed because for an individual to truly succeed, he has to give up his thoughts of failure for thoughts of success. Another important point to note is that our levels of success is determined by ‘how much’ we are willing to go. In mathematical terms, the level of success achieved is directly proportional to the amount of sacrifice made; as the author rightly said, “He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”

D. Purpose or vision

The fourth important idea is purpose or vision. The purpose of a thing refers to the reason that thing was made in the first place. As individuals, there is a purpose for our being and it is important to find it because purpose serves as a map that reveals the path, in our journey to the land of success. The idea of finding our purpose or setting our vision is important because it serves as a checklist that we use to assess where we are against where we ought to be. For instance, I joined an organisation two years ago without highlighting why I was joining or what I hoped to gain out of the partnership. Some months later, I was forced to leave the organisation because I soon discovered that I was gaining nothing positive. Hence, I wondered what might have been if I had set clear targets for myself before I joined. We need to understand that it is finding our purpose and setting clear goals for ourselves that help us become successful individuals.

E. Self-Improvement

Fifth, self-improvement is another crucial idea in our quest to become better individuals. Our thoughts are crucial to determining how who we become, thus, it is essential to work on channelling our thoughts into improving our lives. Careful study of the book reveals that we are what we think we are. What we sow in thoughts, we reap in actions. In essence, since an individual is defined by his thoughts, it is important to channel our thoughts into ideals of possibilities, wealth and other positive feelings for self-improvement.

F. Resilience

Another important idea discussed by James Allen is resilience.Resilience simply means the determination of an individual to succeed against all odds. A resilient heart never gives up. Resilience is an important attitude because it is there to help us overcome the tough encounters of life. I learnt about the power of resilience some years back when I was having difficulties with my academic. The situation was terrible and I looked lost but I never stopped believing and trying. Before I knew it, I had conquered my fears and I was out of the difficult situation. From this encounter, I learnt a very important lesson of turning your weakness to strength. I discovered that I turned my fears into a platform for my success by refusing to stop believing in my abilities.

G. Imagination

Perhaps, the most important idea gained from this book deals with the powers of creativity through imagination. Our imaginations rest on our ability to dream, and move from the logical to illogical. The rewards of allowing our imaginations go wild cannot be measured. The words of the author that “Humanity cannot forget its dreamers” is deceptively simple and true because the great inventions of this world are all products of imagination. The Wright brothers had to imagine the possibility of men travelling in the air before conceiving the idea of an airplane. Applying our thoughts to imagination would lead us to discover creative ways of solving life’s problems. Lately, I had difficulty in prosecuting a project. However, I discovered that I had allowed myself to be too logical and refusing to see anything from another perspective. Realising this, I allowed myself to see the problem from different perspective. Surprisingly, I discovered the solution to that particular problem from one of the many things I imagined.

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

Yes. Ruminating on the ideas discussed in this book has opened my eyes to the immeasurable power of the human mind. I have learnt that by channelling my thoughts into positive thinking, I can be whoever I want to become. In addition, I have gained a different perspective on imagination. I have learnt that imagination operates at a higher realm than logic and that it is only at this level that the potentials of creativity can be fully utilised. Thus, I believe my new perspective would aid me in developing creative solutions to practical problems.

Further, I hope that the ideas on self-control, self-discipline and sacrifice would aid me in my quest to lead by example. In the belief that leaders are made and not born, I hope that my careful and detailed application of these principles would help me earn the respect of everyone.

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.

“Thought in the mindhath made us. What we are by thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind hath evil thought, pain comes on him as comes the wheel the ox behind. If one endures in purity of thought, Joy follows him as his own shadow.”

The above statement reveals a whole lot of truth about the human mind. I was drawn to this passage because it was significant in my understanding of the immense power of our thoughts. Upon reflection, I further discovered the two-fold influence of our thoughts on us, that is, positive and negative influence. In addition, I also learnt the truth about individuals becoming whom they are, not because of some outside forces (as erroneously believed) but because of the workings of the forces within – their very own thoughts.

“Circumstance does not make a man; it reveals him to himself.”

This further suggests the very role our thoughts play in determining our lives. This statement is significant because it characterises the circumstance that an individual faces as a clear mirror of himself (his very thoughts). In other words, our present experiences, challenges and difficulties offer a graphic representation of the state of our mind at that particular point in time. However, it is important to remember that not all individuals who are deep in bad circumstance have a negative outlook to life. Even the individual with ideal thoughts has faced trouble at a point in time, thus, the difference lies in how these individuals turn their present failures into streams of success.

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 that 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? 5
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6

 

 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Assessment by Oluwatosin Osho (Nigeria)

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

The author is trying to get across an idea that is based on continuous self-improvement through meditation. The author gets this across by making various aphorisms and remarks about the unlimited power of the human mind. “A seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, an image of the Great Gull, and your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought itself.” (Emphasis mine). What the above quote means is that an individual possesses limitless ability and that the whole idea of an individual regarding his abilities, restrictions and capabilities are but fictions of the human mind. Truly, the power of the human mind cannot be measured for it is as limitless as the sky above. In another line in the book, the author tries to convey the unlimited power of imagination, say: ‘The trick, according to Chiang, was for Jonathan to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body that had a forty-two inch wingspan and performance that could be plotted on a chart. The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as perfect as an unwritten number,everywhere at once across space and time.” The very power to succeed is inside us, the “trick” is just showing enough will power to delve deep into our minds, search our souls and believe that nothing is impossible.

In addition, the author also tries to intimate us of the fact that though the power of the human mind cannot be estimated, we often find it difficult to use mostly due to our nature about always maintaining the status-quo. The case of the Elder gulls and the other gulls who felt that flying was just another triviality they could ill afford and that the life of a gull was just to eat and live, rightly describes the thinking of most of us. We feel at ease with our present predicament even though we can just reach into our hearts, deep down inside us and create appropriate solutions to our problems.

Summarily, it could be deduced that deep down in us is contained an infinite library of solutions to our problems, we just have to find the right book with the right solutions to our challenges. This we can achieve by utilising the boundless power of the human mind through imagination.

A. Hard Work

The first important message I personally learnt from the life of Jonathan Seagull is hard work. Hard work refers to a deliberate concentration of your effort towards the achievement of a certain goal. In the book, Jonathan Seagull becomes a certain type of ‘master’ flier due to the amount of effort He committed to learning all there was about flight. Thus, personally, I believe that you make your own luck in life. Though we encounter luck on our way to success, we can never truly succeed if we fail to commit our best to achieving our goals.

B. Determination

Second, I have discovered that determination is necessary for an individual to achieve his goals. I believe that nothing can take the place of determination in the quest for success. Determination works by trying every time you fail and turning one’s fears into a source of motivation. Just like Jonathan Seagull, there were times I had problems with my academics, however, each time these problems rose up, I have triumphed by trying repeatedly. Determination is vital because it is the difference between success and otherwise. An individual might possess the best brains; have the most charming personality, have the best network of contacts and so on; however, if he lacks the urge to succeed, he can only get nowhere because determination is characterised by the ‘I can do spirit’.

C. Self-Improvement

Third, I have learned that an individual should also seek for continuous self-improvement. Self-improvement is regarded as the refusal to rest on your laurels. This is important because we live in a constantly changing world where new technologies emerge daily and billions of information is created every minute. Thus, every second spent on thinking about your achievements rather than looking at other ways to better your achievement, will create room for others to overtake an individual. There was a time in my life when I thought I was the most informed on politics and economics among my peers. However, I received a shock while during one of our many debate, I discovered I knew only a fraction of what most of them were discussing. Since then, I have learned to spend every minute of my life devising ways to better my achievements.

D. Being able to think and act differently.

Fourth, another important idea is being able to think and act differently. Jonathan Seagull failed to think like the other gulls who perceived him an outcast, though, Jonathan had already discovered a better way to life. Being different takes a lot of courage because one risks being tagged a recluse. In addition, we tend to follow the crowd (just like the other gulls who followed the Elder gull’s instruction blindly) because we most times believe there is a certain kind of insurance by following the collective-which is wrong. However, the importance of walking uncharted territory lies in the many discoveries and success that abound therein.

E. Humility

Fifth, I have learnt a new thing about humility. Humility is an important ideal because it helps an individual recognise and accept his/her weaknesses. A humble individual recognises his/her limitations, failings and mistakes, and seeks for ways to rectify them. In addition, it takes a humble mind to succeed in the quest for continuous self-improvement. Just like Jonathan Seagull who though knew, all there was to know about flying but never passed up any opportunity to learn new flying skills from anyone; it is essential for us as individuals to show enough humility to learn from anyone irrespective of age, class or status.

F. Resilience

Sixth, I have gained a new perspective on resilience. I discovered that success is gotten on the altar of failure. That is, successful individuals have also had their fair share of failures, only that they succeeded in turning their failures into success. I am of the belief that in the race to be successful, we need to have the needed courage to persist even in the face of failure. There have been times in my life when I felt the odds were against me and I could not succeed, however, I emerged victorious by refusing to give up and giving it a try, time and again.

G. Love and Forgiveness

Lastly, another important idea from this book is about loveandforgiveness. In our road to success, we meet with lots of people-many of who ‘betray’ us in one way or another; thus, we are faced with a dilemma of whether to forgive them or not. Forgiveness is important because it helps us move on with our lives and to better things. Personally, I have always been eager to forgive those who wrong me because I have discovered that every time I do this, I become at ease with myself. In addition, love is important for a leader because successful leaders have the most empathy and sympathy for their followers.

There are many practical lessons from the life of Jonathan Seagull. First, I have gained a different perspective with regard to determination. I have learnt that success is not about how much skill you have but how far you are willing to go. Hence, I hope to apply this principle in overcoming my fears because I now know that the key to overcoming my fears is to keep myself busy with and stay focused on my set goals. In addition, learning about passion and hard work has helped me set a new rule in life never to undertake any project I have little or no passion for. Further, I have learnt the importance of forgiveness and love, thus, I have decided to abide by these principles and apply it daily in my interaction with everyone. Lastly, a cursory look at Jonathan Seagull’s life shows his passion for learning and teaching. Thus, I have decided to start sharing the ideas in this book with those around me in order to make them better individuals – in this way, contributing positively to the society.

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.

“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight.”

The above statement got my attention because it talked about young Jonathan Seagull’s passion for learning. Passion is an important part of an individual’s life because it keeps us going when other things fail. I had a conversation with an individual not too long ago while I was processing my admission into the university. The individual asked me why I chose to study economics and I replied saying that it was because I loved the course. He then asked if I truly had a passion for the course so I said yes and asked him why he asked that question. Thus, he replied that my passion for the course was what would keep me going when things do not go according to plan. I learned a great deal from the conversation and since then, I have made it a rule for me not to delve into things for which I have little passion. Ruminating on that statement further stirred me to carry out a personal scrutiny of my life to ascertain if I still had passion for all am currently involved in. As I later found out, this exercise was worthwhile and vital in helping me achieve my goals.

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