As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Sadiq Rita Salamat (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author is trying to convey the power of thoughts. He outlined how we can use our mind in positive ways to shape our life and bring them to reality. That all our actions are products of hidden seeds of thought whether positive or negative. He likened the mind to a garden, which if well cultivated and nurtured will produce and give a pleasant outlook, but if left untended, it brings out thorns, weeds and unpleasant to behold.
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 as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. Thoughts are seed
James Allen made it very clear in this beautiful book that our thoughts are the seed that sprout out to show our habit, attitude, and character. As master of thought that we are, he let us know “that human are the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment and destiny.” In essence, whatever condition we find ourselves in presently is a direct proportion of the thought pattern of the individual. Therefore, the need to guard our thoughts flow. With the right thoughts, our mind gives orderliness, vitality, positive energy, and their fruits are always beautiful and successful in the endeavors we engage in. Good thoughts bear good fruits.
ii. Thoughts form character
Thoughts form the bases of the quality of character we build and exhibit. Our thoughts and imagination ultimately become our personality or character. The quality of our thoughts creates the reality of our lives. He explained that if for any reason, one has been a victim of his own thought, he can change at the point he realizes this truth. Not to concentrate on the effects but dig out the cause of that situation from the heart and deal with it. Deep thought reveals to us who we really are, shows you what your fears are, the things you are anxious for and in this process, you can unravel what needs to be changed and do so.
iii. Be purposeful in your thought
That we should be clear in our thought, not in a wishing and wandering pattern. All you have achieved or failed to achieve is a direct result of your own thoughts. Don’t be anxious to improve your life while there is no purpose or clear direction to attaining or improving it. “A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life.” Being purposeful means therefore putting away aimless wandering, lustful wishing and working hard to enter the point where you can be ranked among the strong. Those who defy all odds and make their condition bow to them not whimpering like a slave under a burden that cannot be undone. Channel our thoughts to attempt brilliant ideas and work to accomplishing same. Thought connected fearlessly to purpose becomes a creative force which abides for a long term in producing the effects it was directed to achieve.
iv. Know that your thoughts affect your health
Disease and health issues like circumstances are rooted in thought. The author makes it clear that thoughts of fear and anxiety contribute to degenerate the body. That pure and happy thoughts keep the body in vigor and vitality. “The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.” Having a good disposition towards life gives a harmonious outlook. Dieting without good thoughts will not help the body but instead degrades it. According to the author, there is no physician like cheerful thoughts. When we engage in cheerful thoughts, the risk of depression is reduced, there would be low level of distress and pain and this ultimately increases one’s life span.
v. Take care of your circumstances by your thoughts.
It is good to observe your thought process, don’t allow it to go out of control into the negative realm. “Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.” Every condition is a permeates products of thought. Our wishes and prayers are only answered when align with our thoughts, while we may not be able to choose our circumstances; for instance, where we come from or the family we are born into, but through thoughts and conscious effort, we can shape our circumstance to what we want from negative to positive, from sickness to health, from poverty to abundant wealth, all that is require is your focused thought and patience.
“Indigence and indulgence are the two extremes of wretchedness. They are both equally unnatural and the result of mental disorder. A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer, of the man with his surroundings.” So, the inner affects the outer. As one ceases to kick against circumstances, but build up thoughts that are noble, ideas of progress will begin to appear thereby bringing to fore the hidden powers and possibilities within oneself.
vi. Don’t wish for things instead work it out
“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.” What the author meant here is that whatever your thoughts are, is what you get. Suffering is the effects of thoughts. Bestial thoughts crystallize into habits of drunkenness and sensuality, which solidifies into circumstance of destitution and disease: impure thoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into distracting and adverse circumstances etc. Beautiful thoughts on the other hand, crystallize into habits of grace and kindness, which solidify into genial and sunny circumstances. As one dwells on beautiful thoughts, it soon begins to shape one’s outlook to circumstances and the changes desired will manifest itself as you work on them.
vii. Continue to grow your capacity
To build capacity means your visions and ideals must continually be in focus. Continuous effort on improvement grows your capacity, this will come only because of your thought process. “Achievement of whatever kind is the crown of effort, the diadem of thought.” There should be no moment given to indolence and indulgence, you must master self-control for capacity to continue to increase, otherwise, you can see yourself coming down to decadence from the lofty height. In growing capacity, the following should be carefully considered:
· Self Control
· Resolution
· Purity
· Righteousness
· Sacrifice
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 still a work in progress, hence my being in this class. I was in a meeting with a friend who I admired greatly, her disposition to life is superb. She talks like someone who knows her onions, then she mentioned some of the training she had undergone including IIGL, I was curious, I asked her about IIGL after our meeting, so here I am because I want to improve, I want to grow more. As for creating a better world, I already have a community project directed towards young people. As a young person born into an indigent environment and family, I desired a better life, but it was a far-reaching sentiment, I had no idea of what to do. The only thing I kept at was to ensure I get some education, which took a long and windy way to obtaining my first degree. Due to my experiences in life, I decided to start a centre for young people in 2014 to help them discover their purpose early in life, focus on building that purpose especially at their formative age and continue to build on it as they grow. At the Centre, value systems like hard work, honesty, ethics, respect, and acts of kindness are taught and held in high esteem. By this, I am helping to create a better world with a people-oriented mindset, being richer in positive thoughts and working the same out. I believed that if I had known a better way of reasoning, my journey to self-actualization would have been less treacherous. Then, I am grateful, that is why I said earlier that I am still a work in progress. Many young people have been influenced in the community where we are situated to realign their mind towards achieving purpose in life. The motto for our club is: “Building Destiny for Purposeful Living.”
A person’s character is the sum of his or her thoughts, simply put, we become what our thoughts are. Whether our actions are spontaneous or deliberate, it is still a byproduct of our 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.
Some of the inspiring quotes I enjoyed in the read are:
“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped, and even then, the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition.”
Importance: This is to say that I must be willing to be personally responsible for my thought pattern and exercise the power thereof to my advantage. Otherwise, no matter who is there to help me will just be a futile effort.
“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances but are unwilling to improve themselves.”
Importance: In essence, if my circumstances must change, I must do what will improve me first, beginning with my way of thinking, then my circumstances will improve. For example, what training do I require to improve my present job or what skill will add value to my job to attract more earnings thereby improving my circumstances and wellbeing.
“A man may rise to high success in the world, and even to lofty altitudes in the spiritual realm, and again descend into weakness and wretchedness by allowing arrogant, selfish and corrupt thoughts to take possession of him.”
Importance: By all means, pride, arrogant behaviors and selfishness must be avoided at the height of success to not plunge down back to the bottom.
“The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears; it reaches the height of its cherished aspiration; it falls to the level of its unchastened desires and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.”
Importance: What one thinks mostly does happen, whether positive or negative. So, I need to guard my thoughts in a positive realm.
“By the right choice and true application of thought, the human ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thoughts, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character.”
Importance: Make the right choice to think right.
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?
It is a profound work; the book is well understood. I recommend that every human living should try and read it. It is a powerful tool that can revolutionize the way we think. However, in addition to the power of thoughts, environmental factors play major role in shaping us. No matter how choicest your seed is, the soil which it is planted matters, and the soil I mean here is the environment, not the soil of the heart. I am talking from the perspective of my environment; I am an African from Nigeria. Many a times, the environment is not friendly enough to pursue your dreams to reality. Poor leadership in authorities, unfriendly harsh socio-economic realities has led many and still leading many to a state of inertia. I know that a pure thought held high with optimism and working hard to achieve ultimately will attract the universe’ nod, but it does take so long that many do not possess the patience required to attain that lofty height, therefore succumbing to the status quo of the mundane. What I am saying in essence is that environmental factors are also a huge denominator in determining the quality of thoughts we acquaint ourselves with.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes. The assessment questions. Yes, they are 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.
None. But I have this to reechoed. “The dreamers are the saviors of the world.” I must not stop dreaming.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is overall rating you would give it? 10
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Sadiq Rita Salamat (Nigeria)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author is trying to convey overcoming limitations. Jonathan Livingston Seagull demonstrates how one can overcome limitations, obstacles, fear, and cultural inhibition in life, and get them replaced with overwhelming success and triumph. It is a simple story that demonstrates the power of daring. The result was an overwhelming victory.
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 as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.
i. Discover yourself
Jonathan Livingston Seagull showed the desire to discover more about himself. He was not contented with just being a seagull, even though by design and make up of his frame he could chose to accept who he was and there will be no problem about that, just like his other flock members, but he chose to explore his innate ability which is to fly. So not to be content with one’s present situation no matter how beautiful or ugly it might be is to start with a desire for discovery. He desires to be more than just a shore seagull struggling for daily survival amidst his flock group. Livingston’s discovery consequently helped him go beyond the mundane of daily struggles for survival. There must be a desire to reach a higher goal.
ii. Have belief in yourself
Self-belief is the power for propelling! For Jonathan, he longed for that limitless power of independence from his environment. No matter how difficult it seemed, Jonathan believed he could fly irrespective of others’ opinion around him including his parents who tried to convince him from trying so hard to change his inability to fly.
iii. Work hard
Jonathan set himself apart from others to develop his capacity to fly. The practice was severe, denial to the companionship of his beloved family and even going hungry sometimes. There is a lot of perseverance to undergo when working to achieve your set out goals, dreams, desires in life. It takes hard work to overcome most difficult situations in life and we should never give up until we attain success or result from our dreams.
iv. Improving your skill
Keep improving on the skill you are working hard at. After he was cast out by the “Flock,” he did not bemoan his being alone in his belief, but he pressed harder and learned more each day. That improved learning helped him to flew through heavy sea-fogs and climbed above them into dazzling clear skies…. In the very times when every other gull stood on the ground, knowing nothing but mist and rain. He learned to ride the high winds far inland, to dine there on delicate insects. One’s improved skill will eventually lead to higher ground and opportunities. This was what led Jonathan to meet the two seagulls and elder Chiang. Improved skills lead to opportunity.
v. Take your eyes off obstacles
There are obstacles that Jonathan Livingston Seagull faced and overcame which are also present with every one of us on our daily quest of life. Some of the many obstacles that Jonathan faced were:
1. His inability to fly higher.
2. Becoming an outcast.
3. Walking his dream alone
4. The success to fly was not automatic
5. Tradition: He had to break the belief system that a seagull cannot fly more than a few miles per hour which he broke to 250miles and higher.
vi. Failure is not the end
After he fell on his practicing skills, he was discouraged, he felt like a failure who was not meant to attain that height he is trying to attain by flying higher than it is accepted by his tribe of Flock, but he didn’t give up entirely, he was resolute and that brought him out of despair. So, we should not give up at the face of failure.
vii. Share your learnings with others
Jonathan Livingston Seagull with his learnings and mastery in flying, and the trait of love and kindness he learned from Chiang. He decided to go back to his native earth where he was cast out to help those who might be struggling to find meaning to living like he was.
My personal life experience is relatable to that of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I have been trying to get meaning out of life, so far, it is worth the struggle. But on a daily occurrence, something happened recently while I was still reading the JLS, getting home and reflecting on the happening of the day, I just smiled and decided I will share it hereth. I was at the bus stop after closing from work the evening of March 18, getting a bus was difficult because it was a rush hour and people were crossing to the other lane of the road to join buses discharging people. Instead of waiting patiently for the bus to turn the roundabout and get to our bus stop, people decided to cross, normal thing to Lagos people if you are familiar with our behaviour; so that by the time the bus get to where the loading bus stop is situated, where I was, there was no space again. I and a few others, I guess seeing those crossing in an absurd way remained where we were for almost an hour, tired and frustrated, I had to make the move to go the other side, though not the conventional way in a normal society, but then, Lagos is not a normal society of any typical civilization. Less than five minutes of crossing over, a bus came, and I entered. It was just a simple decision I needed to take, to cross over or remain where I was while I looked at those crossing over as funny yet remained with my feelings of frustration. As simple as this little experience may look, it is an example of the daily decision that we take every time which affects our entire outlook on life. So it is with our dreams, desires, and ambitions that drives us. Discover it, believe it and pursue it.
3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?
These ideas will help me to be more focused in the pursuit of my life goals, to stay positive and to always see a way out of any situation no matter how daunting, instead of seeing obstacles. Ultimately, every obstacle once overcome will pave way for higher opportunity. Being normal is okay for everyone, but for a Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a normal is usually not enough, hence the need to want to fly from the zone of struggle to just eat. Being on the same page with everyone who wants an average life only is good, but that outstanding life and success requires a breakout.
So, to create a better world, I must follow my instinct of discovery and ensure that it passed round amongst my immediate environment and to as many as crosses my path who may need it. I currently engage young children, teenagers, and young adult in my community through volunteering programe to coach, impact skills and engage in extracurricular activities. At the centre, value system like hard work, honesty, ethics, respect, act of kindness are held in high esteem. By this, I am helping to create a better world by raising people with better ideas, superior motives, and willingness to do what is just and right.
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.
Yes. There is, the quote that endears me most is: “but the weight of failure was even heavier on his back. He wished, feebly, that the weight could be just enough to drug him gently down to the bottom and end it all.”
His upstroke practice of vertical dive failed on all ten attempts. His failure to sustain the just gained 90 mile per hour brought him to a state of dismal, it was a state of negative feelings. What could be more disheartening, here he is, a ten-time failure, all effort just seems futile. Different things that justify his giving up ran through his mind. His limited nature as a seagull, the features that he doesn’t possess if he were to fly at a high altitude.
“But amid his reminiscing, his solution came. The hollow voice of fear that tried to alert him of his inability to fly in the dark, from this fear came the solution. Short wings. A falcon’s short wings! That’s the answer! What a fool I have been! He exclaimed. All I need is a tiny little wing, all I need is to fold most of my wings and fly on just the tips alone! Short wings!”
Many times, the solution we seek for our challenges often lies in the challenge itself, all one need do is to look inward, think deeply, keep trying and never give up. If I must try 999 times over to get it right, so be it.
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?
Everything in the book is well understood, and there is no unclear subject. I do not disagree with the author’s view. The story is a mirror to most life of struggle and success.
What I see is that the seagull, though small and fragile, yet has the capacity to fly 50 feet or so if more effort is made. A simple but very profound message that shows we can be more than we care to believe.
Jonathan eventually became a leader to those willing to learn too, even from his former tribe of Flock. With determination, dedication, discipline and sacrifice, the set goal was achieved, the satisfaction this brings transcends personal gratification. It is a self-discovery process for personal growth in pursuit of excellence that ultimately influenced him to the role of leadership. And Seagull Fletcher was born as Jonathan went to higher height in the air. Same thing with us, after we have gone through the trials of life to triumph, we must teach others what we had learned to equip them adequately.
6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?
Yes. The assessment questions. Yes, they are 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.
None.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is overall rating you would give it? 10