As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Stella S. Musembi
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author’s main idea is on the power of thought and how a man’s thinking can influence their life either positively or negatively. The author argues that a man is a sum total of what they think and that nothing happens in his life by chance, but that all is as a result of deliberate right thinking and effort. Since thinking happens in the mind then man has to cultivate and tune their minds to think right, then again lack of cultivation does not of itself mean that man will not think but to the contrary destructive kind of thought will embed itself naturally. A man’s thought and character are inseparably one. The body is the servant of the mind, consequently, the kind of thoughts that run through the mind have a direct effect on the body. Man is at all times required to put away aimlessness and weakness, which can only be achieved if he (man) chooses to have a purpose in life. Purpose can only be obtained via linking it with right thought. Whatever a man while achieve or not achieve in life is directly linked with his thoughts. Being a visionary is also very instrumental to achieving life’s purpose and goals. Finally for a man to acquire clarity of thought, a calm demeanor is indispensable.
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. The character of any individual is directly proportional to the thoughts that run through their minds. The author argues that a man attracts not that which he wants but that which he is. Therefore the kind of thoughts that govern a man’s mind will determine the achievements that they make in life and the desire will be meet only in accordance with an individual’s inmost thoughts. I believe the idea that the author is trying to drive home is the concept of faith and that with faith a man can achieve all things even what has been branded impossible. At some point in my life I was seriously seeking for employment I had dropped numerous applications and had also gone for several interviews but to no avail. But this one time I did a follow up on application that I had dropped previously and was immediately scheduled in for an interview, the preliminary interview went well and was informed to report the following week for the final interview by this time I had shed off all the negative attitude and thoughts I had accumulated over time and as I undertook the final interview with a positive mindset and with faith I was there and then taken in and given an official reporting date.
ii. The relationship between thought and circumstance. That a man’s thought and characters are one but character can only be manifested through circumstances. It is this circumstances that truly bring out a man’s character and chain of thoughts that run through their minds. It has taken certain circumstances in my life for me to know how it is that I react to disappointments and for me to learn how to control anger even if it means walking away and how to avoid reacting in manner that I would regret later on.
iii. The effect that thoughts have on the body and health of an individual. The body is always a servant of the mind, when the mind is infiltrated with negative thoughts and hopelessness this is like direct poison to the body. Such thoughts will be reflected on the body via wasting away of tissues, loss of appetite and weight amongst many other signs. A sickly body is almost always feed on sickly thoughts and thus the continual degradation of an individual’s health and body. Once I had gone to eat out and was feeling very hungry and thus order a full plate of the delicious delicacy of the day. After being served with what looked and smelt like a very delicious meal, I just couldn’t get myself to eat even half of what was served. As, I had this lingering thought of a visit that awaited me and that I not only dint look forward to but also dreaded a lot.
iv. Thoughts have to always be linked with purpose for there to be accomplishment. It has also been said that where a people lack a vision they perish. Aimlessness is a vice that has to be steered clear from to avoid destruction. A purpose should be the driving force of every individual and all their thoughts should be channeled towards achieving this purpose. I had purposed at a point in life to join certain institution of learning that was located away from the city where I was living and so every other time that I would see the public service vehicles that plied that route, I would tell myself that one day I would be travelling with those vehicles heading to that institution and with time it finally happened I applied and I was taken in as a student an d used the very same vehicles that I had proclaimed to myself to use.
v. Achievement in relation to thought. All that a man achieves or fails to achieve is directly as a result of his thoughts. Even with external help form say a stoner person, a weak person cannot still be helped unless they are willing to be helped and makes deliberate effort to improve. For a man to achieve anything he must lift up his thoughts above slavish selfish indulgence.
vi. Dreamers are very essential in any society. It has only been through men of great dreams that great achievements have been over the years .it therefore means it’s very important to dream and not only dreaming and be a visionary, but dream hefty dreams and by thus dreaming and hard work it will come to pass. I have seen myself achieve great heights in life and yet looking back it’s something that often always I had dreamed of.
vii. A calm mind is a jewel; it brings with it the aspect of self control and clarity of thought. In turn people always prefer to deal with a person who is calm and composed and have in general a strongly equable demeanor. It is moments in my life when I am calm that I think clearly and say sensible things and give relevant advice or opinion as the situation dictates.
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 have realized that my life’s destiny rests in my hands and more so in the way I think. My thoughts model my character, circumstance, body and health, purpose, achievement, vision and sense of calmness. As the master of my life and with full realization that as a man thinketh so is he. I therefore have a duty to fashion my thoughts in a positive course such that my character will reflect the person that I am from within, I also have the power to determine my circumstances in life and consciously choose which course my life can take and that of those willing to be influenced by my deliberate efforts. Thus I cannot be a victim of my circumstances but a victor of the same. My thoughts have to always be a lined such that my body is not weighed down a sorrowful spirit waists away the muscle. But a joyful heart radiates the body. My purposes, vision and ideals in life can only come to pass if my mind and thoughts are set to achieve them via maintaining a positive attitude and battling any contrary thoughts. A victory at this stage is a confirmation of a victory in the physical. A calm demeanor is very important; people will always prefer o deal with a person who is calm and composed. Thus such a person is also endowed with self control and in turn will have potential to positively influence their society, all because of being in control of their 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 thinketh in his hear so is he” this is biblical concept, Jesus Christ explains this in Mathew 15 that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him but that which that comes from the mouth, because those things that proceed from the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man.
“The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors” I believe this statement is true I have seen it working in my life where a conscious thought comes into reality the physical.
A man cannot directly choose his circumstance but he can choose his thoughts and so indirectly, yet surely shape his circumstance. I totally agree with this phrase and the positive ramifications of such kind of thinking.
“Body is the servant of the mind” I like this statement because; it had never occurred to me, the unique and close interrelationship between the body and the mind, especially in terms of servant hood. I therefore totally agree with the author that indeed the body is the servant of the mind
“Dream lofty dreams and as you dream so shall you become” this statement challenges me to aspire, desire and dream beyond my wildest of thought and also to rise above mediocrity, since great dreamers are great achievers.
“Self control is strength, Right thought is mastery, Calmness is power say unto your heart peace be still’ this is like a short summary of the book and it actually encourages the read to be calm, and take up the virtues set in the book so as to realize right thought.
5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?
The author’s concept of “they themselves are makers of themselves” at the very onset of the book is what I do not agree with. They are many circumstances in life that determine how an individual turns out and yes his/her thoughts my influence up to 80% of who they are but there also some external influences that always have to born in mind, which also have great influence on how an individual’s character will be and who they are or how they react to different issues in life. A child who grew up in an abusive home will often have issues with trust and relationships. They never consciously choose to have trust issues in their lives this is a quandary they have to battle consciously to overcome.
The idea that “man doesn’t attract that which they want but that which they are” is off truck for me if not contradictory. The author argues that as man thinketh so is he, how then is it, that it is not their thoughts that attract that which they want but instead who they are. Then in essence they is no point in having positive thoughts in the first place, since whom an individual is, will determine what they attract.
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 exercises where contained for I the reader to complete.
7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.
Not really, I am of the opinion that the questions are highly exhaustive.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.
A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Assessment by Stella S. Musembi (Kenya)
1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The author has used the art of symbolism and has given a scenario where a seagull which is ordinarily not interested in knowing much about flying, strays from the norm and is now much interested in flying than eating. The author in generally trying to convey the theme of determination and the lengths that a determined mind can raise one to and the heights that can be conquered if one has set their thoughts on achieving was what has been termed as impossible. Nothing is insurmountable as far as the author is concerned even if it means being rejected or treated as an outcast. Therefore, in every one of us there exists a Jonathan Seagull
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. Daring personality. Jonathan seagull goes ahead and ventures into an activity that is not the norm for seagulls to engage in. seagulls fly mainly to seek for food, not necessarily to learn about the art of flight. Regardless of the fact that art of flying is not a very popular thing within his community, he still defies all odds and goes ahead to learn all there is to learn about flying. The daring personality of Jonathan Seagull has taught me to not always conform to laid out norms are ways of life. But rather to pursue my heart’s desire with a made up mind and a positive mind set.
ii. Not letting setbacks keep one down. Jonathan had undergone several of these. No sooner than he thought that he had learned how to maneuver around, like when he managed to fly fifty miles an hour, then ninety miles per hour and setting a world record for seagulls. He would then, be thoroughly disappointed by trying the same move, but this time changing the angle of his wings. this change caused him to snap into an unexpected and uncontrollable fall sending him right back to the drawing board just like previous experiences. Setbacks from this lesson, are not meant to break us but to make us better people. It’s an opportunity to lean forward while learning and correcting yesterday’s mistakes and faults.
iii. Standing for what one believes in Jonathan seagull stood for what he believed in, that is, higher calling for seagulls away from the norm of scrabbling for fish heads. Jonathan had discovered that art of flying all the way from eight thousand meters above sea level at two hundred and fourteen miles an hour. He had achieved the unconceivable, unthought-of. To his worst dismay and consternation he was made an outcast after a stand to enter ceremony which always meant two things, either a seagull would be honored, which in this case he desired no honor but only an opportunity to share with his fellow gulls what to him was a gold mine, a greater reason for living. Or being an outcast and this is what actually befell him. But he still stood his ground and went further ahead to express his sentiments to the council flock which they could hear nothing of but at least he had aired and expressed his opinion. Nothing in life should be too great an obstacle to achieving one’s set goals and aspirations in life.
iv. Great sense of adventure Jonathan is now an outcast yet that is the least of his worries and he is completely not sorry for the price he had to pay to learn the art of flying. Jonathan meets up with complete strangers who are very good at flying; they give him an offer to join their family, which offer he openly takes up without any second thought. There are instances in my life when I have followed up on missions that were purely adventurous without much thought of the consequences, because in life when too much precaution is taken, in turn adventure is kicked out. It is therefore advisable in my view not to be too cautious in life.
v. Jonathans determination to learn from the Elder the concept of flying into the past and back and fro. Jonathan was determined to learn that even one of the gulls said that he (jonathan) had the least fear of learning than any gull in the last a ten thousand years. Determination is key in life, for one to achieve great strands determination cannot be done away with.
vi. Love for his family, though Jonathan had gotten a new family he still never forgot his roots where he came from and even though he had been made an outcast and his current family still needed his help, he still could not help it, but think of his old family with so much love that he was concerned whether there were any other gulls who had became outcasts just like himself and how he would love to share his knowledge with the rest of the gulls.
vii. Jonathan choice to go back home and train Fletcher a gull who had also been made an outcast. Jonathan chooses to leave his comfort zone and goes back home to offer help to whoever will be in need of it. Home is where he is already considered as an outcast but his heart is full of kindness and love. Jonathan in a month’s time gathers up to six students all outcasts as well. With intense training of his students, Jonathan finally gathered courage to encourage his flock to go back home even though they were outcasts and they were required by law never to go back. From this I learn an important lesson, that is to learn what laws in life apply to me and which don’t, thereby not to be bogged down by rules which are not beneficial nor biding to me.
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?
Norms and rules are not to be followed blindly, and should always be dynamic and able to change with time. Whenever this is not the case, change is highly resisted and only determination, resilience and persistence in one’s believes will help or cause one to be able to break through the rigidity. I have learned that in life I have to make up my mind to go for that which I believe in, no matter how preposterous it may seem or appear to those around me. Discouragement and setbacks should not be a factor to not pursuing one’s set goals and objectives. If anything such setbacks should act as a catapult to your destiny. Life is complete when one set goals and stops at nothing to achieve it.
Love is a very important factor that should always be inculcated in every individual and practiced. With love and a purpose in life, one will not trample on other people’s rights to achieve your goals, but will be considerate, forgiving and willing to embrace others, to teach and train them to became better persons,
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.
“The speed was power, and the speed was joy, and the speed was pure beauty” the speed which Jonathan had taken was a killer speed, such that if he was to falter or if his wings unfolded he would be blown up into a million tiny shreds. But still he loved that speed and described as per the quote.
“I have gone everywhere and everywhen I can think of” I found this statement to be very interesting because it is not the kind of statement that a person can be found uttering on a day to day basis. It is practically not possible to go back in time or rather such technology has not yet been discovered if at all.
“Well, we do not have to obey the law if we are not part of the flock, do we?” amazing how Jonathan goes ahead to interpret the very laws that that governed him some time back and were not in favor of him. To look at the same law and give it a totally different interpretation that works to favor his current circumstances.
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?
One of the Elders called Chiang told Jonathan to “forget about faith” I don’t believe that this is the true position, even if it took art and practice for Jonathan to understand flying. It first took will power and faith for him to believe that there was more to life than flying to search for food. Faith is very crucial in life. It all starts with faith in the spiritual before a dream is transformed into reality in the physical.
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 exercises were contained in the book. Therefore none were completed
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 like the concept of handing over that the author brought out. It is a reminder than no one is indispensable and therefore it is important to train others what one has managed to learn in life so as to ensure continuity. It is more like procreation.
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? 6
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7