DonateNow
Introduction:
 •
Welcome

  Program
  Philosophy
  Leadership
  Newsletter
 • Interview

Our Students:
  Meet Our Students
  Student Websites
  Testimonials

  Curriculum
  Student Application
  Changing Lives
 • Student Projects

Support:
 • Dream Team 22
  Contributors

  Board of Directors
  Advisory Council
  Mentorship

 • Financial Statement
 • Annual Reports

Contacts:
  Contact Us
  How To Contribute
  Join Our Email List

Additional Resources:
  Global Resource Links
  Financial Aid Resources 
  Online Universities
  Youth Activist Links
  Job Openings
 
Education Scholarships

IIGL Divisions:
  International
  French
  Spanish

DonateNow

Funded in part by:

The Bela and Clara Nevai
   Charitable Foundation

The Nathan & Lilly
    Family Charitable Fund

The Lifebridge Foundation
    lifebridge.org 

Environmental Solutions!
    PRO-pHx.com
 
  Perma-Seal.us 

Bridges Of Peace
    oweegon@bridgesofpeace.com

Carolina Institute
    For Conflict Resolution
    and Creative Leadership
 
  weinholds.org 

Joyful Being
    joyfulbeing.org 

HLQ/Holistic Living Quest
    HLQholistic.org 

The Pendulum Works
    pendulumworks.net 

You Are Divine
    youaredivine.com 

Cherish Your Day
   
cherishyourday.com

  Wisdom Light
 
  wisdomlight.org 

  The African
    Renaissance Network
 
  imohcolins.50megs.com

  Ra Kendra Ctr for Wholistic
    Wellness & Studies
    rakendra.com.ph  

  Retreat Project
    retreatproject.com 

  Kirsten Bolwig
    
stardrum.com

  Centre Link Trust
    cohmass.com 

  Cosmic Insights
 
   earthscape.net 

  New Radiance
    newradiance.com 

  Dalar International
    Consultancy
 
  genuinecontact.com 

  The Center For
    Purposeful Living
    purposeful.org 

  Breakthru Institute
    breakthruinstitute.com

  Julian Murphy
   julianmurphy.blogspot.com

 Soul Wisdom Discovery Center
   angelfire.com/oh5/soulwisdom1

Bellatore
   bellatore.com

Judith Royer
   Flying Heart Production

DonateNow

 
Assessment by Kingsley Nnanna Ukwaja ...

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment made by Kingsley Nnanna Ukwaja

This is very good inspirational material that builds the attitude makes one have a positive attitude both mentally and physically.

Major understanding in the book which touched me are:

Have a reason or purpose why you are doing the right thing and note that the majority are not always right.

Have a speed viz record an achievement daily. This made me remember what President Nelson Mandela once said, "Every night before I sleep I seat at the fort of my bed and ask myself the question what have I accomplished today". I ………

Learn to do distinctive things that no one has ever done even though the crowd might not appreciate it.

When you reach a certain stage of earthly perfection, heavenly perfection comes to take you so strive for perfection.

Heaven itself is attaining perfection.

We choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing here and the next world will be the same.

Don’t put limit to any perfection because perfection has no limit.

Have a positive attitude, think of every problem as already solved and know how to go about solving it.

For whatever thing we do we should add humility and love, it is the road map to achievement.

All things happening to you is nothing more than thought itself in a form you can see. Break the chains of your thought and you break the chains of your body.

This reminded me of my 2nd year in the university when a call for application for scholarship to medical undergraduate was made.

I and my friends all wanted to apply, I remember that most of my closest friends were all pessimistic about it saying that even if they apply, they won’t be called for the interview talkless of wining the award.

But I have always maintained a positive attitude; in fact I told them that with this what I am waiting for is a letter requesting me to come for the interview/aptitude test and then my award letter. Just like a joke the interview was called and I was among 3 of us called for the aptitude test and the only person among my friends selected for the award.

The book also taught me not to love hatred and evil and repay every evil with good and do it cautiously.

I don’t agree with the disappearance accompanied by being perfect and the motive behind it.

In summary, this book develops the reasoning faculty, makes you able to define your objectives and teaches you not to mind the bumps (friends) that see a mistake in every thing you do.

I recently made a tutorial presentation to my class in presence of one of our lecturer. The lecturer called it an excellent presentation, my colleague all came to congratulate me, then the ones who are close to me came later to tell me my faults during my presentation. Luckily, I just completed studying this book when this happened I used a diplomatic initiative from my lessons in this book to tackle them.


As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Kingsley Nna-nna Ukwaja

This is a very strong inspirational material especially to young individuals who are still looking for the real purpose of their existence.

The major points in the book, which spoke directly to me are:

A man is literally what he thinks i.e. his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

We are the master of thoughts, the moulder of character and the maker and shaper of our conditions, environment and destiny.

We hold the key to every situation in our hands.

We can find the reason to any of our problems by digging well into the mine of our soul.

We should know that we are not creatures of our outside condition but rather have the creative power.

Circumstances does not make the man but reveals him to himself; this also helps in proving my long fostered idea that there is no such things as "A victim of circumstances".

External facts cannot serve, as a ground for reasoning that is one man fails because of his particular honesty and the other prospers because of his particular dishonesty is the result of superficial judgment.

Good thoughts and action never produce bad result and bad thoughts and action never produce good result.

How thoughts crystallizes into habit and habit solidifying into circumstances.

Wrinkles are formed by folly, passion and pride.

There can be no progress or achievement without sacrifice.

The aid for achievement viz self-control, resolution, purity, righteousness and well directed thoughts.

A man descends due to animality indolence, impurity, corruption and confusion of thoughts.

A man descends into weakness by allowing arrogant, selfish and corrupt thought to take possession of him.

Victories attained by right thoughts can be maintained by watchfulness and he would accomplish little that sacrifice little.

The Greatest achievement was a first time dream then progress to a vision, which is then nurtured and taken care of in the mind and then progresses to our tomorrow’s reality.

As we ascend in life we should be cautious and always add calmness (serenity).

In summary: Achievement are made after a battle is fought and won in the mind and networked with good qualities and weeding out selfish, arrogant and other bad qualities. This book improved my list of quotes for my success challenge and inspired me for greatness.

I disagree with the view that what a man fails to achieve is the result of his own thoughts, I find it difficult to believe it because some time in 2002 I a applied for 2 scholarships awards I was called for interview/aptitude test by both organisations.

The first came out and I was successful, but I trusted wining the 2nd scholarship compared even to the one I was successful in. but unfortunately when the scholarship awardees were revealed I wasn’t among them.


Real Magic
Assessment by Kingsley Ukwaja (Nigeria)

1. What Ideas were personally most important to you in this book? Do not simply list the ideas, but explain or discuss why they were important to you, using personal examples.

In chapter one of the book, the author pointed out that by believing in magic you could create it. This involves developing the mind to reach a state of awareness of the environment. That is the world is not put in order but rather the world is order incarnate – It is for us to put ourselves in unison with this order. To reach this state of awareness/enlightenment can be via 3 paths i.e. Enlightenment through suffering- on this path we learn via a process of suffering and depending on how we handle this process we may either progress to the next level or get fixated. The second path is Enlightenment through outcome- this is for those who had successfully pass via the first stage. At this stage the individual identifies that there are no accidents in life that whatsoever he/she is experiencing is important for him or her to move ahead. However most people remain at this stage because they are goal oriented, once the outcome of their particular desire is achieved they are satisfied and then start thinking of the next level. Therefore, the problem facing individuals in the second stage is they get fixated at this stage and they usually fail to experience real magic. The third path is that of enlightenment through purpose. From this I learnt that we all have a heroic mission but to achieve it we have to be aligned in to purpose. To get in to this purpose we have to understand that everything exists for a purpose or reason as part of the perfect intelligence that is the universe.

To achieve real magic and miracles we have to be prepared for it because an ancient Zen Proverb says, “When the student is ready the master will appear”. The author mentioned seven beliefs we can use in tapping the power of real magic and miracles i.e. the seven steps we can use in setting up the internal gyroscope
They are:

• There is an invisible but knowable life force within me
• My thoughts are something that I control and they originate with me
• There are no limits
• Life has a purpose
• Overcome weakness by leaving them behind
• When I examine what I believe to be impossible I can then change my believe
• I can go beyond logic

In chapter 2, the author began with the quotation by B. Gita, which says “we are born in the world of nature our second birth is in to the world of the spirit”. This involves using our conscious to create a spiritual being that governs our physical being. I gathered that being a spiritual being involved forgetting our five senses, this is essential for us to create real magic and have life of miracles by tapping in to invincible self to influence our physical being. The book also went further to describe the qualitatively the differences of being a spiritual and non-spiritual being. This include among others that there is a particular spiritual connection between human beings, that a particular being taps into the power of meditation in a quiet environment- He showed that all unsolved problems results from an inability to sit quietly in a room alone. Spiritual beings are focused on purpose not outcome and they have an empowering attitude toward themselves. The main theme of this chapter is how to be a spiritual being having a human experience rather than vice-versa. He concluded that as a good spiritual being having a human experience, we should live a life that we wouldn’t be ashamed of selling the family parrot to the town Gossip.

In chapter 3, the author admonishes us to create a miracle mind set- He gave us the 14 keys for creating a miracle mindset and suggestions for implementing this mindset. One of the keys state that the secret to changing our lives is in our intentions, wishing, hoping and goal setting cannot. Also, by experiencing surrender and satori. The most interesting key to creating a miracle mindset is to learn to act as if the life we visualize were already there. By this, we create not only the necessary expertise but we literally become our own miracle worker. Since, an expert is one who believes in his own expertise and isn’t afraid to act on those beliefs. Another key is asking nothing of anyone and practice unconditional acceptance. The main point here also involves how to meditate and what we do when we meditate.
Chapter 4 involves real magic in our relationships. To have a fulfilling relationship depends on how we think about other people of our life. Real magic in relationships means an absence of judgment of others. Furthermore, when we are focused on giving, serving and being non-judgmental, then real magic begins to manifest in our everyday life.

As summarized in the quotation by George Washington “How far we go in life depends on our being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong because someday in life we would have been all these”. One advice given on building rewarding relationships is to stay on purpose. Knowing that we are here to serve. Other ingredients of having a relationship at purpose are: relinquishing our need to be right, allowing space/ some solitude, eliminating the idea of ownership and know that we don’t have to understand. Finally, build a rewarding relationship by surroundings ourself with people who will encourage us to be the best we can be.

Real magic and prosperity is the title of the fifth chapter. It noted in James Allen, as a man thinketh, “ circumstances don’t make a man they reveal him”. Being broke for example is a temporary state of affairs, which can affect both rich and poor however being poor, is an attitude that is reinforced when we shift to blaming life circumstances to conditions of poverty. To replace scarcity with prosperity, we must know that among individuals there are no better or worse persons in God’s sight. The author gave the essentials of prosperity consciousness viz:

* We don’t need anything else to experience prosperity
* We cannot experience prosperity if we believe in lack
* We are no separated in to categories, we are at once the seer, seeing and seen
* You cannot experience prosperity if you believe you don’t deserve it
* Rejoice in the prosperity of others.

One key teaching here is the person who acts prosperous is very generous. Finally, he gave a rule on prosperity, which is avoiding the trap of expecting prosperity to arrive in life through the efforts of others. We create our own life of prosperity.

Chapter 6 deals with real magic and personal identity. They are

* Removing all doubt about what kind of person we can be.
* Stop using sentences in our world that reflect what it is that we do not want to be.
* Stay focused on what we are rather than what we are against
* Reminding ourselves daily that we are a purposeful being
* Totally trust our intuition for a day at a time
* Knowing that there is a secret buried within our invincible self
* Inventory the behaviour and characteristics that we exhibit as a child that are no longer applicable to our adult life
* Creating an interim inventory of ourselves
* Beginning to act in our physical world as if that person whom we would love to be were already here
* Learning to preplay whom it is we want to be in our mind before we put it in to action.
* Reminding ourselves that if we have judged ourselves to be lacking in any personality variable, we will continue to manifest that lack as long as we focus on it in our mind
* Seek out no opinions on our own personality
* Develop our own personal excellence program, first in our mind, and then start putting it into practice in your daily life
* Meditation regularly helps to create the inner harmony and peace that will allow you to become the personality that best suits your magnificent, divine purpose here on this planet at this time
* We should use our meditation to see ourselves free from the labels that we have placed upon ourselves and to free us from big lies about our ability to change certain things about ourselves.

Chapter 7 deals with real magic and physical health. It showed how to manifest real magic in our physical being, which are:

* Recognizing there is an invincible life force within us
* Knowing that our thought originate within us.
* Realize that there are no limits
* Knowing that our life has a purpose
* Overcoming weakness by leaving it behind us
* Examine what we believe to be impossible, then change our believe
* We should always go beyond the logic

In Chapter 8 the author dealt with Real magic and revolution. On this he wrote a letter to people living in 2088.There is a place for spiritual revolution because those who think the world is a dark place are blind to the light that might illuminate the world.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your beliefs, your goals, your values, etc? Please use personal examples in your explanation.

Major ideas in the book try to enhance/corresponds and in some cases buttress my goals and values. Even though I believed so much in logic earlier and the common principle that giver never lacks, I could make of this book that what it takes is a positive attitude, a belief, a spiritual harmony to achieve our aim. I remembered sometime last year while preparing for my promotion exam. There was so much to read that the more we read, the more our fear of failure heightened. At a point I discovered that if I have to pass the exam, I don’t need all the late study with anxiety but what I needed is the believe I can do it since I have done all my postings diligently.

I reduced my amount of study and focused on creating a spiritual harmony with my environment by giving to the needy, saying my prayers and meditation and having adequate sleep. When I started this something interesting happened, during my sleeps at night I have dreams of my exam the next day, the questions I will be asked and how I answered them. Thus, whenever I woke up each morning I revised only the areas I had dreams about before going in for my exams. During the exams more than 70% of the questions I answered in my dreams were either asked in the theory or oral section of the exams and at the end I passed the exams without losing weight from stress.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please Explain.

The new concept I learnt from the book is: whenever the student is ready, the master will definitely appear. Thus, in whatever we are doing, we must believe in it and be ready to follow it to the last.

4. Has this book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so, explain how?

I must believe in myself, change my ideas before others will believe in us. I should create a program for creating real magic for my daily life.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree with? If so, why?

I totally disagree with the idea of touching an injured part and being healed. This may be due to so much facts we have acquired/accumulated in my study.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

Most useful- I learnt the powers of meditation, how to use it in our daily life, how to do it and how great men have used it to be great.

Least useful – I don’t seem to understand the concept that one’s success don’t depend on individuals for example, in most fields, by being a boy to most greater individuals like (a boy to a professor) in such field, you are not likely to fail exams or fail to climb to the top.

7. In 50 words or less, please describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

The book tries to explain how the limitations that the physical world places in our minds hinder us from creating real magic. The author demonstrated that we are a spiritual being having a human experience not vice versa we should act and live as such.

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? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 7


Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Kingsley Ukwaja (Nigeria)

1. Discuss the main ideas that you found most important in this book and discuss why they were important to you?

The introductory chapter of the book started by one important quotation - The greatest secret of success is there is no secret. It also noted Andrew C obsession: anything in life that is worth having is worth working for. In the first chapter, I was meant to know that the most important living person alive is I. I should use the power of positive mental attitude (PMA) was illustrated by the account of SB Fuller when his mother clearly told him that they are poor not because of God but because no one in his family has developed a desire to be wealthy - this idea changed the life of little SB. The chapter also showed that we have every thing to gain and nothing to loose by trying. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying with PMA. Also, it showed that there is a seed of an equivalent or greater benefit for those who are motivated with PMA to become achievers. The authors gave several examples of individuals who have used PMA and negative mental attitude (NMA) and how it influenced their lives.

In chapter two, the authors outlined the seventeen success principles of which a PMA is the first. Others ones are definiteness of purpose, going the extra mile, controlled attention, teamwork, creative vision, and using cosmic force. This chapter illustrates that we were born to be a champion and no matter what obstacles and difficulties lies in our way, they are not one-tenth so great as the ones that have already being confirmed at the moment of our conception. Victory is built in every living person. In this chapter another motivational quote, what the mind of a man can conceive and believe - it can be achieved with PMA. The secret of all achievement is definiteness of purpose with PMA.

Cleaning the cobwebs is our thinking is the theme of the third chapter. That means our thoughts are evaluated by our attitudes - is it positive or negative. The other major idea I liked the chapter direct our thoughts with PMA to control.

The fourth chapter urges us explain the power of our mind. Since we are a body with a mind, we posses' mystical powers - powers unknown to us. I should employ the power of autosuggestion to stimulate my subconscious mind in to action. This chapter also dealt on how to develop PMA by repeating positive affirmations like: Day by day, in every way through the grace of God I am getting better and better - The power of hidden Persuaders.

Chapters 5 titled add something more. It simply encourages me to rise from failure, add something more to achieve success. He gave example of Edison, Graham Bell etc. We were also meant to understand that the whole is equal to the sum of all the parts and is greater than any of its parts. We were also advised to use the simplest and most important tool invented i.e. Paper and pencil- to write down flashes of inspiration when they occur

In the sixth chapter we were meant to understand that repeated victories over our problems are the rings on our ladder of success. The author also illustrates how to meet a problem with PMA. Which are:
* Ask for divine guidance for help find the right solution
* Engage in thinking for the purpose by solving our problems
* State the problem: analyse and define it
* State to our self enthusiastically “ that's good”
* Ask specific questions like
a) What's good about it?
b) How can I turn this adversity in to a seed of equivalent or greater benefit or how can I turn this liability in to greater assets?

Keep searching for answers to these questions until we find at least one answer that can work.
The authors concluded that it takes only one idea followed by action to succeed.

Learning to see forms the theme of the seventh chapter. I was meant to understand that seeing is a learned process. Nine-tenths of seeing takes place in the brain. Seeing is learned through association the account of G Campbell was an example. They also thought that we should learn to see other people's ability, capacity and viewpoint.

The secret of getting things done formed the basis of the next chapter. The message is we should be action oriented. They said what we read and profess should not just be part of our libraries or vocabularies instead let it be part of our lives. We were also told that the way to make a secret to getting things done in our live is through our habit and we develop habit by repetition. William J said, “ sow an action and you reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap character, sow a character and you reap a destiny”.

The next chapter deals on how to motivate oneself. It defines motivation as that which starts an action in an attempt to produce specific results. Hope was identified as the magic ingredient of motivating our self and others. The chapter also outlined the ten basic motives which are: self preservation, love, fear, sex, Desire for life after death, freedom of body and mind, anger, hate, desire for recognition and self expression, and the desire for material wealth.

Motivating others formed the theme of the following chapter. We motivate others to have confidence in themselves; by showing them you have faith in them and yourself. We motivate others by suggestion. In doing this we have to be enthusiastic and to be enthusiastic act enthusiastically. The authors also gave an important guide on how to speak enthusiastically and overcome timidity and fear: they are
1. Talk loudly
2. Talk rapidly
3. Emphasize important words
4. Hesitate where there is a punctuation mark etc
5. Keep a smile in your voice so that it isn't gruff
6. Use modulation

Chapter 12 is titled attract - don't repel wealth. It illustrates how to set our goals. There are four important things to keep in mind while doing this they are
* Write down your goals - this will create an indelible impression inour memory.
* Give yourself a deadline: This is important in motivating you, help you set out in the direction of our goals and it will keep motivating us
* Set your standards high
* Aim high - this is simply to demand prosperity and abundance than is required to accept misery and poverty. Inspecting your written statements daily does this.

Chapter thirteen showed that doing business is simple we can achieve success using other peoples money (OPM). They gave examples of those that have used them and the success they achieved.
Satisfaction in our job is the idea in the fourteenth chapter. This is just a mental attitude. We were meant to understand that our mental attitude is one thing we posses over whom we have complete control. Magnificent obsession to share forms the theme of the next chapter. It explained that all of us irrespective of our socio - economic status have something we can share and the more you share, the more you will have. We can prove this by giving a “smile” to every one we meet, a kind word, a pleasant response, appreciation and warmth from the heart; evidence of love for our fellow man; happiness, honour and time for a worthy cause. It concludes by suggesting that ' that which we share with others will multiply and that which we withhold will diminish.
The 17th chapter outlined that we can have a perfect health through PMA. A PMA toward the ones we love may be the means of saving their lives. It also outlined that there is a potential cure for every ailment.
The twentieth chapter is concerned with the reader's attitude. J Smith said in his book “the burden of teaching is upon the person who wants to teach while the burden of learning is on the person who wants to learn not on the person who wants to teach”. He also said we should be respectful and listen to those who have experience - to learn we must pay the price. The success quotient is an important component of the concluding chapters. In the last chapter, it is about awakening the sleeping giant within us. It said that equipped with the success through a positive mental attitude, we can now go into the world to achieve what we DESIRE.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in this book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, beliefs, goals, values etc? Explain.

The major concepts I learnt from the book is that you can move from nobody to somebody if you have the will. The first thing is having a positive mental attitude then a definiteness of purpose and you can achieve what ever we desire. My secondary education was not very good because I attend a pubic school; my spoken English was very poor, though I was good in other subjects. Thus with a pass in English language I was still considered for University admission before I had a make up. My compositions were not very good, I know these were very important especially in my chosen career during postgraduate. I gave myself a task of knowing how to write reports, scientific articles e.t c. To achieve this I attempted writing some essays and articles but most of my compositions were rejected

After reading through success through a positive mental attitude the third time, I picked my essays and articles that were rejected I compared these with those articles that were published or the winning essays. I highlighted where I had defects. After discovering my errors the frustration that prompted me stop writing was reversed. I became enthusiastic and wrote some trial articles to some local magazines, like a play, they were accepted with some magazine requesting that I write for the again. The turning point of my writing experience to magazines was in 2006 when one of my publications was accepted in an international magazine for medical students. With this I returned to trial of essay competitions. After mobilizing PMA and definiteness of purpose I came first in a local essay competition and third in a national essay competition. Presently I intend to participate in an international essay competition. The simple message of this book is what the mind of a man can conceive and believe it can achieve through positive mental attitude I tried it in various aspects of my life it worked - This book has changed my philosophy of life.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book? Please explain

I fancied the idea of aiming high and how to achieve it. The concept of magnificent obsession i.e. in giving you can get more is also very interesting to me.

4. Has the book challenged or changed your thinking in any way? If so explain

Yes, this book has always made me willing to go the extra mile. It has helped me to see things from a different perspectives that every one is entitled to be rich but such persons must develop burning desires and will to achieve such visions.

5. Are there ideas in the book that you totally disagree? If so why.

None

6. What do you find most helpful and least helpful in the book.

Most Helpful: The ideas of achieving your aims in life using the 17 principles, Other people's money, satisfaction, and constant recourse to positive mental attitude

Least Helpful - None

7. Summary

The book is a collection of the keys to success in life. It's message is simple to achieve success in life the tool you need is success through a positive mental attitude.

Book rating (scale 1-10)

A) How interesting was it to read? 10
B) How helpful were there content 9
C) How easy was it to understand 9
D) Would you recommend it to others? 10
E) What is the overall rating you will give it? 9.5


The Magic Of Thinking Big
Assessment by Kingsley N. Ukwaja (Nigeria)

1. Discuss the main ideas that you found most important in this book and discuss why they were important to you.

This book teaches that the size of every thing we own (bank accounts, happiness and size of our satisfaction) simply depends on the size of our thinking. This was illustrated by the example of Harry a sales rep who got five times what his colleagues got because he thought five times more. The message in the whole book was further emphasized by showing that great men that were once alive were great because they thought they would be. An example is David in the Bible who said “ as one thinketh in is heart, so is he” similarly, Emerson noted that “ great men are those who see that thought rules the world”. And minds like Milton wrote, “The mind is its own place and in its place can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. Finally, amazingly perspective minds like Shakespeare observed “there is nothing either good or bad except that the thinking makes it so. The introductory pages further concludes that to be great we must have a burning desire to be and have the intelligence to select the appropriate tool - The Magic Of Thinking Big.

The first chapter titled - believe you can succeed and you will gave an intriguing definition of success. It then shows that success equals achievement. This starts with one thing - believe. He illustrated it by the biblical quotation “believe you can move mountains and you will”. Not many people believe they can move mountains so as a result, not many people do. Believe alone do not bring about achievement but believe with attitude. If one believe he can succeed, and develops the I - am -going - to - the - top attitude, he will. Simply put, the - how - to - do - it always come to those who believe can. The author showed this by the example of the woman who believed with attitude and later managed mobile homes despite not having the capital for such a business, and that of a small firm having only 3 engineers that got a job that scared away other similar engineering firms because they didn't believe they could. Thus believe is what triggers the power to do and thereby generating the desired achievement. Disbelief, however, gives the exact opposite. The author also enjoins us to have a strong belief system even if we know some one we value highly - he suggest that it is well to respect a leader, learn from him, observe him, study him but don't worship him. He suggests that we should always have the belief that we can go beyond (surpass) because those who harbor the second best attitude are invariably second best doers.

The author also believed that those who convert opportunity in to reward are those wise people who learn to think themselves to success. He therefore, gave us the guides to develop the power of believe. They are: 1) Think success don't think failure, 2) Keep reminding ourselves that we are better than we thin we are, and 3) Believe big because the size of our success is determined by the size of our beliefs.

Dealing with the failure disease (Excusitis) is the message of the second chapter. The author noted that individuals with mediocre achievements are quick to explain why they haven't, why they don't, why they can't, why they aren't. And most average persons have at least a mild case of this failure disease. He went further to discuss the four common types of EXCUSITIS. The first reason is Health - Individuals who gets obsessed about the likely negative effects of their ill health so much worrying becomes a greater part of their sickness that they don't achieve their goals in life (their new goal is worrying). To cure oneself from this excusity, the author suggest that we should refuse to talk about the health matter; refuse to worry about the health issue, be genuinely grateful that our health is as good as it is and finally, we should keep reminding ourselves that it is better to wear out than to rust out. The second reason commonly attributed to failure is the INTELLIGENCE excuisity, this was resolved by Dr Teller who said “ a child does not need a lightning fast mind to be a scientist nor does he need a miraculous memory nor is it necessary that he get very high grades in school the only point that counts is that the child have a high degree of interest in science. The authors suggestions to cure intelligence excuisity are; Never underestimate your own intelligence and never overestimate the intelligence of others, remind yourselves several times daily, my attitude are more important than my intelligence and finally, the ability to think is better than my ability to memorize facts.

The next common reason for failure is the age excuisity (I am too young, I am too old). To handle this age excuisity calculate how old you are currently and subtract 20 years, the rest up to the next 50 years are your productive years. Check how many percent you have utilized and observe that you still have a lot of time. Finally he ruled out the Luck excuisity by suggesting that what we call luck is adequate planning, preparation and success producing thoughts associated with good fortune.

The next two chapters dealt with building confidence and destroying fear and how to think big. To think big we should not be thinking in words (wishful thinking) but rather in images and pictures. Big thinkers are specialists in creating positive forward-looking pictures in their own minds and in the mind of others. To develop the big thinkers vocabulary, we should use big, positive, cheerful words or phrases to describe how we feel. Secondly, we should use bright, cheerful favorable words and phrases to describe other people. Thirdly use positive language to encourage others and we should use positive words to outline plans to others i.e. we should by these build castles not dig graves. This chapter also teaches that we should add values to ourselves. We should not let what we don't have to deter us from achieving our goals. We should practice adding values to things, others and more importantly ourselves.

The 5th chapter teaches that like the General Electric Company, progress should be our most important product while in the 6th chapter he suggest that we should act and dress the way we want to be addressed because the better we are packaged the more public acceptance we will receive. Thus, we are encouraged to add quality to how we think, what we wear and even to our jobs. To develop enthusiasm, we should think enthusiastically, build in ourselves an optimistic, progressive glow, a feeling that this is great and I am 100% for it.

Another key message of the book is in the 8th chapter. That is, always give people more than they expect to get because each little extra something we do for others is a money seed. Also, we should show appreciation at every opportunity that makes people feel important. In summary this chapter enjoins us to sow service first and money would follow. While the 9th chapter showed that growth to a certain high offices doesn't depend on the amount of diploma one has but rather the likeability factor, because every friend one makes lifts you just one notch higher, and being likeable makes one lighter to lift. Also, the author suggests that we should take initiatives in building friendships - because leaders always do. The author gave six ways of building friendships by exercising just a little initiative:

* Introduce yourself to others at every little opportunity i.e. at parties, meetings, at work everywhere.
* Be sure that the other person gets your name straight.
* Be sure you can pronounce the other persons name the way he pronounces it
* Write down the name, and his/her phone and e-mail address
* Drop a personal note or make a phone call to the new friends you feel you want to know better
* Follow-up with the contact

Finally, chapter 9, teaches that we should not blame others when we receive a set back because how we think when we lose determines how long it will be until we win.

Chapter 10 titled, Get the action habit. The author explained that getting an excellent idea is not enough but we should follow through with action. He said an only fair idea acted upon and developed is 100% better than a terrific idea that dies because it isn't followed up besides, we should know that every thing we own from satellites to sky scrappers in this world were merely an idea acted upon. As John W said “nothing comes by merely thinking about it”. To act on our ideas, we don't wait for our minds to push us rather we push our minds. The only way to get started is to start. Don't deliberate, don't postpone getting started and in whatever business or activity we are involved, we should be a crusader - we should show that we have both the ability and the motivation to work.

The key message from the 11th chapter is simply to salvage something from every setback because defeat is only a state of mind. Secondly, we should be self-critical - it is constructive. It helps in building our personal strengths and efficacy needed for success. Blaming others is destructive, we gain absolutely nothing by proving the other person is wrong. The third message is we should be persistent. Persistence shows how far a man is willing to go but this is not enough we should blend it with experimentation.

The 12th chapter “use goals to help you grow”. The message is to have a clear view/image of where we want to get-to. The important thing is not where we were or where we are currently but where we want to get to - make an image of where we want to be 10 years from now. We should think big because people these days are measured by the size of their dreams. While setting these goals and acting on them we should bear in mind that progress is made one step at a time. A house is built a brick at a time and football games are won a game at a time. Thus every big achievement is a series of little accomplishments. Also the author suggests that before taking any action we should ask ourselves “will this help take me where I want to go?” If the answer is no, back off but if yes, press ahead. The last chapter summarily gave the four key leadership principles that are:

* Trade minds with people we want to influence
* Think what is the human way to handle this
* Think progress, believe in progress and push for progress
* Take time-out to confer with yourself
These key principles above were explained with coherent examples.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in the book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your goals, your values etc.

The major concept I learnt from the book is there is a way, a route/solution, and a positive angle to every problem. The book has harnessed or further buttressed some of my beliefs and concept. It has shown me how to use positive attitudes and experimentation to win success and why/how I will fail if I don't. Most of my goals and actions are still in the experimental phase.

3. What are the most important new ideas or concepts you learned from this book.

The most important Ideas I learnt from this book are:
* Put service first and money will follow.
* Always be ready to take the initiative in doing the talking
* Always engage yourself in constructive criticism not destructive because you gain absolutely nothing by proving the other person is wrong.
* Avoid all the excusitis.

4. Has this book challenged or change your thinking in any way - if so explain?

The book has changed my thinking in some ways in certain grey areas like money and by explaining some of my formerly held beliefs.

6. What did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book?

MOST HELPFUL: learn to salvage something from every setback and know that success is built a step at a time.
LEAST HELPFUL: none

7. In 50 words or less describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

This book teaches that we can always achieve every thing we always wanted ranging from personal property, financial security, power and influence, longer life, goal - oriented life and attain a rewarding and enjoyable life.

Q Please rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10.
A. How interesting was it to read? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8


Giant Steps
Assessment by Kingsley N. Ukwaja (Nigeria)

1. Discuss the main ideas you found important in the book and discuss why they are important to you?

Ideas

“it's not what we do once in a while that counts but our consistent actions”
what does this is our “decisions” This means that for one to be perfect in whatever he/she is doing we have to be consistent in what we do. Thus if we one has flare for doing the right thing we have to do it several times to perfect it. One of my lecturers fondly exemplifies this by saying “Repetition teaches even the donkey”.

“All decisions have consequences .Even making no decision at all is a decision in its own way” Yes, this suggest that all our actions and inactions are decisions we have made which have its own consequences.
“Although we can not always control the events in our lives, we can always control our responses to them and the actions we take as a result”

“The only hint to what you can achieve is the extent of your ability to define the precision that which you desire”

“For goals”
never leave the site of a goal without first taking some form of positive actions towards its attachment. Thus wishing alone for some thin is not enough we have to take positive steps to its attainment.

“persistence overshadows even talent as the most valuable resources in shaping the quality of life. After all no one ever achieve a goal by being interested in its achievement; one must be committed.

The ultimate goal
finding a way to help others----those we care about deeply-----can inspire us for a life time. In the pursuit of life worries one wonders what the ultimate goal in life is? This book shows that the ultimate goal is simple - find a way to lend a hand no matter how small.

“willpower never works----at least not long term.

“one of the differences between pessimist and optimists is that attempting to learn a new skill, pessimist generally access their performance accurately ,while the optimists view their behavior as more effective than it actually was

“Like coach pat Riley inspirations, by enhancing your skills in five key areas of life can make all the difference”
One mistake often made after reading inspirational books like this is the fact that - at the end of the book we want to start making radical changes in our way of life by thinking will power alone is enough, but after starting to effect the changes one will discover that you don't need the same experience as the one exemplified in the book to take action but rather to ask yourself questions on what you are currently doing that you are not doing well and how to apply messages gotten from this book to your situation.

-NAC neuro-associative conditioning
select a word you habitually use to describe a negative effect / feeling and coming up with an alternative word that will break your pattern or at least lower your intensity

The word we attach to our experience become our experience

kill the monster while its little

consistently experience confidence. If you have ever done anything successfully you can do it again

The secret of living is giving

Never spend more than 10% of your time on the problem and always spend at least 90% of your time on the solution

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance

Your imagination is ten times more potent than your will power .Unleashed it provides a sense of certainty and tenacious that goes far beyond any limitations of the past

Rarely will a great idea interrupt you; you must actively seek it out.

The only limit to our impact is our imagination and commitment.

Most of our heroes are hidden behind what is said to be small act done consistently.

Remember to expect miracles--------because you are one.

2. Can you relate the ideas or concepts in the book to your personal circumstances in life such as your relationships, your goals, your values etc.

One important guide in this book giving about relationships is what struck my interest. Many active people go into relationship not willing to give anything but expecting much .One of my early relationships suffered a similar fate. The relationship never lasted long but kept on wondering what might have caused it. Though the guides giving by Anthony Robins in Giant steps I diagnosed the problem. The problem are; Absence of communication, presence of threats on the relationship, unwillingness to make sacrifice and inability to kill the monster while it was still small

The second important message in this book that I believe and I Have used is ….Your imagination is ten times more potent than your will power .Unleashed it provides a sense of certainty and tenacious that goes far beyond any limitations of the past. While sitting on the net I have severally thought of how to use my current state to create changes in my life by doing some thing new. I have contacted organizations related to my projects/research and in most cases have not only supported but directed me to other relevant contacts with similar interests.

3. What are the most important concepts or ideas that you learned from this book (please explain).

The most important idea I got from this book are

Success is the result of good judgment, good judgment the results of experience and experience is often the result of bad judgment.

Thus, it is as a result of what we learn from the past mistakes that we can use to improve our lives today.

Secondly, studies has shown that those who succeed tends to make decisions rapidly and are slow to reverse a well-thought out of position

Thus while being fast in making decision a successful person is one who rapidly assesses a situation objectively, takes a definite position and stands on that position irrespective of its consequences. To achieve success one must clearly identify his or her goals because so much that could help one achieve his/her dreams is never noticed or utilized because he/she haven't defined his/her goals with clarity and precision

Furthermore, I learnt that there is a huge difference between achieving to be happy and happily achieving.

Thus, we should try to live each day to its fullest sqeezing all the joy we can out of each moment. Instead of measuring our lives value by our progress towards a single goal, we should keep in mind that the direction we are headed are more important than temporary results. And to be wealthy, we have to first of all create wealth, then maintain wealth (by investing), then increase our wealth; protect the wealth and finally enjoy the wealth. Thus, in becoming wealthy, there is a place for delayed gratification. Finally we should target the ultimate gift - contributions.

4. Has this book challenged or change your thinking in any way - if so explain?

The first challenge I picked from reading this book is pain can be our friend if we use it effectively. Thus, being human we can decide what causes pain and pleasure. We can also convert a normally pleasurable experience to a painful one - what we link to pain/pleasure sharpens our destiny. If out of fear for a painful experience we fail to grab a waiting opportunity, it is likely we are facing mixed associations.

The second challenge I got from reading this book is: all successful people have something in common, they make superior evaluations. As hockey great Wayne G said , “what makes him great is not because he is the strongest/fastest player in the league - however, while most players skate to where the puck is, he skates to where the puck is going”. Thus by applying a little bit of foresight to a situation we are in right now, we can see how that might make a huge difference.

5. Are there ideas in the book you totally disagree with? If so why?

While there are no ideas in the book I totally disagree with, the parts of the book that dealt with neuro-associative conditioning were very difficult to comprehend and practice even after reading those parts thrice.

6 what did you find most helpful and least helpful in this book.

Most Helpful
* It is not only the questions we ask but also the questions we don't ask shape our destiny.
* The fewer rules you have in your relationships, the happier you'll be.

Least Helpful
* The principles / practices of neuro-associative conditioning

7. In 50 words or less describe the main idea the whole book is trying to convey.

This book is an archive of inspiration to gear one in to action in all major spheres of life whether its business, relationships and politics among others.

Please rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10.

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? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8


 

The International Institute For Global Leadership™
PO. Box 18909 * Asheville, NC. 28814, USA *
lightweave@aol.com
© 2002-2008 by International Institute for Global Leadership™, all rights reserved