Real Magic
Assessment by Ebenezer Kojo Abakah (Ghana)

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

The main theme of the book “Real Magic” is that man can become or have whatever he wants if only he develops the right state of mind.

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.

1st Everything in life exists for a reason- what this means is that whatever we experience in life has a part in what we become ultimately in life. In other words there is something useful to be learnt in whatever experience we goes through in this life. In November, 2005 my father was diagnosed with cancer of the colon. It was the most traumatic experience in the family. As an elder son and a confidante of my Dad, I had the challenging task of caring for a dying man. I believe it was the best learning experience I have had in my life so far. I have come to appreciate the value of life and the worth of being a life for a day. Through these times I came to see the value of human beings in general. Even though I lost my Dad after two years, which was a an unimaginable loss the experience has been very enriching and I believe it has made me a better person and student of this life. As a counselor I believe it has made me more understanding and empathetic of what people are going through. I have come to be more appreciative and grateful for a everyday of my life.

2nd Through the process of prayer and meditation we can get to know our true purpose in this life. I have come to know that all the spiritual leaders could achieve whatever they did through the exercise of prayer and meditation. Personally I have found a lot of encouragement and strength thorough this exercise. Prayer and meditation can be so refreshing and invigorating that I just don’t feel normal if I don’t do it for even a day. Even though I haven’t yet fully discovered my true purpose in this life I believe I’ll get there sooner.

3rd The true miracle worker is the one who lives to serve God and others in any and all things. Man was created by God to serve him and his fellow man. It is in line with this objective of serving the creator and his fellow man that man achieves his ultimate purpose and joy in this life. I have come to know that God works through man and that we as human beings are the best expression of the God we cannot see to our fellow human beings. If God is love, and all providing it is only through us that these qualities can be seen.

4th When the student is ready the teacher would appear. What this means is that when a person is willing to learn he would be taught but that can only happen if the person is humble enough to have a teachable spirit. I have personally seen the truth in this statement as a teacher. In my interactions with my own students I have come to realize that the student who is always willing and humble enough to be taught is always welcome by the teacher and freely helped.

5th No man is an island. No person in this life can live and make it in any endeavour without the help of his fellow men. There is an African adage that says: “ we are because we belong” what this means is that man is intrinsically a gregarious being and that he finds fulfillment and meaning in life by relating with his fellow being. It is also a common belief amongst the Akans of Ghana that one cannot get to the top alone. To climb a big tree one needs a push. What this simply means is that we all need someone in order to be our best in whatever we do.

6th To love is the most important thing in life. In the Bible it is stated that the greatest of all things is love which endures forever. It furthers states that in whatever a person does if the motive is not driven by love then it is vain. Even if one gives up ones his life as a sacrifice and there is no love, then that act is a useless venture. In variably what this means is that in whatever we do we should be motivated by love. I have come to realize through personal experience that love actually gives us strength. When you are denied the love of a loved one you feel so weak, helpless and hopeless. Love is really invigorating and motivating.

7th Your intentions create your reality - you are in charge of your mind and you create all that resides within you. This statement couldn’t have been more true. I remember clearly that about 8 years I was so devastated all because I graduated with a third class. For years I thought with that class I could not pursue a second degree because no university would accept it. For more than 5 years I applied to several schools but I just couldn’t gain any admission, then, I came across the above statement and others that relate to the power of the mind. I resolved to change my mind set and develop a more positive outlook to life and most surprisingly a university that had rejected my previous application called and offered me admission to a postgraduate program which I am about completing within a few months. I just could not believe it but it was real. Indeed “as a man thinketh so is he.” Hitherto I felt that whatever we carry in our minds are the pictures of the real situation and did not see why i had to carry some wishful thoughts when the facts and real life situations were otherwise .But now I know that whatever we think about or carry in our minds can and do come true on condition that we learn to keep the right thoughts with passion and optimism.

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 come to understand that the true purpose of our life is to live for others. It is not about us or for us that we live. We were created to give and it is only in giving that we find true contentment and meaning in this life. Being a teacher in Ghana is very sacrificing, but I have come to find that there is much joy and contentment that one gets in teaching than the pay he receives. Seeing the students you taught make the grade and go on in life gives you a sense of appreciation I believe words cannot express.

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.

“ All that you are capable or incapable of achieving flows from what you have decided within that invisible sphere called your mind, where all of your thoughts originate and where your physical reality ultimately originates as well.” Page 280 .. paragraph. 2

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?

I did not find anything that I disagree. In fact the new things I encountered have really deepened my understanding of life. One of particular importance is the statement that everything or experience is for a reason. And that whatever we experience or will experience whether good or bad is intended for our ultimate good and benefit in this life. An understanding of this fact has a given me a different perspective to life.

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?

There were no exercises.

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 that I can think of.

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

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Ebenezer kojo Abakah (Ghana)


1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
That the state of mind of man is the most important determinant of whatever man would become. That is a positive mindset is man greatest key to success in whatever situation he may find himself and vice versa

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.

1st If the man is right his world will be right. We most often than not like to blame others for our misfortune. This is especially true in all facets of our relationships us human beings. In the world of work you most often hear people complain bitterly about their bosses being on their neck or making life a hell. Couples in relationships blame each other for not making the other feel happy or good. But the truth is that we most often forget that we’re also to blame for whatever reaction we get from our partners or the other person. If we would be truthful with ourselves and do the needed introspection we would see that we play a part in whatever reaction we get. Since I came to this realization my whole attitude has changed and I no longer blame my wife for her reactions to me. We now have a better relationship and relate better by first looking at our own mindset and behaviour before apportioning blame. Indeed we create the environment we experience.



2nd Our attitudes shape our future. The truth in this statement cannot be over emphasized. A close look at our lives would ascertain the truth in the statement. Our attitudes to every situation we encounter in our lives determine what our future would be like. This tie with the statement that our attitude determines our altitude in life. My personal experiences in life have taught me to have the right attitude to every situation. I remember that in 2001 I happened to have worked in a school where for nearly 16 months we were not paid a dime. But we continued to give off our best and never missed any of our sessions. This attitude of total commitment and dedication in spite of the very trying moments was greatly rewarded by I being promoted and given more responsibilities. When I had other opportunities and wanted to move on the recommendation from my former head actually went a long way to help me in securing my present job which is very rewarding. It is said that instead of complaining when life gives you lemons turn them into lemonade. Indeed a positive attitude would give positive results and vice versa.



3rd The greatest value in life is loving and serving people. This statement is one truth that I believe must be taught to all who want to have a more fulfilling and blissful life. Loving and serving others has so much benefits, in fact the truth in the above can better be experienced than told. The more we love and serve others the more we’ll be loved and served by others. As a teacher and a Counsellor I keep experiencing the truth in this statement almost every day. The joy and appreciation you get when you show love and service to others is so heart warming, fulfilling and eternal. Service to humanity is indeed the greatest of all service. Helen keller once said “life is exciting but more exciting when lived for others.” I have made a firm decision that no matter what the rest would be devoted for this course. The joy of doing this is over whelming.

4th Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit for those who have PMA. In Nov.2003, my father was diagnosed with a terminal cancer. According to the experts he had only 3 months to live, though shattering and heart breaking, I can today say it was the best time I had with my father. This condition brought me closer to my father more than ever and through it I got to learn so much from this learned and experienced man. Though my father finally died after two years what I learned and was taught by him was invaluable. One stunning thing I learned from the situation is that: with Positive Mental Attitude one can change a seemingly hopeless situation into a worthwhile one. It all depends on your mind set. My father was able to prolong his life for 2 more years because of PMA.

5th You can change your world I couldn’t have agreed more with the above statement. This is because the numerous stories and examples in the book are more than ample evidence that every human being no matter where you may find yourself, you have the power and ability to change your world only if you’re willing and determined to. I am a living example that we can actually change our world. In june 2005, I made a firm decision that I was no longer going to accept leftovers in this life and that I was going to be the best or amongst the best. I reckoned the first key was to upgrade myself which I did by going back to school despite that I did not have much money then. Today I earn 6 times more than what I was earning in 2005. I’m much more happy and content with my life now. Indeed we can change our world if we are willing to.

6th To see mentality is to think.

The power of creativity is only birthed by the person who is ready to set aside quality time to think. I have to appreciate the fact that if only we spend time to think and analyze through issues or throw questions to our mind we would be surprised by the results we turn out. Personally ever since I started applying this skill I am surprised at the answers and solutions I am getting. What I do now is write down whatever I am interested in and then begin to turn it over in my mind. The result is remarkable. I have always had a desire to set up a company to help give meaning and employment to my people in the village who are mostly farms. Even though this has been a passion for years it was not until now that I have finally come out with concrete plans and the most exciting thing is that all the wonderful ideas come through after committing myself to think and put ideas together on paper. It has taken two weeks and what I have gathered is unbelievable. I see this project materialize by the end of the year..

7th The secret of getting things done is: DO IT NOW. One of the great benefits that I got from the book is the above statement. I have been fighting with the problem of procrastination for so long; however, the above statement has brought a total change in my attitude. Any time I find myself putting off things I fight it off with the following statement: DO IT NOW! It has really helped me. One of the benefits is me writing my assessment now, something I should have done weeks ago. The other benefit is I finally putting together a business strategy to process cassava into flour for sale domestically and internationally. I have been able to identify all the equipment and needed resource as well as potential markets when I decided to Do It Now. This principle works and I will recommend it to those who have the procrastination problem.

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?

One benefit I have enjoyed is the transformation I have had in my relationship with my wife. I am now able to accept her without any prejudice or blame. Practically I now see positive things about her and they are actually manifesting. Another benefit is that, hitherto, I took delight in just reading but I have come to realize that reading without applying whatever you read is useless. I have started by writing down what I learn and now I have began applying them and indeed I’m seeing a lot of change in my life and relationships. The success quotient analysis exercise is very good. It gives you a picture of yourself, something I believe is very important for anyone who wants to be an achiever. It is absolutely important one get to know his/her strengths and weakness and that is what the success quotient analysis gives.

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.

“That knowledge doesn’t make you successful. But application of the knowledge will” Knowledge without application is useless. It is the application of the knowledge that we have heard or read that brings about transformation. The truth in the above has been re echoed by James in the bible that “we should not be hearers of the word only and deceive ourselves but that we should be doers of the word” if we really want to see results. This truth has really challenged me to go a step further by trying to apply whatever new Idea I come across in any material. Hitherto my delight was just read and pride myself on the number of books I have read at ever point in time. The above statement has really challenged me to start living what I read.



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? None



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 Success Quotient Analysis. I think it was a very insightful and helpful exercise.


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 think the last chapter titled “The Amazing Power of Bibliography and the Pilots were brilliant ideas. The fact that they teach you which other books to read further and how you should read them. The Pilots were good summaries of the ideas in the chapters, you are able to recall the salient points easily.

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

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