As A Man Thinketh
Assessment by Angela Gichimu.

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?
The main idea behind this book is about man taking control of his won life and destiny. It talks of how of how if someone just took control of their life, had a plan of how they were going to achieve their dreams and how they would not leave their fate to chance and not fear failure then success would surely follow. The book also encourages knowledge of one self: strengths, weaknesses abilities in order to realize what we can do. It talks of how if we change our perception or behavior then our circumstances change. For instance if one changed their eating habits for the better, then chances of heart failure or weight related conditions would not affect them. The book talks about how man determines who he becomes. In chapter one the author says that, Man is made or unmade by himself. In the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. He also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the divine perfection……….. This mans that if man chooses the path of righteousness; the good shall abound but if he chooses evil then destruction will follow.

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.

1. 'man is the master of thought, molder of character and the maker and shaper of condition'- this was eye-catching for one and also very important because, I have realized that every time I take responsibility of my life actions and deeds as well as make wise decisions the results are fruitful.

2. 'For only by patience, practice and ceaseless importunity can man enter the door of the temple of knowledge' -I am learning to be patient especially with other people and from this virtue I have learnt that waiting just a little bit longer doesn't hurt. Every time I have fallen and risen and continued with my mission I have come out stronger.

3. ‘the outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state' -It is important to me because I have come to realize that, if my emotional state is in chaos then I tend to be distracted and this affects how I relate to other people around me. But on days when I am at peace with myself I tend to be happier.

4. 'men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are'- I actually thought it to be the other way around but after thinking about it I realized that every time I doubt my ability I sell myself short and thus cannot accomplish. But when I fill my mind with thoughts of prosperity and success I get the results.

5. 'Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself'- This was especially important to me as a student. This is because faced by a dilemma recently I had no where to turn and did not know what I could do but that situation actually showed me a new side of me that I did not think I had and that taught me immensely.

6. you will become as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration'- I have come to love this phrase because I took up this challenge of reading these books just when I had so much on my plate and I was certain I could not make it, then I read this phrase and realized that the more I told myself that it was too much, I increasingly thought it impossible, but then I want to learn, I want to be a better person and so my ambition to be an example to someone in this world propelled me to actually manage all I thought was a lot-so far I think I'm doing just fine.

7. 'calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom'- This is especially insightful to me because I am getting to know myself more and more and this helps me relate to others even better. I have also realized that when I am at peace with myself people are more receptive to me and my ideas and I get happier with myself everyday and I do not beat myself up for mistakes past but take them as a lesson in life

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?

Each idea presented to me here will in one way or the other especially in my personal life help me in that:
* I will always remember that I should never give up or give in to my doubts or fears.
* I will always remember that my failures are not my shortcomings but lessons for life which will come in handy from time to time.
* If I can prepare for everything I set out to do then I will achieve it, not by chance or luck but by own hard work and determination
* When I take responsibility for my mistakes and take control of my life, when I choose to follow a diet out of will and not because I feel pressured, or even when I surround myself with people who look out for me and support me I will prosper

In changing the world, these lessons will help me in that:
* Gandhi said, be the change you would like to see in the sense that I should become the kind of person I want to see in the world. I cannot be an agent of change if I cannot embrace it. Therefore if I want a world without abortions I should not commit such an act myself because it starts with me.
* If I want to work well with people I have to first understand myself in terms of my weaknesses and strengths and know how I can contribute to making a change in the world.
* In this world I would like to see a generation of people of who do not suffer from obesity, are always on diets and spend money on plastic surgery and have to deal with conditions like high blood pressure or kidney failure, when all they have to embrace is good eating habits and exercise. That is what I would encourage and advocate.

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.

'Men are anxious to improve their circumstances but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound'. This is especially important to me because I realize that every time we are in trouble or in problems we are always quick to seek the solutions and once that's over and done with we never take a look back and try to analyze the cause of all the troubles that face us. This means that we keep having the same troubles and problems over and over.

'A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but can choose his thoughts, so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances'. This got my attention because it just talks about the choices we make and how they influence our lives. It instilled in me a sense of pride in knowing that if I maintained pure thoughts, and maintained good behavior, thoughts that would build me, and then my circumstances would surely change.
'the strong ones recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment' I was especially scared of failure because of what people would think of me and therefore never tried to do things which I thought I would fail. Then I realized that every time I fail I learn and it also makes me stronger if not wiser. It has therefore shown me that I am right to learn from my mistakes and not fear to fail.

'There can be neither progress nor achievement without sacrifice' I have read this book at the time when I am about to do my exams. It is during this period that there are parties all over yet here I am with deadlines on everything. It is not like I did not know this but it has come at the most opportune time when I needed a jolt from the idea that I could party and study and finish these books in time. I needed a motivation to decide what to sacrifice and after reading this I realized it was practically a-no-brainer for me.

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?

First of all I was slightly discouraged by the language, seeing it was set a long time ago but then I put my mind to it and slowly began to understand what it was about after the first chapter then I just went back to the beginning and started all over again.

I in a way I am uncertain about the statement that, 'men do not attract that which they want but which they are' I feel like this is harsh in a way because its like saying that if for instance if in a relationship I am being abused it one way or another translates into it being the kind of a person I am, violent .I do not think that's right in the sense that even when looking for friends or partners yes you find the qualities that match yours as well as others that compliment who you are or you admire, that's why I think it's a bit harsh.

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 the books did not have exercise for me to complete however the examples were very relevant to me and I was able to relate to them.

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.

Yes. The stages of how the book has been divided in to chapters; thought and character, effects of thought and circumstance, effects on health and body, thought and purpose, the thought-factor in achievement, visions and ideals, and finally serenity. I think just the subtitles on their own are very important because they take the reader stage by stage into realizing how he can change his thoughts and not only in his work area but also in his own personal health and being, and I think that's one other thing the book talks about, ones thoughts. There is somewhere it says that it doesn't matter what you dream of whether material or spiritual as long as it motivates you into attaining it and that is the whole essence of our dreams

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

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Assessment by Angela Gichimu (Kenya)

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

This book is about a seagull who from the beginning knew that there was more to life than waiting to be fed. From his character you can tell that he is relentless as he tries to prove to the rest of the seagulls that they can do more than they think they are able to only if they try. The author brings out the character of the other seagulls as conservative and apathetic. This is clear from the way they shun Jonathan from the flock just because he believes there is more to life than the current one he is living.

The book shows how a young Jonathan from a tender age could not accept his fate as ordinary because in his heart he knew he was different. In his mind he was not interested in the ordinary and was more into what more he could do with his life than settle with the ordinary. The author shows the struggle which he goes through trying to fit in, heed the advice of his parents and try to live a normal life but it does not take long for him to realize that, that is not his destiny.

In his mind Jonathan knows that seagulls cannot fly as high as he wants to go or even do as many stunts as other birds, but this does not stop him. He learns from every time he falls. Discovers from every mistake he makes. Even when he is shunned he does not resign himself to misery but does what he loves best-flying which leads him to a better place.

In a nutshell the author tries to convey that we are more than we are born into and we can become better an know ourselves more if only we could be like Jonathan Seagull who never gave up despite the failure, pain and even rejection that we may face I our effort to better ourselves.

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.

a) ‘Jonathan seagull was no ordinary bird…most gulls did not bother to learn the simple facts of flight-how to get from shore to food and back again.’ It was important because it makes me realize that there’s nothing wrong with being different to others and I should not try to conform just to make them happy. If I see that I have a bigger purpose in life than what I previously thought and contrary to what others think I should not discard it just because there is a pre conceived idea of how I should be.

b) ‘I am limited by my nature ….. my father was right. I must forget this foolishness. I must fly home to the flock and be content as I am a poor little seagull.’ This was important especially because any time something bad happens one always remembers the warnings they were given and then start doubting themselves and not believing in their ability. This reminds me of how when I am afraid of failure I look for excuses just so that I can avoid failing all together and thus taking the backseat and watching things being done, unfortunately as I look at what I shied away from being done I normally feel that I can do it or could have done it better.

c) ‘Dark! Seagulls never fly in the dark! This was eye catching in the sense that we normally look at the beliefs that we have been given or that have been instilled in us and normally this if followed too closely could make us not achieve our dreams. These notions create barriers and walls which are the things that hinder us from achieving what we set out to do.

d) ‘what he had once hoped for the flock, he now gained for himself alone; he learned to fly, and was not sorry for the price he had paid’ Jonathan had dreams that when he learnt to fly he would teach the rest and the flock would become creatures and more self reliant. However this was never to be because he was rejected because he was different. It just reminds me at some point that I will lose friends because they do not support what I do to achieve all I want.

e) ‘The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly’ This reminds that we are all given a chance at life, it is what we do with this chance that matters. If I just look at life and not try to change the circumstances I will never move. On the other hand if I take the chance like education and make sacrifices to make the education I get assist in making my life worth living, then I will be truly satisfied.

f) And the more Jonathan practiced his kindness lessons, and the more he worked to know the nature of love, the more he wanted to go back to Earth. For in spite of his lonely past, Jonathan Seagull was born to be an instructor, and his own way of demonstrating love was to give something of the truth that he had seen to a gull who asked only a chance to see truth for himself’ It is important to remember where we came from. Especially when we have changed the situations in which we grew up in. Where we come from determines how we perceive life and so it is important when we learn something that would be of benefit to those that we left behind we should at least go back and teach it to them or that want to listen. If I was not accepted for the way my hair looked or the size of my body where I came from, it is important to at least go back and be the guiding force of that one or two people who feel like they have been rejected and told to change because they will never make it. So you go back to be an inspiration to those who feel discouraged.

g) ‘Fletcher Lynd Seagull was still quite young, but already he knew that no bird had ever been so harshly treated by any Flock, or with so much injustice. "I don't care what they think. I'll show them what flying is! I'll be pure Outlaw; if that's the way they want it. And I'll make them so sorry..." This was important because it reminded me of the bitterness you feel as young child when you are not acknowledged for your efforts just because they are not like those that have been set. It created bitterness in me as a child because I was not good in math but brilliant in all the other subjects. I was always mad and vowed to revenge but with time I resolved and realized that if the effort that I made did not matter to them but mattered to me, then that was what was important.

h) "You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn't flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit and perfection doesn't have limits. Perfect speed, my son,’ This caught my eye as I was reading because it reminds me that I will normally limit myself to what I can do yet in my head believing that I can do it. However the fear of failure stops me dead in my tracks. However any time I take a leap of faith so to speak ad do not limit myself I find that I exceed my own expectations further proving to me that I should not limit myself.

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 in that every day I am faced with challenges I do not have to be afraid but remember that I should not limit myself to the things I know only.

Secondly it reminds me of forgiveness explained here as love and kindness especially to those who shun as and disregard our efforts. If I carry the weight of grudges on my shoulders then I will never truly move on and achieve what I set out to do.

The lessons all teach me to be relentless and not give up; If everyone in the world gave up, if the Alexander Graham Bell would have given up well this world would have been significantly been different.

These lessons teach me that I should never tire of learning and practicing what I learn. I should also never stick with knowledge that I acquire but spread it to those who need it as this will help someone the same way it did me.

These lessons remind me that the limits I put on my efforts only serve to delay my dreams and that I should strive to eliminate all this limits that I set.

In addition I realize that we go through this life chasing what we think will bring ultimate happiness and never stop for a second to think if this will bring us the desired joy. We also never think about others and I believe that if you stop for a second and think of what we can do to make a change. So if we learnt what we did like Jonathan in the hope of making a change around us then truly we will be happy.

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.

‘Ten times, he tried, but all ten times he passed through, he burst into a churning mass of feathers, crashing down into the water’ -It is not everyday we can try something over and over despite that we fail every time we are at it. We take the easy way out and give up and move on to something different. We never finish what we start because the first few times we try we fail. Jonathan is however an inspiration because he fell and hurt himself but still stood up and tried again each time trying a different approach and learning with each try. We should all have a little Jonathan within us who never gives up.

‘Here were gulls who thought as he thought. For each of them the most important thing in living was to reach out and touch perfection in that which they most loved to do, and that was to fly.’ Whenever we are torn between choice it is easier to find friends or acquaintances who think like we do or who at least see the world as we do because they will always encourage us to do what we set out and be more than we care to think about.

“‘Let’s try again,’ Sullivan said over and over: “let’s try it again” - It is not everyday that we meet someone like Sullivan who is patient with us and will be with us all through until we learn. We should therefore utilize the people we meet who are interested in our efforts and engage them as much as we can even though they are only there for a short while and we will learn immensely.

"Well, of course it works, Jon." said Chaing. "It always works, when you know what you're doing.’ This to me I took it to mean that Chaing was trying to tell Jonathan that when we plan how we are going to achieve our goals, it is an easier path than just running around without strategy. Everything will work out if we know how we are going to do 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?

‘What he had once hoped for the flock, he now gained for himself alone; he learned to fly, and was not sorry for the price he had paid’. I do not agree with this in the sense that he achieved his dreams at the expense of his family. True we should stop at nothing to achieve what we want however I think it is important to know at what cost. I understand what the author was trying to say but I think it could be misunderstood and mislead someone into thinking that when it comes to dreams you can sacrifice even your family.

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 the book did not have any exercises for me 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.

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? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 6
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

Keys To Success
Assessment by Angie Gichimu (Kenya)

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

It is book that talks about seventeen fundamental principles which a person can follow in order to succeed in life if they are willing and ready to follow, as the book calls them, `keys to success'. It encourages you to implement plans that you make by giving directives. The author in this book tries to show us in seventeen principles that what he is advising is not something abstract or unknown to each and every one of us but things we already know but never really come round to applying in our lives. The author also shares his inspiration to formulate and later publish this principles and that is through Andrew Carnegie. It is through this that he shows the world principles by which great individuals achieve individual success.

The author calls for everyone who reads this book and wants to succeed, to have an open mindset and a willingness to work at achieving all that they envision for themselves. “The difference between a wish and a burning desire is crucial. Everyone wants better things in life-money, fame, respect -but most people never go beyond just wishing for them. If you know what you want from life, if you are determined to get it to the point that it becomes an obsession with continuous effort and sound planning, then you have awakened and developed definiteness of purpose.”

In a nutshell we can say the book calls for everyone who reads it to become the master of their own minds by among other things, decide on what they want from life, make plans on how to attain their desired goal, work hard, believe in their efforts, become resilient and learn from failure and most importantly have faith. “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, your mind can achieve.” W. Clement Stone.

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.

Develop definiteness of purpose
This was and still is important to me. This is because we all want to do so many things in life and the reason we never come around to accomplishing them is because we really do not think about or prioritize the order in which we would like to achieve all that we dream of. I know what I want to do in life, but it was after I read this chapter on the definiteness of purpose, I realized just because I knew about setting goals, I was lacking in one thing and that is this concept of having a definite purpose. It was until I wrote down all the things that I wanted to do in life that I realized they were really haphazard and one of the reasons why. I thought I was doing the wrong course but after evaluating the most important in the list, I realized that what really mattered most to me came first in the list and so what I am studying is very relevant to my dreams.

Assemble an attractive personality
I always thought that courtesy and the right manners could get me through this until I read the chapter on assembling an attractive personality. I learnt that from assembling an attractive personality, I could be able to attract the kind of influences in my life that I would want. From an attractive personality I could be able to work better with people as it makes me more likeable, approachable and even for those who don't know me will feel drawn to me because of the attractive personality I exude and in the end think of me as more trustworthy. This is important because no man is an island and every once in a while will have to work with others in order to achieve what they wish.

Create Personal initiative and go the extra mile
I undertake most responsibilities half-heartedly, but from both these chapters I realized that giving your all in everything you do surely pays in the end. Luckily I already knew both these concepts and already applied them to my life. They however instilled in me a sense of courage to continue as I do but also reminded me that nothing comes easy but by taking an initiative and going the extra mile always pays off. From this I learned that personal initiative and going the extra mile creates opportunities and most importantly builds other peoples trust in you.

Enforce self discipline
This is proving to be the hardest to enforce especially because I am good at procrastinating. I know it and understand it well but habits are hard to break but after reading this chapter I realized that I could change over-night after reading this because I keep falling back into old patterns. I now realize that procrastination is a weakness I have to overcome. So instead I have decided to make gradual changes in my patterns and that way I will slip into a new routine. It is from this chapter I learnt that I could replace one weakness with a strength, so I have decided to work on learning my weaknesses and replacing each one with a strength I do not already have and the book has taught me that by doing this I will essentially assemble an attractive personality.

Think Accurately
This at first I thought to be very ambiguous because I could not possibly understand what it meant. Then I read it again and again and it became all the more clear to me. Finally I saw that this concept of accurate thinking made more sense when put together with these other concepts such as definiteness of purpose, prompt decision making and a positive attitude. It proved to be especially important because I have the tendency to disbelieve anything I do not understand. It has taught me to evaluate every bit of information I receive, question opinions of others and their motives behind them at the same time giving every idea or opinion I get a chance to sink in and think about it before I can discard it as rubbish. All in all I can say this chapter has also taught me how to control habits of thought and through this I am able to examine the results of my reasoning consistently and look for flaws.

Cultivate creative vision
In life most people wait to be handed things, be given jobs, and be employed by others or even make money. However this is not the way to go I learnt form reading this chapter. I realized that I do not have to wait to be handed everything or wait for money to be sent to me, but if I can think of creative ways to make the money I want or instead of looking for the job I dream of instead I create that job. The chapter taught me that it is all about tapping in to my talent, and so to speak, think outside the box. For instance I love writing and from my mass communication classes, I have acquired a skill. I learnt how to professionally do it, I therefore do not have to wait to finish school to write articles for a magazine or journal for an organization but I can pen some stories, which I can get paid for writing and I think this is what this chapter talked about. It made me think about it and now that is what I am working on.

Build a positive mental attitude
I think of my self as a realist. Many times I will look at something and always look at the other side whether good or bad. The pros and cons of every situation For instance death. According to me death is a life experience since it is inevitable to all of us. On one side it causes grief to the bereaved but on the other it ends the suffering of the one who dies. My point is I normally come off as a person lacking in faith or a pessimist which honestly I do not think I am. This was important to me because in many ways it has changed the way I think, not entirely, because I still look at situations from both ends. But it has shown me to how important faith is and how the way I say things affects the people around me. I realized that when I said things differently or did not necessarily air all my concerns, just the obvious ones, I began attracting the kind of friends I wanted, achieving some of the thins I hoped to and building a positive mental attitude is all about faith which I have learnt to accumulate plenty of.

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?

For me a definiteness of purpose has totally changed my way of looking at things and the way I do things. It has made me more aware of myself and all the things I can or have the opportunity to do. So I imagine what it would do for the world. This needs to be taught. It will help me create a better world in the sense that this principle made me evaluate all I want to do in life and at the end of it, it is all about helping others and giving back to the community. I have always somehow known this is what I want to do but the principle of definiteness of purpose reinforced it in my head and now it has become my crusade.

If everyone became more aware of their habits both good and bad, worked on the bad and replaced them with more positive then truly our world would be different. I say this because; an attractive personality draws people to you and makes them want to work with you. I will work at assembling my attractive personality so as to change my relationship with others. They say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with ones step so, if I can influence one person to also make amends to their personality, who in turn will influence another then the cycle goes on.

Our roads would be better if the people in charge took the initiative of making them well in the first place. The services a customer care attendant offers is normally much better when they go the extra mile to be courteous and polite at the same time helpful. This is my point; If everyone did their work without waiting to be told and even did more than they were asked, more so ensured or did a follow up to ensure that the assistance they offered, actually helped, then truly the world would be a better place. I once heard that some people lead while others follow. I will definitely not follow but lead by example.

Self discipline is a personal asset that we should all nurture and cherish. Imagine the kind of achievements or progress we would make. It is through self discipline that a person will have an early start, not because they are forced to but because they want to. It is because of self discipline that a student will diligently attend class without fail and do all assignments. It is because of self discipline that a person trying to keep fit and healthy will not indulge in junk or fatty and unhealthy foods. It is because of self discipline that a person working out will keep going despite the pain. What I am saying is, nobody is perfect but will can all work at being the best the best we can be. Therefore if we do not want litter all over our cities and garbage heaps all over, It is through self discipline that we will get cleaner homes, communities, towns, cities, countries, continents and the world as a whole. All we need is self discipline to clean up after ourselves and make use of trash cans.

Our education system here in Africa instills in us that we should go to school so that we may get job opportunities. However at the end of the day we are to blame for our own shortcomings, so I believe that we should tap into our minds because we are told that it is only our mind that we can truly control and think outside the box. When such a cliché is used people normally tend to overlook it, so I will say it this way. Think of things you know you know you can do and even those you think you can't possibly succeed or are too big for you and have a go at them. It is what creativity is all about and a creative vision is about using your imagination to make the ordinary extraordinary.

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 difference between a wish and a burning desire is crucial. Everyone wants better things in life-money, fame, respect-but most people never go beyond just wishing for them. If you know what you want form life, if you are determined to get it to the point it becomes an obsession with continuous effort and sound planning, then you have awakened and developed definiteness of purpose.' Page 2. This was important to me because it made me realize that I can only want something so much, but for me to get it I have to take the next step at working to get it.

'If you can see an opportunity as quickly as you can see the faults of others, you will soon succeed.” Page 4. This was in connection to a subtitle, alertness to opportunity. It was important because it made me realize that more than concentrate on what others are not doing, I should do what I am doing to the best of my abilities. This is because for as long as I know what I want to do in life, I should look at every back-step or downfall as an opportunity. Other quotes or phrases I found that particularly got my attention are between page 59- 62,

DEMONSTRATING THE POWER OF YOUR FAITH.
* Don't let a day pass without making at least one move toward attaining your major purpose.- It has made me realize that to finally attain what I hope, I should not wait but make it a work in progress.
* Recognize that anything worth having has a definite price tag. Anything worth having is worth working for.- It just reminds me each day that anything I want really bad will not land on my laps or be handed on a silver platter but I will get it through hard work.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about? Are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

Page 48 (Understanding infinite intelligence) page35 (faith in infinite intelligence) There is a concept in this book about infinite intelligence on the pages aforementioned. Now thing is no matter how much I read both, I cant seem to fully understand and I would be grateful if you would kindly expound more on it.

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 book had exercises for me to complete in the last chapter-a fast review that covers rather summarizes each chapter, with a run through of the main ideas each chapter i.e. each principle. The concept behind this evaluation is for one to read each summary and at the end of it, it provides a space to write down specific actions you plan to take to implement that principle.

I found this very helpful because not only did I get a summary of all I had read but it give me the chance to commit to applying each principle. It is like signing a contract to live my life according to these principles by specifically writing down on each principle specific steps I hope to take and in the long-run achieve success.

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.

All I can say is that we never really know when starting something, how that thing will end, we only hope that after all the effort, sacrifice, faith, time or even money that we have put in to getting it done, will bear fruit.

This book has been a great inspiration for me to actually get down to things I never thought I could only dream of but never get down to doing because I was afraid I would fail. It has made me more aware of myself to evaluate things in my life that I consider important and discard those I have come to realize are not as important as I thought.

It has also taught me that life is not as hard as I think it is. I just have to prioritize things that matter and things that don't, those that are urgent and those that are not. As well as make decisions quickly and always act on my thoughts. It has taught me that the best way to do this is to write down every idea which I may think is silly. The book has made me committed to make me a better person by improving on my self discipline and having more faith and most importantly never to give up. It has shown me where I need to improve in order to not only be a better person but to also succeed in life. It has made me realize that in life the only thing I can truly control is my mind and so that way I should learn to control my habits and learn to use my mind, make my mind my servant and make it work for me and from the words from W. Clement Stone, 'Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, your mind can achieve.'

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? 7
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? 8

Success Through Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Angie Gichimu (Kenya)

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

Success through a positive mental attitude is a very helpful book in which the author tells how practical it is for one to achieve success in any sphere of their life just by having the right attitude. A positive mental attitude is the frame of mind in which the person who hopes for success has faith and believes that his dreams and goals can come true.

The author is trying to bring to focus to the reader that achieving success is not as far fetched as we may think but requires setting of goals and will definitely attain them through persistent thinking and positive action. The author encourages persistent and continuous action a definite plan in order to attain success.

The book has been set in 5 distinct phases in which all the 23 chapters have been divided. Part I titled where the road to achievement begins has the first 5 chapters which act as a guide to discovering yourself. Part II titled five mental bombshells for attacking success takes the reader down the path of discovering ways of turning adversity into success.

Part III titled the key to your citadel of wealth gets into the details of how to attain success and especially the ways you can turn ordinary situations into working for you in order to achieve success. Part IV and V titled get ready to succeed and action please respectively encourage the reader to prepare for success as well as to act everything that they have learned in the book and to put it into practice.

The book is a step by step guide into the steps one should take into attaining success. It talks about living and behaving positively as well as projecting faith and believing in their efforts.

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.

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by trying. Success is achieved by those who keep trying with PMA. This was important to me because for one it is very striking and quite memorable. Thing is it reminds me over and over again that I should not be afraid to try since trying costs me nothing. Sure I may experience a few difficulties and heartbreak along the way but the possible and countless opportunities I could get from trying are much more worth it. I have been through situations in which I was afraid to try but immediately after success I realized that there was nothing to be scared of in the first place. Many think of it as trial and error but the book has taught me that through PMA it could be regarded as trial and success.

Your world will change whether or not you choose to change it, but you have the power to change its direction. When I think of this statement it reminds me that we have the power and control the direction over which our lives take. Time will pass us by whether or not we like it, the only difference is what we do with the time on our hands. It reminds me always that my world will change regardless of the choices I make the most important thing is how wise my choices are that way if the choices I make are the right ones I will at least have made a difference. From the book I learnt that if a man's mind is right his world will be right.

Time after time the pattern repeats itself; problems and difficulties turn out to be the best thing that could have happened, provided we translate them into advantages. I have heard over and over again that history repeats itself and this was important because when I look back at all the sad times I have been through and experienced and even think about tough times, I later got over it but I came to realize that those were some of the most eye-opening situations. I came out stronger than I thought I could be. I learnt more about myself than I would have never known.

A 'have not' is a person who believes that no idea is not good for him unless he originates it. This was important in the sense that it has made me understand people who are close to me a little bit better. I could never understand why there were times a friend of mine disregarded every idea I had, I thought it was a bit malicious and eventually gave up on trying understanding them. It seemed that all that mattered to him was being the originator of ideas and never wants to be out shone, so to speak. This statement got me thinking and made me really understand them better.

That which you share with others will multiply and that which you withhold will diminish. I was taught kindness as young person and I grew up knowing that I should do unto others as I should want them to do unto me. This reminded me that no matter how little I have should share it, because one way or another it will come back to me in abundance. It may not be material things even a smile, or the good I share with others will surely come back to me.

'There is nothing noble in being superior to another person, true nobility lies in being superior to your former self.' Indian proverb This proverb has come to mean a lot to me. It became important because it keeps my character in check and reminds me that I am the most important person and the only one I should be superior to because true nobility lies in treating others as equals without any form of segregation, prejudice or malice.

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?

First of all these ideas act as my lessons and reminders that time and again I may face challenges but they should not stop me because every adversity has the seed of greater or equal opportunity. In creating a better world, these ideas will help me try and make a better world. For I know that I will face many challenges in living my dreams or carrying out some of them but that should not stop me.

Secondly these ideas remind me that the choices I make really matter. In my personal life it keeps reminding me that the choices I make now really matter in the future because they totally determine the kind of life I may have. In giving my contribution to the world, it reinforces my idea that I should not wait till I am working to give aid to charity but that I should start now.

Moreover, time and time again we experience testing times in our day to day lives and these ideas have reminded me that I am stronger than I actually think and I am capable of more than I really imagine. It is therefore important that I always look for a lesson from everything that I experience; pain, sorrow, joy etc. This way everything I will go through will be a lesson, like a chapter in the book titled, you have a problem, that's good!

Finally these ideas will be important to me because making people happy has been paramount to me and each day I will strive to make someone's day better and in future I hope to make a little boy and little girl's life better. Give them a family because they deserve one.

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.

Develop inspirational dissatisfaction-
Inspirational dissatisfaction is the kind of dissatisfaction in which motivates you to do something. In the sense that despite the goals one has achieved they should aspire to achieve higher and when possible achieve more. It was important because it kept me in check about reasons why no matter how much I achieve I should not settle but aspire to do more

Character is the cornerstone of building success
In the book, 17principles of success, one of the principles is to have a pleasing personality. Having a good character goes a long way in building relationships. When your personality attracts people to you it makes it easier for you to make alliances as well as get things done.

Set your target and keep trying until you hit it.
This reminds me to always set targets and not only that but to set them high and keep trying relentlessly until I get where I want to be.

If you know your specific destination and take the first step, you are on your way
Getting things done requires planning as well as the courage to take the first step in getting things done. This encouraged me to always have courage when I feel reluctant to do something.

Motivation is like a fire; unless you continue to add fuel, it will go out
Over and over we see people do things year in year out and then one day they quit their jobs. So it got me thinking there could be many reasons one could quit but motivation stands out. If someone does not feel motivated or appreciated where they work, it will not be from remuneration but first and foremost for appreciation so when this lacks they will probably leave the job.

The victory within us does not assert itself until we are ready
This has stuck in my mind and has become a self motivator in my life because it reminds me that the world has bigger things in store for me as I move and grow.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

No. This book was straight forward and generally easy to understand.

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 book had like exercises at the end of every chapter called pilots and I completed each one. They are summaries of each chapter which ask you to reflect back on what the chapter talks about as well as reminds you of the main points the book has. The 20th chapter has an exercise known as the success quotient which was helpful in getting to know my self better and learning aspects of my life that I need to work on .

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.

The book has taught me to use self motivators into doing things. Self motivators I learnt are catchy and memorable statements that are meant to be memorized whose purpose is to jump-start you whenever you feel low on enthusiasm or when discouraged. It has taught me various like I feel good, I feel great, I feel terrific. Interestingly it taught me how to come up with self motivators on my own.

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

Psycho-Cybernetics 2000
Assessment by Angie Gichimu.

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

This book reveals to us the how we perceive ourselves affects the choices or decisions we make. The author tries to show how our self image contributes to our personality, to our lives and how self image can make us or break us or even hinder us from achieving our full potential. According to Maxwell Maltz, developer of Psycho-cybernetics saw that despite all the success one may achieve, they may never regard themselves as successful because of their self image or are trying to measure up to expectations others have set for them. In that case one will never attain true satisfaction because they never seem to measure up to the bar set by the self image.

Success is different to many, but the author reveals that one can only see their success depending on the self image prescribed by us or to us. The author gives six steps to success which include;
o Program yourself to success
o Imagining your way to success
o Relaxing and turning stress into success
o Setting goals
o Using negative feedback to point you toward success
o Dis-inhibit your personality and fueling success

In summary the book tells us that we always act, feel and behave in a way that is consistent with our self image- regardless of the reality of that image. The book also encourages us that we can achieve a positive self image-one that will empower us to set and achieve goals by diligently practicing a few simple techniques.

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.

CRAFT - This stands for cancel, replace, affirm, focus and train. This was important to me because, there are ways I have perceived myself that have hindered me from taking on certain responsibilities or failed to step-up when required to do so. So I learnt that a habit takes six weeks to break and with this words, I am able to identify those negative thoughts and stop them them before they make me change my mind, replace them with more suitable attitudes, affirm myself that the new perception of myself I am trying to affirm myself of is true, workable and realistic. The next step is to focus my attention on my new attitudes and incorporate them in my life as much as possible and finally train myself to use my new attitudes and use them every time I perceive myself as not befitting or not suitable.

SEEDS - This stands for situation, evaluation, emotion, do, self -esteem. This was important because it helps in identifying reasons behind my stress or things that seem to bother me. First, identifying the situation as a neutral situation; this means thinking about the situation objectively. Secondly evaluating the problem and finding out who owns the problem. Third is to shift your emotions to fit your evaluation. So I learnt that I may be angry about something but after evaluating the situation and stop blaming myself I realize that there is really nothing to get all so worked up about and therefore calm my emotions a notch lower. The next step is to act (do). Instead of reacting and lashing out crying and blaming myself. I think about the situation and how it has affected me and how I feel about it and confront it head-on. Finally self-esteem will follow. Bad things happen to everyone, and problems will always be by our side, trick is to realize that one can overcome these obstacles by believing in themselves.

It is not what you know about your resistance, that is going to make a difference, its what you do with what you do with what you know.

This was important to me, because I am pretty good at procrastinating and I know it. This has instilled a sense of responsibility in me in the sense that, Yes I know I postpone doing things but now I am able to do something about it with the knowledge I have. I have not fully broken the habit but now I am able to resist procrastination more and get down to doing what I should be doing.

Fear of Success and fear of failure.

This was a real eye opener. Though discussed separately when looked at together, however they make a lot of sense. I realized that the reason I do not do things is that I am afraid to fail and face embarrassment. On the other hand I realize that I refuse to do certain things for the reason that I am afraid of the outcome especially if I am successful. This has made me evaluate my fears and come to the conclusion that some of the fears I have are totally unfounded.

If you cant commit to writing your goals, you wont commit to following through.

I learnt that what gets written gets measured and what gets measured gets improved. This was in a podcast I listen to. This statement meant a lot to me because writing my goals is like a contract with me. At the same time it works as a reminder of what I set out to do. Writing my goals has taught me discipline because I become committed to following through.

Stress results from the way you respond to outside events and not the events themselves.

This means a lot to me because it made me realize that many times we find ourselves in situations beyond our control, that work us up so much the result of that is stress but then I realized that its not the events that cause the stress but how we react to those situations. When we are heartbroken, we lose sleep, take on bad eating habits, indulge in alcohol, a self unwinding path. Hard as they may be, we fail to look at what we have learnt or gained from the relationship and dwell on the sad and gloomy. This then results to us getting ideas such as 'we are not good enough', or we don't deserve love.

Resentment is anger gone rotten.

This caught my attention. It was important to me because it made me realize that some of the resentment I harbor comes from anger over something which I did not resolve. It therefore becomes part of my personality and thus making me a less likeable person. Having resentment also means that I never have peace because there are things that keep disturbing me, ruining my mood, demonizing and awfulizing situations and especially when that resentment is directed towards someone, nothing they say, no matter how valid seems good enough. The only way to move on and get ahead is to practice forgiveness.

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?

The lessons on CRAFT will help me change the negative perceptions I have of myself, work on improving myself and slowly cleansing out the negative attitudes I have and help me challenge myself to greatness. In creating a better world the lesson will help me instill in others the importance of changing our attitudes in order to maintain peace or live in a cleaner environment.

SEEDS will help me change my habits and become a better person for the rest it will help me teach people around me the importance of self esteem in the decisions we make.

Also the lessons will help me not only identify my shortcomings but also determine how to rid of them, for making a change in the world it will help show others, lead by example that the key is not knowing your resistance but determining how you are going to work in order to change and become a better person or a better nation.

Facing fears individually or as a whole is key to moving on. Its that first step in your journey of a thousand miles. Cliché as that may sound I take it to be true.

Resentment comes from unresolved issues, therefore if you can't resolve them, forgive and learn from them.

Commitment to anything comes from our willingness to see the results so for the goals we set out, it's important to write down our goals as it helps us see what we want to do and the time we have allotted to that task. That way we can measure what has been done, what's yet to be done, any obstacles that may come our way and evaluating our success both in our personal lives and to the society and world around us.

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.

What you resist will persist-Chinese proverb This got my attention because it reminds me all the time that the things we push aside because we do not want to deal with them keep coming back, haunting us, sort of , therefore the trick here is to face those things that we particularly do not want to face, this helps us move on faster.

Do your worrying before you place your bet, not after the wheel starts turning Many times we do things or make decisions then after that that worry so much about the decisions that we have made, making us edgy and restless. Most times we demonize the situations and breed resentment. This got my attention because it reminds me that I should think about something before making my decision and once I do it is out of my hands, just like doing an exam, once I hand in my sheet its not in my control anymore and there is no use worrying or causing unnecessary anxiety.

Make it a habit to challenge your false beliefs whenever you find yourself aware of it. This is best done using the craft method of changing habits. Identifying your false beliefs is the first step challenging them is the second that leads into evaluating and affirming yourself and finally training yourself to become a changed person.

Your attitudes, feelings and behavior change in the direction you believe to be true. I never realized how important self image is and how much it affects the choices we make and the kind of lives that we lead. It is our self image that dictates or sets the limits of what our guidance system can aim for. In short it is our self image that prescribes our limits. Therefore we will make decisions according to what we believe to be true to us.

Anything that has been learned can be re-evaluated and challenged; anything challenged can be re-learned. This challenges the perceptions we have of ourselves and the habits we have developed as a result of what we believe of ourselves. It reminds me that if we took time to learn something we can also take a look at it and evaluate how helpful it is to us by challenging its relevance and anything that can be challenged can be re-learned.

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you have always got. People fear change and we therefore remain rigid to change thus remain on a cycle doing the same things over and over again always wondering why nothing ever changes, why we never move forward in life why no matter how hard we try we never succeed. We never stop to think that maybe its how we do things that stops us from achieving the success we desire.

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?

Well not really, though the chapter on your brain and how it works took sometime to understand but now its not too much too handle and I can relate and made me understand myself much better.

Secondly I would just like to know how to help others with the knowledge I get from this book; I'm not perfect but while reading this book I thought about someone who needs this more than I do but getting them to read the book itself has proved to be a challenge. My conviction is that if they read this book they would be much better.

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 it has exercise to complete which were very helpful in identifying things such as how I perceive myself, what caused such belief and what kind of person I am. The exercise have taught me reflective relearning, a technique that involves focusing on what bothers or hinders me and learning from it to change my attitude. The book also has summaries at the end of every chapter called targeting on ideas which give bullet points of what is the main idea being communicated in a chapter.

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.

The 7 point plan of writing down goals is one of them. I touch on this because I feel that out of all the books I have read on goal setting, this book gives the simplest plan and one that I can relate to. These steps include

* Identify and write down your goal
* Assign dates for achievement of your goal
* Identify possible obstacles
* Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed
* Focus on you skills
* Follow your plan of action
* Ask yourself, 'what is in it for me?'

This was important to me because it made me look back at the goals I have made and evaluate them according to these seven steps. This has helped me make smart goals.
Specific
Measurable
Action-oriented
Realistic
Time conscious

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? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 6
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8