Divided into two parts, Ben Carson's "Think Big" is part memoir, part self-help. In the first part, Ben Carson talked about the people who contributed to his success. Among them was his mother who encouraged him to give his best in everything he did.
In the second part, he shed light on the keys to success: God, talent, honesty, insight, knowledge and being nice. He discussed each of those keys engagingly but let me only mention some of his points on knowledge and talents.
Recognizing knowledge as the key to living, Ben Carson urged us to read books. He quoted the following words of William Ellery Channing twice in the book:
It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, and pour their souls into ours. God be thanked for books. They are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of past ages. Books are true levelers. They give to all who will faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence of the best and greatest of our race.
As for talents, Ben Carson said that if we recognize our talents, use them appropriately and choose a field that uses the talents, we will rise to the top of our field. Achieving success can be that simple.
"Think Big" is a delightful book. It has encouraged me to keep developing my talents and seek insights from successful people. I recommend it to youngsters who want to overcome their past and lead a life of excellence and integrity.
*********************** RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this review, you might also enjoy "The Inspiring Ben Carson Story".
These were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Photo credit: Getty Images Let me tell you, my beloved reader, about the inspiring Adams-Jefferson correspondence that I read about in a speech that former Yale president, Richard C. Levin, gave to incoming freshmen in 2001. But first, let me tell you who Adams and Jefferson were.
Both Adams and Jefferson played an important role in the American Revolution that took place in the 18th century. After the country gained independence, they served as its president. Adams became the second President of the United States in 1797; Jefferson, the third in 1801.
In 1812, they began exchanging letters, and continued until 1826 when they both died on the same day. Levin said the letters were about history, political theory, theology and the politics of the day. And he discussed three traits evident in them: a passion for learning, capacity for independent thought and friendship rooted in deep respect and admiration for each other.
It is important to note that Jefferson had the largest library in Virginia, Adams one of the finest in Massachusetts. And they recommended books to one another and wrote reviews in some of the letters they exchanged.
Take for instance Plato's Republic which they loathed. Jefferson, in a letter that speaks much of his independence of thought, wrote to Adams, "I laid it down often to ask myself how it could have been that the whole world should have consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this."
Adams replied, "I'm very glad you have seriously read Plato, and still more rejoiced to find that your reflections upon him so perfectly harmonize with mine."
It was not only their breadth of learning that impressed Levin, but also their passion for it. Adams wrote to Jefferson, "So many subjects crowd upon me that I know not which to begin with."
On the particular subject of government, where their passion was most intense, Adams insisted, "You and I ought not to die before we have explained ourselves to each other."
Jefferson agreed and later thanked Adams for their intellectual exchange, saying, "But why am I dosing you with these ante-diluvian topics? Because I'm glad to have someone whom they are familiar with and who will not receive them as if dropped from the Moon."
Then five years before their deaths, the 86-year-old Adams wrote to Jefferson, "Must we, before we take our departure from this grand and beautiful world, surrender all our pleasing hopes of the progress of society? Of improvement of the intellectual and moral condition of the world? Of the reformation of mankind?"
A passion for learning, capacity for independent thought and friendship rooted in deep respect and admiration for each other - again, these are the traits that Levin said were evident in the inspiring Adams-Jefferson correspondence. Excellent traits worthy of emulation.
******************** RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy "Homage to Thomas Jefferson".
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"Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do... Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."
~Phillipians 4:4-7 (TLB)
About the Author
Name: Thuita J. Maina Marital status: Single Lives in: Kiserian, Rift Valley, Kenya Mission: To inspire the world to godly living, one person at a time.
Just for Laughs
There was this drunkard called Azoge who loved drinking at Josiah's Bar. On being told a certain Hon. Nanga was flying to America to be conferred a law degree so that he could be admitted to the bar, Azoge replied, "Why fly all the way to America to be admitted to the bar while you can get into Josiah's Bar any time?"
The 7 Deadly Sins
Pride
Envy
Gluttony
Lust
Anger
Greed
Sloth
Author's Note
I am learning to treat life as a journey, not a destination; I have therefore given up the things that weighed me down and I am now living my life to the fullest because the tomorrow I had always hoped to live my dreams may never be mine.
Fun Facts
The fear of having no cell-phone service, running out of battery, or losing sight of your phone is called Nomophobia, reportedly affecting 66% of people.
A single Google search needs more computing power than it took to send Apollo 11 to the moon. The Apollo computer was less equipped than a modern toaster.
Besides being some of the biggest names in the tech industry, HP, Apple, Google and Microsoft share another commonality. They all started in garages.
~Extracted from Codingforums.com
Health Tips
"So many of us take for granted the wonderful construction of the human body and the workings of its various parts. Some of us even expect it to function efficiently with less than the minimum care and attention. Learn the much you can about your body and how the care of it can help give you that greatest blessing of all - good health."
"My life in politics was a joy. I loved campaigns and I loved governing. I always tried to keep things moving in the right direction, to give more people a chance to live their dreams, to lift people's spirits, and to bring them together. That's the way I kept score."
~Bill Clinton
Scientific Marvels
Space travel
Heart surgery
Fibre-optics communication
Concorde
Radios
Computers
Anesthetics
My Supreme Desire
To borrow the words of Elbert Hubbard, my supreme desire is to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and goodwill. I wish to live without fear, hate, guilt, worry and jealousy; to be honest, natural, confident, clean in mind and body - ready to say "I do not know" if it be so; to treat all men with kindness; and to meet any loss, failure, criticism and rejection unabashed and unafraid.
Greatest American Presidents
Abraham Lincoln
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Franklin Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Andrew Jackson
Making Peace With the Past
"Dwell not on your past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed."
~Eileen Caddy
Toughest Colleges to Get Into
MIT
Princeton
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Brown
Columbia
Why You Should Trust God
"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities and pour out peace."
~Ezra Taft Benson
The 7 Greatest Scientists
Albert Einstein
Isaac Newton
Galileo Galilei
Nikola Tesla
Aristotle
Archimedes
Charles Darwin
You Matter
"Always be yourself. Never try to hide who you are. The only shame is to have shame. Always stand up for what you believe in. Always question what other people tell you. Never regret the past; it's a waste of time. There's a reason for everything. Every mistake, every moment of weakness, every terrible thing that has happened to you, grow from it. The only way you can ever get the respect of others is when you show them that you respect yourself and most importantly, do your thing and never apologize for being you."
~Unknown
The Most Industrialized Nations
United States
Japan
Germany
France
United Kingdom
Italy
Canada
Keys to Success
"...in his effort to withstand temptation, to economize, to exercise thrift, to disregard the superficial for the real - the shadow for the substance; to be great yet small, in his effort to be patient in the laying of a firm foundation; to so grow in skill and knowledge that he shall place his services in demand by reason of his intrinsic and superior worth. This is the key that unlocks every door of opportunity, and all others fail."
~Booker T. Washington
The 7 Social Sins
Politics without principle
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Worship without sacrifice
Science without humanity
Cherish What You Love
"Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts - for out of them will grow all heavenly environment, of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built."~James Allen
The World's Largest Cities
London in England
New York in the United States
Tokyo in Japan
Berlin in Germany
Chicago in the United States
Shanghai in China
Paris in France
Benefits of Optimism
"In terms of success, optimistic people out perform their pessimistic colleagues. Research shows that they are consistently promoted higher and make more money while working fewer hours than those who think pessimistically. Optimists also contribute more significantly to social progress. It is the optimists who start and run successful companies, who win elections and carry out reforms, and who make breakthroughs in the realms of science and technology."
~Pepe Minambo
The World's Greatest Lakes
Caspian Sea in the Commonwealth of Independent States, C.I.S. (formerly U.S.S.R)
Lake Superior in North America
Victoria Nyanza in Central Africa
Aral Sea in C.I.S.
Lake Huron in North America
Lake Michigan in North America
Demonstrating His Love
"Take your communication for instance - the way you address others. It ought to be with loving, gracious and edifying words. Never talk people down. Never use words that hurt and demean people. Communicate excellently with others without destroying their self-image or making them feel sorry for themselves. Talk to people in a way that they never forget the excellence of your words, the love and grace of Christ that you communicated. It's how God wants us to love."
