BOOK REVIEW
TITLE: THE MINDS OF ACHIEVERS
AUTHOR: GRACE MUGYENZI MUSIIME
PRINTER: MAKERERE UNIVERSITY PRINTERY (2011)
PAGES: 480
REVIEWED BY: BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI
BOOK COVER BY: ISMAIL KEZAALA
A NEW collection of maxims, proverbs, anecdotes and quotes titled, “The Minds of Achievers,” from some of the greatest men and women of all time in the world has been published in Uganda.
They include Nobel Prize winners, scientists, novelists, civil rights activists, great military strategists, great corporate leaders, leaders of great nations, among others.
From the ancient great thinkers to the contemporary world movers and shakers, The Minds of Achievers authored by Mr. Grace Mugyenzi Musiime offers a complete, comprehensive selection of the world’s most inspirational and profound witticisms.
This special selection of over 3,000 enduring quotations is a treasure house of penetrating wisdom, and most brilliant thoughts; gleaned from the writings and teachings of the world’s greatest minds. It also has quotations by unknown sources.
It is recommended for those aspiring for achievement, leadership, career excellence, personal development, management and sports, among others.
Compared to a dictionary of quotations this book is arranged alphabetically theme by theme to give the reader a quotation that he/she needs. The 72 themes include; ambition, change, character, courage, determination, enthusiasm, failure, faith, generosity, happiness, hope, humility, inspiration, integrity, leadership, truth, wisdom and vision, among others.
Besides lacking an index the shortcoming of this book is that it does not carry ancient African wisdom that forms part of the African philosophy and experience.
The former British prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli rightly said, “The wisdom of the wise and the experience of ages may be preserved by quotation.”
“Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something,” Plato said.
Jamie Paolinetti said, “Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imagination, our possibilities become limitless.”
“When you believe and think “I can,” you activate your motivation, commitment, confidence, concentration and excitement – all of which relate directly to achievement,” said, Dr. Jerry Lynch.
Nido Qubein said, “Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people.”
“A journey of 1,000 miles must begin with one step,” goes the ancient Chinese proverb.
The former prime minister of Great Britain, William E. Gladstone said, “No man ever became great or good except through many and great mistakes.”
Carl Icahn said, “In life and business, there are two cardinal sins; the first is to act precipitously without thought and the second is to not act at all.”
According to the Burmese saying, “Who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it.”
“Fame is a vapor, popularity; an ancient, riches take wings. Only one thing endures, and that is character,” Horace Greeley said.
Aristotle said, “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor (honour).”
The American poet, lecturer and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”
Bishop Desmond Tutu noted that, “Perhaps oppression dehumanizes the oppressor as much as, if not more than, the oppressed.”
“The measure of a man is what he does with power,” goes the Greek proverb. For Cornelius Nepos, “The power is detested, and miserable the life, of him who wishes to be feared rather than to be loved.”
“Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served,” Mahatma Gandhi noted.
According to Buddha, “Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”
Mother Teresa said, “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
According to Dr. Dowling of the University of South Africa, “Most of what we say or write is forgotten. But occasionally, someone – a writer, a politician, an actor – says something that is remembered and quoted over and over again. These quotations enter the common body of wisdom and we are expected to know who said them or what the original context was. Also, in our writing, we may need to refer to these pithily expressed words.”
Over the years, Musiime has dedicated time to study biographies, speeches, articles and the best that has been said and written by great personalities and has since assembled a collection of powerful motivational and inspirational quotations that can change one’s life.
His collection began as a hobby way back during his high school days at Ntare School in western Uganda in the 1990s. But more importantly his experience with both young and old people as a lecturer has exposed him to different brilliant people with spectacular ideas but full of negative energy; inhibited by imaginary fears, a gap this book intends to fill.
He has also found out that successful people are ordinary individuals with average talent but who discipline themselves to do simple, small, incremental tasks that other people ignore, and do them extraordinarily well.
Musiime is a strategic management consultant, student and teacher. He holds a B.Com degree and a Master of Arts in Economic Policy Management degree both from Makerere University, where he is currently a lecturer of international finance and business strategy.
Ends.
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