PAPA SAM’S INSPIRING PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS

Papa Sam. Be Inspired: Prepare for the Age of Wisdom through personal viability. (Port Moresby: Human Resource Development. 2019): 222 pages.

One of the reasons I agreed to review Papa Sam’s book is because I had a chance encounter with him as we lay side by side at the Pathology lab at the Port Moresby General Hospital some time back many years ago. We were donating blood that day. I was there to donate blood to save my wife after her surgery from uterus cancer. He smiled at me and said he was donating his blood because he had too much and that it was a way of releasing stress and anxiety.

I had a long smile and a wonderful memory of that day.

Be Inspired: Prepare for the Age of Wisdom through personal viability, is book written by Samuel Tam Senior, better known as Papa Sam. The book is a memoir about the principles of personal viability, education for life changing thinking for a better world, and true education and mind development. In short the book is a gem of wisdom, knowledge, and experiences of a Papua New Guinean who has invested his time and resources in the development of human capital in this country and beyond. The Human Development Institute is the publisher of the book.

The book captures some of the time-tested principles of success in all areas of life. It is a book about personal viability, personal development, and understanding the principles that each of us has that we can draw on to change the way we live, way we do things, and what we can do to get to where we want to go or want to become.

Each of us is created unique and with qualities that make us different to each other. In Papa Sam’s own words, it is a book “about changing thinking for a better world, how to live a prosperous life & how to organize & use resources including knowledge. How to convert resources into assets.” (14).

Papa Sam writes each chapter with gusto and conviction as if the words he issues to us (the reader) is the words you needed to hear as you struggle through life, feeling trapped, and over burdened with personal, financial, economic, social, and career challenges.

Papa Sam is whispering into our ears that you have what it takes to reach your dream. DO not let someone or something steal your dreams. Whatever it is, you have what it takes to achieve your dreams. You do not need to be educated, learned, or have a degree or a PhD to be successful in life.

“The book is an attempt to help people solve their own problems, challenges & failures through personal power & thinking skills whilst presenting the argument for a unique, inclusive, innovative, alternate, performance-based action learning education system that provides equal opportunity for all to learn how to prosper in life physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally & financially –hence “Education for Life”.

The principles Papa Sam shares with have been time tested and are relevant to our lives. He has applied these principles and they work in his life.

The book is like a beautiful lotus plant or a sometimes known as  Bhudha’s Tears in the middle of a pond, inviting us to notice its beauty, or even pick it for our sustenance.

Second importance of this book is that Papa Sam has taught these principles of success to many Papua New Guineans. Those who have benefited from Papa Sam’s principles and lessons have experienced total transformation and achieved milestones in their own lives.

Through the “Human Development Institute’s home-grown, unique, inclusive, innovative, action learning, performance-based, business class, alternate education system provides a unique learning opportunity to develop resources into assets, to prosper in life & to change the current status of this great nation of Papua New Guinea where everyone is able to contribute to NATION BUILDING and to become self-reliant and financially independent” (29). 

The HDI follows the Philosophy of Education and the Constitutions National Goals and Directive Principles of integral human development, equality and participation, national sovereignty and self-reliance, natural resources and environment and Papua New Guinea Ways (33).

Of the many, life-transforming principles, I have identified, for the purpose of this review, only two aspects of the book. The book caries the title “Be Inspired” appropriately because the every line and every pages is absolutely inspiring to read. The book itself brings the lectures of Papa Sam to your private space.  In reading the book it was difficult to put down as it is like a manual one needs to make a successful living.

Papa Sam has achieved his goal of writing this book. It is written in plain English, and in a language that is easily understood. Papa Sam instructs us to take heed of his advice and follow the wisdom embedded in his philosophies of life. The book is produced without any flaws, and is also locally published.

Papa Sam brings together his thoughts within the pages of the book. Some of these thoughts were first published in the newspaper, making it viable again in this format. Other background information about his personal life and life’s journey makes the book all the more enjoyable to read.

The book is written in a language that is easily understood, and has a voice of wisdom that ordinary Papua New Guineans need in their lives. I admire the simple advice and gems of wisdom that make the goal of a personal viability program a success.

Papa Sam demonstrates that whatever you believe in and want so bad, you will get it if you believe it to be so.

This book is no doubt a superb repository of the wisdom of Papa Sam, which I similar to those I have read in Napolean Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles, Brian Tracey’s The Flight Plan, Anthony Robbins—Unlimited Power, John C Maxwell—Your Road Map for Success, Edward de Bono—Six Thinking Hats, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt—The Power of Focus, T. Harv—Secrets of a Millionaire Mind, Napolean Hill—The Science of Success, Dale Carnegie—How to Win Friends and Influence People, Robert Arden—It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be, Chris Guillebeau—The $100 Startup, Richard Koch—The 80/20 Principle, David J. Schwartz—The Magic of Thinking Big, Alex Malley—The Naked CEO, David Allen—Getting Things Done, and Francis Cole Jones—The Wow Factor,

Papa Sam and Human Development Institute is providing the platform for personal transformation, viability, and success in life.

The book should be picked up by anyone who wants something better in life. Papa Sam gives us his value added principles that everyone need to succeed in life, in business, in careers, in homes, and in our communities and nation.

Be Inspired is a book that will change Papua New Guineans in ways we may not understand at this time, but with time some of the principles captured in this golden book will rub off on many people.

It is such an honor to review this humble human being’s book. Papa Sam is someone who has devoted his life to see others have a successful and viable personal life. I hope I will borrow some of Papa Sam’s wisdom and knowledge to make a difference in my own life, perhaps in starting a similar training program such as those of Human Resource Development or start a small business operation in the tourism and hospitality industry back in my hometown of Wewak. I’m inspired, not only by the book, but with knowing the excellent work and results of personal viability programs initiated, started, facilitated, and or influenced by Papa Sam and the Human Resource Development Institute.

Congratulations and well-done Papa Sam, in providing this platform for personal development, education, human resource development, financial literacy, and business development.

Thank you Papa Sam for standing as the beacon of light for many of us sailing in this dark and tumultuous sea, struggling to reach the shore of prosperity.