William James Quotes

William James Biography
Type: Philosopher
Nationality: American
Born: January 11, 1842
Died: August 26, 1910

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain.
William James

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
William James

A man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him.
William James

Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.
William James

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
William James

Action may not bring happiness but there is no happiness without action.
William James

Action seems to follow feeling, but really action and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not.
William James

An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible.
William James

An idea, to be suggestive, must come to the individual with the force of revelation.
William James

Be willing to have it so. Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.
William James

Begin to be now what you will be hereafter.
William James

Belief creates the actual fact.
William James

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
William James

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
William James

Compared to what we ought to be, we are half awake.
William James

Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state.
William James

Do something everyday for no other reason than you would rather not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved and untrained to stand the test.
William James

Every man who possibly can should force himself to a holiday of a full month in a year, whether he feels like taking it or not.
William James

Everybody should do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice.
William James

Faith means belief in something concerning which doubt is theoretically possible.
William James