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The emotionally mature individual should completely accept the fact that we live in a world of probability and chance, where there are not, nor probably ever will be, any absolute certainties, and should realize that it is not at all horrible, indeed—such a probabilistic, uncertain world.

Albert Ellis

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Albert Ellis
Age: 93 †
Born: 1913
Born: September 27
Died: 2007
Died: July 24
Behaviour Therapist
Cognitive Scientist
Non-Fiction Writer
Psychologist
Sex Educator
Pittsburg
Pennsylvania
Chance
Horrible
Certainties
Fact
Indeed
Probability
Individual
Accept
Emotionally
Facts
Completely
Uncertain
Ever
Realize
Mature
Live
Accepting
Certainty
World
Realizing
Absolutes
Probably
Absolute

More quotes by Albert Ellis

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In the old days we used to get more referrals, because people had insurance that paid for therapy. Now they belong to HMOs, and we can only be affiliated with a few HMOs.
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For that again, is what all manner of religion essentially is: childish dependency.
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If something is irrational, that means it won't work. It's usually unrealistic.
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Convince yourself that worrying about many situations will make them worse rather than improve them.
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You have only to exist as you do and to live your life as best you can.
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People have motives and thoughts of which they are unaware.
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There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy.
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By not caring too much about what people think, I'm able to think for myself and propagate ideas which are very often unpopular. And I succeed with them because, again, I don't care too much what other people think.
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Spirit and soul is horseshit of the worst sort. Obviously there are no fairies, no Santa Clauses, no spirits. What there is, is human goals and purposes as noted by sane existentialists. But a lot of transcendentalists are utter screwballs.
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Whining about your own, others', or the world's failings is a main element in what we usually call neurosis.
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If the Martians ever find out how human beings think, they'll kill themselves laughing.
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When people change their irrational beliefs to undogmatic flexible preferences, they become less disturbed.
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When I started to get disillusioned with psychoanalysis I reread philosophy and was reminded of the constructivist notion that Epictetus had proposed 2,000 years ago: People are disturbed not by events that happen to them, but by their view of them. I could see how that applied to many of my clients.
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Strong feelings are fine it's the overreactions that mess us up.
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Self-esteem is the greatest sickness known to man or woman because it's conditional.
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Beginning in the 1960s, many studies showed that people who hold what we call irrational beliefs are significantly more disturbed than when they don't hold them, and the more strongly they hold them, the more disturbed they tend to be.
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The world consists mainly of love slobs who need other people's approval. Most people don't live their own lives very well.
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Freud had a gene for inefficiency, and I think I have a gene for efficiency.
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Thinking rationally is often different from positive thinking, in that it is a realistic assessment of the situation, with a view towards rectifying the problem if possible.
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The trouble with most therapy is that it helps you feel better. But you don't get better. You have to back it up with action, action, action.
Albert Ellis