Quote

Why should we think upon things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment. Environment modifies life but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings.

William James

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William James
Age: 68 †
Born: 1842
Born: January 11
Died: 1910
Died: August 26
Philosopher
Physician
Psychologist
University Teacher
W. James
Think
Habit
Govern
Thinking
Environment
Surroundings
Life
Common
Mindfulness
Upon
Lovely
Doe
Determine
Soul
Gratitude
Things
Blame
Modifies
Love
Stronger
Determines

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The difference between an interesting and a tedious teacher consists in little more than the inventiveness by which the one is able to mediate these associations and connections, and in the dullness in discovering such transitions which the other shows.
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I don't see how an epigram, being a bolt from the blue, with no introduction or cue, ever gets itself writ.
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I am only a philosopher, and there is only one thing that a philosopher can be relied on to do, and that is, to contradict other philosophers.
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The world is all the richer for having a devil in it, so long as we keep our foot upon his neck.
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As Charles Lamb says, there is nothing so nice as doing good by stealth and being found out by accident, so I now say it is even nicer to make heroic decisions and to be prevented by 'circumstances beyond your control' from ever trying to execute them.
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If this life is not a real fight, in which something is eternally gained for the universe by success, it is no better than a game of private theatricals from which one may withdraw at will. But it feels like a real fight.
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The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.
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Only necessity understood, and bondage to the highest is identical with true freedom.
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General scepticism is the live mental attitude of refusing to conclude. It is a permanent torpor of the will, renewing itself in detail towards each successive thesis that offers, and you can no more kill it off by logic than you can kill off obstinacy or practical joking.
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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.
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In the practical use of our intellect, forgetting is as important as remembering.
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We don't laugh because we're happy - we're happy because we laugh.
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