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Most people live, whether physically, intellectually or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being.

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
People
Intellectually
Morally
Circle
Physically
Circles
Potential
Whether
Sith
Live
Restricted

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Habit is the great flywheel of society.
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Invention, using the term most broadly, and imitation, are the two legs, so to call them, on which the human race historically has walked.
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Theory must mediate between all previous truths and certain new experiences
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The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.
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No one sees further into a generalization than his own knowledge of detail extends.
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For I had often said that the best argument I knew for an immortal life was the existence of a man who deserved one as well as Child did.
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The first thing to learn in intercourse with others is non-interference with their own particular ways of being happy, provided those ways do not assume to interfere by violence with ours.
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The worst thing that can happen to a good teacher is to get a bad conscience about her profession because she feels herself hopeless as a psychologist.
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If you can change your mind, you can change your life.
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The simplest rudiment of mystical experience would seem to be that deepened sense of the significance of a maxim or formula which occasionally sweeps over one.
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All our scientific and philosophic ideals are altars to unknown gods.
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Cramming seeks to stamp things in by intense application immediately before the ordeal. But a thing thus learned can form but few associations.
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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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All the qualities of a man acquire dignity when he knows that the service of the collectivity that owns him needs them. If proud of the collectivity, his own pride rises in proportion. No collectivity is like an army for nourishing such pride.
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If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system.
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Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.
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Since belief is measured by action, he who forbids us to believe religion to be true, necessarily also forbids us to act as we should if we did believe it to be true.
William James
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Why may we not be in the universe, as our dogs and cats are in our drawingrooms and libraries?
William James
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The greatest weapon we have to combat stress is the ability to choose our thoughts.
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A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows.
William James