Quote

In the acquisition of a new habit, or the leaving off of an old one, we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong and decided an initiative as possible.

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
Take
Acquisition
Must
Initiative
Leaving
Decided
Habit
Possible
Strong
Care
Launch

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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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Evil is a disease and worry over disease is itself an additional form of disease, which only adds to the original complaint.
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The teacher's prime concern should be to ingrain into the pupil that assortment of habits that shall be most useful to him throughout life. Education is for behavior, and habits are the stuff of which behavior consists.
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A man of sense is never discouraged by difficulties he redoubles his industry and his diligence, he perseveres and infallibly prevails at last.
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The strenuous life tastes better
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Deepest principle of human nature is to be appreciated.
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A little cooling down of animal excitability and instinct, a little loss of animal toughness, a little irritable weakness and descent of the pain-threshold, will bring the worm at the core of all our usual springs of delight into full view, and turn us into melancholy metaphysicians.
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We want all our friends to tell us our bad qualities it is only the particular ass that does so whom we can't tolerate.
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True ideas are those that we can assimilate, validate, corroborate, and verify. False ideas are those that we cannot
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Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, 'This is the real me,' and when you have found that attitude, follow it.
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No decision is, in itself, a decision.
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I will act as if I do make a difference.
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If WE claim only reasonable probability, it will be as much as men who love the truth can ever at any given moment hope to have within their grasp.
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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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In the matter of belief, we are all extreme conservatives.
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Man is essentially the imitative animal. His whole educabilityand in fact the whole history of civilization depend on this trait, which his strong tendencies to rivalry, jealousy, and acquisitiveness reinforce.
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Act in earnest and you will become earnest in all you do.
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The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.
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A man with no philosophy in him is the most inauspicious and unprofitable of all possible social mates.
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Your hopes, dreams and aspirations are legitimate. They are trying to take you airborne, above the clouds, above the storms, if you only let them.
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