Quotes By William James

The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.

Truth lives, in fact, for the most part on a credit system. Our thoughts and beliefs pass, so long as nothing challenges them, just as bank-notes pass so long as nobody refuses them.

Truth is what works.

Our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.

There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man's lack of faith in his true Self.

To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal.

In business for yourself, not by yourself.

Wisdom is learning what to overlook.

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

The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.

The 'I think' which Kant said must be able to accompany all my objects, is the 'I breathe' which actually does accompany them.

The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.

The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashioned our characters in the wrong way.

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

We never fully grasp the import of any true statement until we have a clear notion of what the opposite untrue statement would be.

If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.

We don't laugh because we're happy - we're happy because we laugh.

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

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

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.

Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.

Those thoughts are truth which guide us to beneficial interaction with sensible particulars as they occur, whether they copy these in advance or not.

If merely 'feeling good' could decide, drunkenness would be the supremely valid human experience.

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.

Man lives for science as well as bread.

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

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

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

The world is all the richer for having a devil in it, so long as we keep our foot upon his neck.

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