79 Quotes By William James


Belief creates the actual fact.
William James on inspirational

Knowledge about life is one thing effective occupation of a place in life, with its dynamic currents passing through your being, is another.
William James on knowledge

If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.
William James on leadership

If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.
William James on leadership

Wisdom is learning what to overlook.
William James on learning

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
William James on life

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.
William James on life

To change ones life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly.
William James on life

This life is worth living, we can say, since it is what we make it.
William James on life

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

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain.
William James on life

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.
William James on men

The ideas gained by men before they are twenty-five are practically the only ideas they shall have in their lives.
William James on men

How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do, and of all they are willing to endure.
William James on men

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
William James on motivational

Begin to be now what you will be hereafter.
William James on motivational

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

The sway of alcohol over mankind is unquestionably due to its power to stimulate the mystical faculties of human nature, usually crushed to earth by the cold facts and dry criticisms of the sober hour.
William James on nature

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.
William James on positive

Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.
William James on power