Top 10 Best William James Quotes

William James (1842-1910), American philosopher and psychologist, is considered one of the founders of functionalism in psychology. His works cover a wide range of topics including consciousness, will, and pragmatism. One of his famous works is The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902).

Here are 10 famous William James quotes:

• “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
• “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
• “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.”
• “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”
• “If you can change your mind, you can change your life.”
• “The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.”
• “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
• “To change one’s life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.”
• “We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”
• “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”

1. These quotes reflect James’ fundamental ideas about human psychology, personal development, and the importance of our thinking in life.