I am often confronted by the necessity of standing by one of my empirical selves and relinquishing the rest. Not that I would not. If I could, be... a great athlete and make a million a year, be a wit, a born -- vivant and a lady killer, as well as a philosopher, a philanthropist ... and saint. But the thing is simply impossible. The millionaire's work would run counter to the saint s the bon-vivant and the philanthropist would trip each other up the philosopher and the lady killer could not well keep house in the same tenement of clay. Such different characters may conceivably, at the outset of life. Be alike possible for a man. But to make any one of them actual, the rest must more of less be suppressed. So the seeker of his truest, strongest, deepest self must review the list carefully and pick out on which to stake his salvation. All other selves thereupon become unreal, but the fortunes of this self are real. Its failure are real failures, its triumphs real triumphs carrying shame and gladness with them.
More Quotes from William James:
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.William James
I will act as if what I do makes a difference.
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Sporadic great men come everywhere. But for a community to get vibrating through and through with intensely active life, many geniuses coming together and in rapid succession are required. This is why great epochs are so rare, why the sudden bloom of a.
William James
The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.
William James
It is only by risking our persons from one hour to another that we live at all. And often enough our faith beforehand in an uncertified result is the only thing that makes the result come true.
William James
The ideas gained by men before they are twenty-five are practically the only ideas they shall have in their lives.
William James
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Based on Topics: Characters Quotes, Failure Quotes, Life Quotes, Man Quotes, Necessity Quotes, Philosophy Quotes, Redemption & Salvation Quotes, Self Quotes, Wit Quotes, Work & Career QuotesBased on Keywords: conceivably, philanthropist, relinquishing, tenement, thereupon
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