I have often thought that the best way to define a man's character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it came upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: 'This is the real me!'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A person's true character is revealed when they feel most alive and active in a specific mental or moral state. That moment defines their authentic self.
- In plain terms
- You know who you really are when you feel most alive.
- What can you take from it?
- Identify your values by noticing when you feel most engaged.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When do you feel most like yourself?
- What activities make you feel most alive?
Another view
Feelings of aliveness can be fleeting or influenced by temporary factors.
More from William James
I wished, by treating Psychology like a natural science, to help her to become one.
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Permalink to quote #119 The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal.
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