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The best general advice on earth
gist
James Somers extracts five passages from William James’s 1890 chapter on habit and calls them the best general advice on earth. The claim is practical: make useful actions automatic, act on a resolve the first moment you can, and keep the faculty of effort alive with small, unnecessary acts of will. Maxims and good feeling do not change character unless they produce motor effects.
ideas
- Make the nervous system an ally. Hand routine details to habit so higher work is free.
- Act while the resolve is fresh. A resolution sets the brain only when it produces a motor effect, not when it is merely felt.
- Unused maxims leave character untouched. Sentiment without a concrete chance to act does not improve you.
- Practice unnecessary effort. Do something you would rather not, every day or two, so effort is available when it matters.
quotes
“It is to fund and capitalize our acquisitions, and live at ease upon the interest of the fund.”
“Seize the very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make”
“if one have not taken advantage of every concrete opportunity to act, one's character may remain entirely unaffected for the better.”
“do every day or two something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it”