While there are few people that make random philosophy quotes here and there, I am dedicating my posts to quotes from influential American philosophers. In large part for the same reasons I moved from ancient and German philosophy to American philosophy; because I am "from" America.
Enjoy!!
The following citation comes from this text: https://ucdenver.instructure.com/courses/339417/files/3199502
Here you will find the complete chapter on "Habit" from "The Principles of Psychology", if you would like to further explore James's ideas.
"Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise every day. That is, be systematically ascetic or heroic in little unnecessary points, do every day or two something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved and untrained to stand the test. Asceticism of this sort is like the insurance which a man pays on his house and goods. The tax does him no good at the time, and possibly may never bring him a return. But if the fire does come, his having paid it will be his salvation from ruin". --William James
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