Acting Quote by Harry Stack Sullivan
“It is easier to act yourself into a new way of feeling than to feel yourself into a new way of acting.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry, 1953
Changing behavior can shift emotions more reliably than trying to force feelings directly.
In simple terms: Acting changes feelings more than feeling changes actions.
Key Takeaway
Act first, emotions follow.
Themes
psychology
behavior change
emotion regulation
Mood
reflective
motivational
Type
advice
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- habit formation
- leadership coaching
Key Concepts
behavioral activation
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you act in a way that feels uncomfortable now?
- What small action could shift your mood?
A Different Perspective
Emotions may resist change if underlying beliefs stay unchanged.
![“[O]ne of the greatest difficulties encountered in bringing about favorable change is this almost inescapable illusion that there is a perduring, unique, simple existent self, [which is] in some strange fashion, the patient's, or the subject person's, private property.” quote by Harry Stack Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c90/harry-stack-sullivan-27472_adversity_o-ne-of-the-greatest-difficulties-encoun_2365397.jpg)
