Skip to content

Action Quote by William James

“Action and feeling go together, and by regulating the action... we can directly regulate the feeling.” quote by William James
Download Open image
“Action and feeling go together, and by regulating the action... we can directly regulate the feeling.”

William James

About This Quote

Source Book: The Principles of Psychology, 1890

Our emotions are directly linked to our actions; changing behavior can change feelings.

In simple terms: Changing actions changes feelings.

Key Takeaway

Adjust behavior to improve mood.

Themes

psychology behavior emotion regulation

Mood

reflective encouraging

Type

philosophical self‑help

When to use this quote

  • stress management
  • habit formation
  • therapy sessions

Key Concepts

cognitive theory mind‑body connection self‑control

Questions to Reflect On

  • Which actions best shift your mood?
  • Can you sustain new habits?
A Different Perspective

Changing actions alone may not fix deep emotions.

3.2 out of 5 (5 ratings)

More by William James

Explore all 854 William James quotes

More Action quotes

Browse all 14,943 Action quotes