Summary: In his book Principles of Psychology, William James emphasizes the importance of making our nervous system our ally in education. He suggests that we should strive to make useful actions automatic and habitual, freeing up our higher mental powers. James advises acting on resolutions and emotional prompts as soon as possible to form new habits. He also recommends keeping the faculty of effort alive through small daily exercises, ensuring that we are prepared for challenging situations.
The great thing, then, in all education, is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy. It is to fund and capitalize our acquisitions, and live at ease upon the interest of the fund. (View Highlight)
Seize the very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make, and on every emotional prompting you may experience in the direction of the habits you aspire to gain. It is not in the moment of their forming, but in the moment of their producing motor effects, that resolves and aspirations communicate the new ‘set’ to the brain. (View Highlight)
