On Altering Attitudes
January 1, 1970
There is much meaning in these words of William James: “The greatest discovery of my
generation,” he said, “is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” This
is one of the great discoveries of any generation – or of any individual – and in one sense it is simply a restatement of the principle of repentance. There are times when most of us need to alter our attitudes.
There are times when the stubborn set of a mind or a heart will drive people apart when they should
come closer – and when without some honest change of attitude there would be little possibility of improvement. Sometimes misunderstandings become stalemates because neither party will change the
set of his jaw, the set of his heart – because neither will alter his attitude. Granted that there may be grievances (and remembering that no one is perfect), there still must be some honest altering of
attitude, some giving in by someone in some way if resentments are ever to be resolved, if personal relationships between estranged people are ever to be improved. A person may sincerely feel that it is
not his place to make the first move. He may feel that he shouldn’t have to go halfway – or any part of
the way. He may sincerely feel that the fault lies wholly somewhere outside himself. But someone has to move. Someone, sometimes, has to break the heartbreaking deadlock of opposing personalities if they
are ever again to be compatible. Someone must make some move if misunderstandings are not forever
to remain. To repeat the words of William James: “…human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes…” Where something should be done, let false pride be pushed aside; let people who should
not be apart move toward one another; let repentance enter the picture; let men make the most of life
by honestly altering false attitudes – by doing something to change the situation – sincerely.