Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Rollo May

Quote by Rollo May

“The future does not consist of simply a state of time which is going to occur, but contains the element, “I will make it so.” Power is potentiality, and potentiality points toward the future: is something to be realized. The future is the tense in which we promise ourselves, we give a promissory note, we put ourselves on the line. Nietzsche's statement, “Man is the only animal who can make promises,” is related to our capacity to posit ourselves in the future. We are reminded here also of William James's fiat, “Let it be so.” The hopelessness of many patients, which may be expressed in depression, despair, feelings of “I can't,” and related helplessness, can be usefully seen, from one point of view, as the inability to see or construct a future.”

Quote by Rollo May

Book:Love and will
Create image

Work

Love and will

This book delves into the intricate relationship between love and will, examining how these two forces shape human interactions and personal growth. The author explores various aspects of love, including its emotional, psychological, and philosophical dimensions, while also analyzing the role of will in fostering meaningful connections and personal development. more

Author

Rollo May
Rollo May

Rollo May was an American psychologist born on April 21, 1909, and died on October 22, 1994. He was a significant figure in existential psychology and is considered one of the pioneers of the field. more

You May Also Like

“A person who sets goals is a hopeful person, whereas a person whom fails to achieve their goals might despair. Why do both hope and despair fill my inner world? Who cannot despair when inducted into a world filled with cruelty? Who cannot despair when serving as the serf in a seigneur’s regime that bestows legal and economic power, financial rewards, social status, and related societal prizes upon feudal lords who exhibit the ravenous instinct for power and accumulation of wealth? Who cannot despair when stranded alone with their personal thoughts, unable to imagine a better earthly life, and flooded with uncertainty of a redemptive afterlife? Why would not any person despair his or her failure to etch a mindset that serves to alleviate their present-day suffering?”

SufferingHopeDespairMindsetMemoirSelf RealizationHopefulSelf DeterminationTranscendenceGoal Setting
Book:Dead Toad Scrolls
Create image

“I do not blame Lord French. I have no right to blame him, as I am not a soldier nor a military expert. He did his best, with the highest motives. The blunders he made were due to ignorance of modern battles. Many other generals made many other blunders, and our men paid with their lives. Our High Command had to learn by mistakes, by ghastly mistakes, repeated often, until they became visible to the military mind and were paid for again by the slaughter of British youth. One does not blame. A writing-man, who was an observer and recorder, like myself, does not sit in judgment. He has no right to judge. He merely cries out, “O God! … O God!” in remembrance of all that agony and that waste of splendid boys who loved life, and died.”

WarDespairWwi
Book:Now It Can Be Told
Create image