“You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.” -Bill W.
12“You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.” -Bill W. Soberdelic James Alcoholism Addiction Recovery live stream everyday at 5pmEST
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Pratibha A., Contributor of Huffpost writes:
"It had been said that "you can't think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking." Put another way, "you don't think your way into a new kind of living; you live your way into a new kind of thinking."
This notion is prevalent among behaviorists and much of the today's therapeutic community. Indeed, in the treatment of depression and addiction, clients are often urged to to practice "opposite action" - that is to say, to behave in ways that run counter to what they "feel like" or to what their present state or mood urges them to do or not do.
I recently read about choice theory, which was developed by psychologist William Glasser in 1996. Glasser asserted that human beings have direct control over the acting and thinking components of their behavior. In other words, in controlling how you action and thought, one indirectly influences feelings and physiology.
The four elements of acting, thinking, feeling, and physiology are always working together in dynamic interplay. If you alter one of them, the others respond and change accordingly.
So what does this mean in practical terms? Well, let's say your goal is to be able to run 1 mile without stopping but you are feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, Choice Theory suggests that actually doing something about it is the most effective course of action (i.e you are manipulating the "acting" element). So despite the exhaustion, choosing to, for example, walk one-mile as an initial step in achieving the goal could result in:
1. Increased positive thinking (i..e. I am proud of myself for taking a step to achieving my goal. I am proud of myself for implementing a difficult but worthy new behavior. I am proud of myself for following through), which leads to
2. Enhanced emotional state (i.e. feeling effective, accomplished, happy, and/or satisfied)
3. Better physical health (i.e. decreased blood pressure and cortisol level, increased endorphins, etc.)
This is all to say, that we have choice in what we think and do and our thoughts and actions impact how we feel as well as our physical state. The actions we choose produce our thoughts which in turn influence our emotional wellbeing or lack thereof.
Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them. - Jack Canfield
Know your priorities and identify the five powerful action steps that you intend to take to move your initiatives forward each day. If you go to a tree with an ax and take five whacks at the tree every day, it doesn't matter if it's an oak or a redwood; eventually, the tree has to fall down. - Jack Canfield
Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in. - Andrew Jackson
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. - Confucius
Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all. - Norman Vincent Peale
When we make choices that bring us one step closer to accomplishing our goals, they lead to increased positive thinking and better emotional and physical health.
So, what is one small action/ behavioral choice you can make and take today in service of one of your goals? If your goal feels impossible or overwhelming, think about what the smallest, most concrete thing you can do is.
What is one thought you have right now that is not serving you and your goals? What purpose is holding onto this thought serving? What thought might you be able to replace it with?
I will leave you with these quotes:
Action expresses priorities. - Mahatma Gandhi
Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen... yourself, right now, right down here on Earth. - Bradley Whitford"