A friend once told me that he read "Think and Grow Rich" and thought about it for two years, but nothing happened. This brings up the question, "What comes first, thought or action?"
There's probably no definitive answer to that question. After all, you can't take action unless you think it, but it's possible to think and not act.
Our thoughts are not under the direct control of our will. They come and go like uninvited guests, often overstaying their welcome and exerting too much influence on our lives.
For example, "I don't feel like it" is a thought that stops many of us from taking action toward what's really important to us.
While our thoughts aren't directly controllable, our actions are. We can will ourselves to do something even if we "don't feel like it." We've all experienced willing an action despite a feeling that was pushing us in the opposite direction. We usually find that the feeling follows that action.
During my years teaching Dale Carnegie courses, we had a corny phrase that many people today might dismiss as being too corny to have any practical benefit: "Act enthusiastic and you'll be enthusiastic."
The idea behind this quote is that our actions and behaviors can influence our emotions and mindset. By outwardly displaying enthusiasm, we can start to internalize and experience that enthusiasm more genuinely. This concept aligns with the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which suggests that changing our behavior can lead to changes in our thoughts and emotions.
The next time you're "not feeling like it," ask yourself how you would act if you were feeling like it, and start acting that way. See what happens.
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