The idea that positive thoughts lead positive actions does make a lot of sense. It comes down to the old law of cause and effect. Thoughts are the cause that leads to the actions needed to create the results that we desire.
In this short article, let’s explore this a little deeper and see what we discover. It is so very easy to accept many of these concepts on the surface without giving them the needed attention that they deserve. It is only by looking below the surface that we are able to acquire the understanding that leads to knowledge and application of that knowledge.
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”
Positive Thoughts Lead Positive Actions — It All Starts With a Bit of Observation
In order to make any sense of this in a practical way, it is necessary to slow ourselves down enough to pay attention to what is flowing through our minds. Those thoughts and related feelings that are showing up are a direct reflection of what we really believe about ourselves, others, and the world in general.
When we do actually watch our thoughts we are in for a treat. We may not like all of what we see, but it will be quite a show. Most of these thoughts have repeated themselves daily for years without our awareness. Only when we were faced with some extreme or painful problem or challenge may we have been alert enough to witness what was transpiring within our minds.
It is incredible all that we accept and take for granted without determining whether those thoughts are serving us or not. Many times they are not in our best interest, but we continue on with “business as usual”; we simply think that this is just the way things are. We feel we have no direct control over our circumstances, and then easily fall into the victim role and blame others or events for what is occurring in our lives.
At this point, we have dis-empowered ourselves and act as a victim of fate rather than the divine creator we are. That’s why it usually takes some major turmoil or painful event to awaken ourselves enough to observe our state of mind so that we can consciously choose to either submit or make some positive change.
Positive Thoughts Lead Positive Actions — Creating a New Script
Once it sinks in that our circumstances are a reflection of our thoughts we can then get to work in the direction of positive change. It’s our thoughts that lead to the actions that will result in a whole new set of circumstances in our lives based on where we want to go, rather than haphazardly being led in an undesired direction.
When we are thinking a certain way, we are going to inevitably act a certain way. When that certain way leads to desired results all is well and good. On the other hand, the times that what we experience is less than desirable, it is critical to our personal growth and overall well-being to “accept responsibility” for those experiences.
“Thinking in a certain way will bring riches to you, but you must not rely upon thought alone, paying no attention to personal action.” — Wallace D. Wattles —
Playing the victim and blaming others will merely keep us stuck in the same rut, and we will continue to experience these undesirable results no matter how much we complain. So, once we spend enough time observing the jungle of our minds, we eventually reach a point of “surrender”. This is a good type of surrender as it allows us to let go a bit of our disempowering ideas and perceptions so that we have enough space to reassess things in order to “decide” how to proceed.
At this point, even if we decide not to put in the effort to make any constructive changes, at least this is a conscious decision rather than an automatic reaction based on beliefs of which we are unaware. It’s not like these ideas and beliefs are hiding out somewhere, or buried deep within our subconscious only accessible by years of therapy. No, these beliefs are actually right in our conscious minds, but we have distracted ourselves so much that we are just focused elsewhere.
Changing our Focus, Changing our Lives 
The key to understand is this goes way beyond mere positive thinking. The reason that positive thinking often doesn’t work is that we are forcing these thoughts on top of beliefs that are generating the exact opposite thoughts. So even though positive thoughts lead to positive actions, these positive thoughts “must” be based on underlying beliefs that support those thoughts.
In order to set the lead to positive actions, these thoughts have to be authentic and not forced. Now sometimes repeating enough positive affirmations will cause the surfacing of beliefs, but it is only when those beliefs are changed or eliminated that authentic positive thinking can occur that will lead to positive action that will get results without all the struggle and pain. This is about the law of the least effort when you now are in the flow of things.
Changing our focus is similar to rearranging the furniture in the living room. We move things about a bit to get a different feel and attitude about our living space. When we examine the furniture (beliefs) within our mind, we realize that many beliefs have been there all along while we were focused on other items within the room of our minds.
When we are stuck within a habitual thought pattern, we have neither the time, energy, or awareness to explore within ourselves all that is there. We are mainly focused on a few ideas and perceptions that generate the majority of our thoughts, feelings, and subsequent actions. These patterns repeat until we awaken enough to “interrupt” these patterns.
But once our focus is changed and we become aware of these limiting beliefs, we can now “understand” how they have limited us in so many ways. They are merely ideas and not the truth about ourselves, but these ideas create the illusions within which we live each day.
Positive Thoughts Lead Positive Actions — Generating the Positive Thoughts
Here are a few suggestions on how to identify and bring to the surface the limiting ideas and beliefs that may be holding you back from attaining your desires. More importantly, these ideas are restricting your “full self-expression”.
1) Spend some time alone relaxing and letting our thoughts flow freely and simply observe the show.
2) Recognize that these thoughts are not who we are but merely products of the mind that have been picked up over the years from many sources and have formed our current state of conditioning or paradigm.
3) Realize that the only power these thought-forms have is the power that we give them, and by doing this we dis-empower our True Selves.
4) When feelings and emotional state occur, rather than labeling them this or that, stay present and experience the feeling fully until a knowingness takes place that there is nothing to fear and that the feeling will just run its course when not dammed up by our over-concern and focus.
5) Begin to replace some of the thoughts and limiting beliefs with ideas that are congruent with the end result we desire to achieve.
6) Record all of this in a journal so that we can visually observe our limiting beliefs and the progress that is being made.
7) Acknowledge the progress no matter how big or small.
8) Repeat the process until obtaining desired results.
Doing this on a consistent basis will increase our awareness to the point of releasing our intuition so that we are effortlessly guided on our path to our goals. This frees us up so that we can relax more, smell the roses, and embrace the present moment to such a degree that past and future concerns merely melt away. We are developing the traits of an intuitive person.
When positive thoughts lead positive actions we are transformed into the state of mind we possessed as children when every moment was an adventure to be cherished. I encouraged all to take this Journey of Discovery within and embrace our Genius Selves that most desperately desire to be recognized and expressed.
In Peace and Love within the Light,
Joseph William
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Hello Joseph, I am impressed with your knowledge and the content of your website. We share the same / or similar mindset. I also truly believe is that what we radiate we attract, or as you said positive thoughts lead to positive actions. Which is the same thing said and explained in two different ways.
When we are focusing our minds on positivity, we certainly are more open to see and hear information that inspires positive actions. And yes, success in any area in our life is bound to happen when we are calm and peaceful and smiling bright!
I truly love what you do!
Sunny
Thanks so much, Sunny for your comments and insights. Much appreciated. All the very best.
Hi Joseph, I’ve just gone through your article about, positive thoughts lead positive actions. I find it very interesting and inspiring. I must agree with you that thoughts are the cause that leads the actions needed to create the results that we desire. It is true that we act with regard to what’s flowing through our minds, and if it is positive then we’ll take positive actions. Thank you so much for sharing this motivating piece of writing with us, I will be sharing it further too to spread the word.
Thank you for your comments and kind words. I appreciate them very much as well as your valuable insights. All the best.
Some people give credit to God, some give credit to the Universe and some just call it positive thinking but you are spot on here. Those who think they can, can and those who think they can’t, can’t. But I agree that it goes deeper than just trying to will yourself to believe it. I have spent years undoing my deep-seated negative feelings before I could use my positive focus to make a difference in my life. I love your suggestions on how to turn things around, especially how to FACE these feelings so they lose their power. Thank you for posting!
Thanks Cynthia. I appreciate your thoughts on this. Most appreciated. All the best.
Someone once said, ” thoughts determine what you want but action determines what you get”. Every success story begins with a thought and then is followed true by actions. Our thoughts are powerful but positive thoughts alone will not do. We need both of them (action) to have success. It’s amazing how a thought no matter how small can have such a great impact forever not only changing our lives but the lives of others so let’s create positive thoughts and follow through with action that will bring such a great change. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks Norman for your valuable insights into this subject. It is good to know that we can change our circumstances by changing our thoughts and subsequent actions. All the Best.
Nice inspirational blog Jo, we all need this sometimes to motivate us in whatever we do day today. Do agree with all the points and tips you put forward to take. All are very important in one’s life today.
Thank you much for sharing, it is very inspiring to me and I’ve certainly learned from this, very valuable to readers.
Thanks Earl. It is so important for us to realize that we are “cause” and not “effect” and that all that we think and do is what creates what we perceive and experience. All the Best.