--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People mistakenly assume that their…" description: "\"People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by the heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/anthony-de-mello-1331_human-heart_people-mistakenly-assume-that-their-thin_2158389.png" --- # People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by… ![“People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by the heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/anthony-de-mello-1331_human-heart_people-mistakenly-assume-that-their-thin_2158389.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/anthony-de-mello-1331_human-heart_people-mistakenly-assume-that-their-thin_2158389.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/anthony-de-mello-1331_human-heart_people-mistakenly-assume-that-their-thin_2158389.png) > “People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by the heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it.” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts are first shaped by emotions, then rationalized by the mind, showing feelings drive conclusions. **In simple terms:** Feelings guide conclusions, mind justifies them. Key Takeaway Recognize emotional origins of your reasoning. Themes psychology emotion reasoning selfawareness Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal decisions - conflict resolution - leadership - creative problem solving Key Concepts emotional bias cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - How often do you question the emotional basis of a belief? - Can you separate feeling from logic in a tough choice? A Different Perspective Emotions can mislead; rationalization may ignore facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assume Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume-thinking-3442408/) [Heart Dictates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-dictates-2950191/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Mistakenly Assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakenly-assume-1470255/) [Reasoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning/) [Reasoning Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning-defend-4568378/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-head-272384/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes people are just misunderstood. People and animals. We can’t just assume they are thinking one thing and can avoid temptation. it’s hard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magan-vernon/sometimes-people-are-just-misunderstood-people-and-animals-we-can-t/) [Magan Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magan-vernon/) > [“It is the heart which dictates, which rules, which lets us live and die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-sionil-jos/it-is-the-heart-which-dictates-which-rules-which-lets-us-live-and-die/) [F. 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Because if you are not, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/they-mistakenly-assume-that-their-good-works-can-save-them-just-make/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“What makes you happy or unhappy is not the world and the people around you, but the thinking in your head. As well”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/what-makes-you-happy-or-unhappy-is-not-the-world-and-the-people/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“Stop thinking with your head, Alyssa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/stop-thinking-with-your-head-alyssa/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“A battle of wits you say? What if I'm not qualified? If you thinking about that, then I'm already in your head!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bambi-f-moore/a-battle-of-wits-you-say-what-if-i-m-not-qualified-if-you-thinking/) [Bambi F. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bambi-f-moore/) > [Head's all empty, I don't care,' he'd sing to me, quoting the Grateful Dead, and I'd force a smile, thinking that my head was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/head-s-all-empty-i-don-t-care-he-d-sing-to-me-quoting-the-grateful/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [Don't worry about walking a mile in my shoes , just try a day thinking in my head .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-worry-about-walking-a-mile-in-my-shoes-just-try-a-day-thinking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You’ve been thinking with your head for a very long time. While that makes for a very safe existence, we sometimes inadvertently inhibit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/you-ve-been-thinking-with-your-head-for-a-very-long-time-while-that/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [Reading is equivalent to thinking with someone else's head instead of with one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/reading-is-equivalent-to-thinking-with-someone-else-s-head-instead-of/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The right idea is the one you can't stop thinking about; the one that's in your head first thing in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-right-idea-is-the-one-you-can-t-stop-thinking-about-the-one-that/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“reading is the equivallent to thinking with someone else's head instead of with ones own”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-sch/reading-is-the-equivallent-to-thinking-with-someone-else-s-head/) [Arthur Sch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-sch/) > [“Reading is thinking with someone else's head instead of ones own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/reading-is-thinking-with-someone-else-s-head-instead-of-ones-own/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Human heart quotes > [“Yes, the issue was courage. 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