--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lead with action and let the feelings…" description: "\"Lead with action and let the feelings follow.\" — Charles R. Swindoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14d/charles-r-swindoll-878_action_lead-with-action-and-let-the-feelings-fo_2297088.png" --- # Lead with action and let the feelings follow. ![“Lead with action and let the feelings follow.” quote by Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14d/charles-r-swindoll-878_action_lead-with-action-and-let-the-feelings-fo_2297088.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14d/charles-r-swindoll-878_action_lead-with-action-and-let-the-feelings-fo_2297088.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14d/charles-r-swindoll-878_action_lead-with-action-and-let-the-feelings-fo_2297088.png) > “Lead with action and let the feelings follow.” [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Action should precede emotion; leading by doing shapes feelings. **In simple terms:** Act first, feelings follow. Key Takeaway Take decisive action to guide emotions. Themes leadership action emotion Mood determined pragmatic Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - project management - team building - personal development Key Concepts psychology behavioral dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you start now? - How do you handle delayed emotional responses? A Different Perspective Emotions may lag, causing misalignment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [I just want to keep the diversity and the options open. In terms of what I'm looking for, I'd like to do a lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-just-want-to-keep-the-diversity-and-the-options-open-in-terms-of-2/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [God is action - let us be like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/god-is-action-let-us-be-like-god/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [Have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/have-a-bias-toward-action-let-s-see-something-happen-now-you-can/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“For it to be useful, awareness must lead to action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-bowen/for-it-to-be-useful-awareness-must-lead-to-action/) [Steven J. Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-bowen/) > [When we run from our feelings, they follow us. Everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/when-we-run-from-our-feelings-they-follow-us-everywhere/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [When something feels right, that means it is right for you. Pay attention to your authentic feelings, and follow where they lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-something-feels-right-that-means-it-is-right-for-you-pay/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [“Feelings follow actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-henke/feelings-follow-actions/) Roxanne Henke > [Feelings follow actions. If I'm feeling low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually feeling happier. If I'm feeling angry at someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/feelings-follow-actions-if-i-m-feeling-low-i-deliberately-act-cheery/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“Henry was right—I let everyone else's feelings affect my decisions. Screw that. I'm taking the ball and running with it. Maybe they're not my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kenneally/henry-was-right-i-let-everyone-else-s-feelings-affect-my-decisions/) [Miranda Kenneally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kenneally/) > [“You can’t heal a broken heart if you are not willing to let go of your feelings for that person who hurt you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-francesca/you-can-t-heal-a-broken-heart-if-you-are-not-willing-to-let-go-of/) Sonia Francesca > [You don't have to give way to careless speech or complaining. You don't have to let your feelings get in the way of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/you-don-t-have-to-give-way-to-careless-speech-or-complaining-you-don/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [You can't ever let go of all the feelings, But you need to let go of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-ever-let-go-of-all-the-feelings-but-you-need-to-let-go-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never been the kind to let my feelings show, and I thought that being strong meant to never losing your self control but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-never-been-the-kind-to-let-my-feelings-show-and-i-thought-that/) Patience > [“You can’t help who you love, Unci,” she had protested. “Yes you can. You love yourself, you love your family, and you don’t let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-help-who-you-love-unci-she-had-protested-yes-you-can-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Charles R. Swindoll > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Grace is ours. Let's live it! Deny it or debate it and we kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/grace-is-ours-let-s-live-it-deny-it-or-debate-it-and-we-kill-it/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Cults use our vocabulary, but they don't use our dictionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/cults-use-our-vocabulary-but-they-don-t-use-our-dictionary/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [No pressure is greater than God's power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/no-pressure-is-greater-than-god-s-power/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Go God's way! His is the most reliable route to follow when life gets complicated. It will have its tough moments, but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/go-god-s-way-his-is-the-most-reliable-route-to-follow-when-life-gets/) [Charles R. 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You can't light the torch of another if yours isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/faith-is-like-lighting-the-torch-that-passes-from-one-person-to-the/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude... When my attitudes are right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/i-believe-the-single-most-significant-decision-i-can-make-on-a-day-to/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Two words will help you cope when you run low on hope: accept and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/two-words-will-help-you-cope-when-you-run-low-on-hope-accept-and-trust/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Thanksgiving speaks in clear, crisp tones of forgotten terms, like integrity - bravery - respect - freedom - discipline - sacrifice - godliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/thanksgiving-speaks-in-clear-crisp-tones-of-forgotten-terms-like/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [All he asks is that we trust Him, that we stand before Him in integrity and faith. God is just waiting for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/all-he-asks-is-that-we-trust-him-that-we-stand-before-him-in/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Adversity is a good test of our resiliency, our ability to cope, to stand back up, to recover from misfortune. Adversity is a painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/adversity-is-a-good-test-of-our-resiliency-our-ability-to-cope-to/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [I am a preacher. I'm involved in many other things, but, mainly, I preach. And I love it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/i-am-a-preacher-i-m-involved-in-many-other-things-but-mainly-i-preach/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) [Explore all 343 Charles R. Swindoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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