--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good idea if not acted upon produces…" description: "\"A good idea if not acted upon produces terrible psychological pain. But a good idea acted upon brings enormous mental satisfaction. Got a good idea? Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/david-j-schwartz-10804_action_a-good-idea-if-not-acted-upon-produces-t_232785.jpg" --- # A good idea if not acted upon produces terrible… ![“A good idea if not acted upon produces terrible psychological pain. But a good idea acted upon brings enormous mental satisfaction. Got a good idea? Then do something about it. Use action to cure fear and gain confidence. Here's something to remember: Actions feed and strengthen confidence…” quote by David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/david-j-schwartz-10804_action_a-good-idea-if-not-acted-upon-produces-t_232785.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/david-j-schwartz-10804_action_a-good-idea-if-not-acted-upon-produces-t_232785.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/david-j-schwartz-10804_action_a-good-idea-if-not-acted-upon-produces-t_232785.jpg) > “A good idea if not acted upon produces terrible psychological pain. But a good idea acted upon brings enormous mental satisfaction. Got a good idea? Then do something about it. Use action to cure fear and gain confidence. Here's something to remember: Actions feed and strengthen confidence; inaction in all forms feeds fear. To fight fear, act. To increase fear--wait, put off, postpone.” [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas generate pain when ignored; acting on them yields satisfaction and confidence. **In simple terms:** Act on ideas to avoid pain and gain confidence. Key Takeaway Act now to build confidence. Themes action confidence fear motivation Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - starting a project - making a decision - overcoming procrastination - addressing fear Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy behavioral activation Questions to Reflect On - What idea have you been delaying? - How does action reduce fear? A Different Perspective Action alone cannot guarantee success; execution quality matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fight Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-fear/) [Gaining confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaining-confidence/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Inaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inaction/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Psychological pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-pain/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) ## Related quotes > [Self motivation is inner power which empowers you to strengthen your confidence, mental toughness, achieve greater height in life, best performance through positive attitude,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/self-motivation-is-inner-power-which-empowers-you-to-strengthen-your/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [I don't expect people to forget my brash words or deeds. 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To increase fear - wait, put off postpone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/to-fight-fear-act-to-increase-fear-wait-put-off-postpone/) [David Joseph Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-joseph-schwartz/) > [“The obsession with security at any price petrifies us, and we increase our fear by trying to eliminate risk. That is what is ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-bruckner/the-obsession-with-security-at-any-price-petrifies-us-and-we-increase/) [Pascal Bruckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-bruckner/) > [“The more you can increase fear of drugs, crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all of the people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-more-you-can-increase-fear-of-drugs-crime-welfare-mothers/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The moves to contractualism and utilitarianism required some extra ingredients besides mortalism, the denial that God is in charge of the world, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/the-moves-to-contractualism-and-utilitarianism-required-some-extra/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [It is difficult to explain to children in the "overdeveloped" nations that not all children in the world have such beautiful and nourishing food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/it-is-difficult-to-explain-to-children-in-the-overdeveloped-nations/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“Woody Allen once said that 90 percent of life is about showing up. Ninety percent of healing people in psychological pain is shutting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/woody-allen-once-said-that-90-percent-of-life-is-about-showing-up/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [I suppose I do believe that the greatest art consoles a wound that it creates, that art can give you the capacity to endure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wiman/i-suppose-i-do-believe-that-the-greatest-art-consoles-a-wound-that-it/) [Christian Wiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wiman/) > [The psychological pain--and the ethical shame--of American poverty are made greater by the fact that this country possesses the wealth and the energy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-keniston/the-psychological-pain-and-the-ethical-shame-of-american-poverty-are/) [Kenneth Keniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-keniston/) ## More by David J. Schwartz > [“Look at things not as they are, but as they can be. Visualization adds value to everything. A big thinker always visualizes what can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/look-at-things-not-as-they-are-but-as-they-can-be-visualization-adds/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Attitudes are more important than intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/attitudes-are-more-important-than-intelligence/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Then it dawned on me that no one else was going to believe in me until I believed in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/then-it-dawned-on-me-that-no-one-else-was-going-to-believe-in-me/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/life-is-too-short-to-waste-dreams-are-fulfilled-only-through-action/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“Truly, fear is a powerful force. In one way or another fear prevents people from getting what they want from life. Fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/truly-fear-is-a-powerful-force-in-one-way-or-another-fear-prevents/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Persons who reach the higher rungs in business management, selling, engineering, religious work, writing, acting, and in every other pursuit get there by following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/persons-who-reach-the-higher-rungs-in-business-management-selling/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“when we do what is known to be wrong, two negative things happened. First, we feel guilt and this guilt eats away confidence. Second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/when-we-do-what-is-known-to-be-wrong-two-negative-things-happened/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [How much we can do, depends on how much we THINK we can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/how-much-we-can-do-depends-on-how-much-we-think-we-can-do/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/believe-it-can-be-done-when-you-believe-something-can-be-done-your/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/remind-yourself-regularly-that-you-are-better-than-you-think-you-are/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“Hope is a start. But hope needs action to win victories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/hope-is-a-start-but-hope-needs-action-to-win-victories/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/believe-big-the-size-of-your-success-is-determined-by-the-size-of/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“Belief releases creative powers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/belief-releases-creative-powers/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Knowledge is power only when put to use - and then only when the use made of it is constructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/knowledge-is-power-only-when-put-to-use-and-then-only-when-the-use/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“Action cures fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/action-cures-fear/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) [Explore all 63 David J. Schwartz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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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. 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