--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thought is the parent of the deed." description: "\"Thought is the parent of the deed.\" — Thomas Carlyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png" --- # Thought is the parent of the deed. ![“Thought is the parent of the deed.” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png) > “Thought is the parent of the deed.” [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts generate actions; ideas precede deeds, shaping outcomes. **In simple terms:** Ideas lead to actions. Key Takeaway Think before you act. Themes thought action cause and effect personal agency Mood reflective thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - decision making - creative work - habit formation Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do your thoughts translate into deeds? - What habits help convert ideas into action? A Different Perspective Overthinking can stall action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deed/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parent Deed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent-deed-6134915/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-parent-2451906/) ## Related quotes > [I thought a parent's job was to tell their children not to go into acting as a profession!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-thought-a-parent-s-job-was-to-tell-their-children-not-to-go-into/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I never thought that I would be a parent and have kids. It is the layer to my life that I never knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-brent/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-a-parent-and-have-kids-it-is-the/) [Jeremiah Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-brent/) > [Your thought is the parent that gives birth to all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/your-thought-is-the-parent-that-gives-birth-to-all-things/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The deed of love is stronger than words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/the-deed-of-love-is-stronger-than-words/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Measuring life by what others do for us may disappoint us...But Measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/measuring-life-by-what-others-do-for-us-may-disappoint-us-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Kindness is not about words. It isn’t spoken. It is about action. Kindness is a deed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/kindness-is-not-about-words-it-isn-t-spoken-it-is-about-action/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Not really what you can do, others can either. Not really what you can't do, neither can others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voeun-tivea/not-really-what-you-can-do-others-can-either-not-really-what-you-can/) [Voeun Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voeun-tivea/) > [A good deed is not just a duty, but above all, a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/a-good-deed-is-not-just-a-duty-but-above-all-a-privilege/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) > [A man who is wise in speech but not in deeds is not wise for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-is-wise-in-speech-but-not-in-deeds-is-not-wise-for-me/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [If you see a guy opening a car door for a girl, its one of two things, either a new girl, or a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-armenta/if-you-see-a-guy-opening-a-car-door-for-a-girl-its-one-of-two-things/) [Jorge Armenta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-armenta/) > [One good deed will lead to thousands more of blessings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-good-deed-will-lead-to-thousands-more-of-blessings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be sure to do your duty today, and let God Take care of the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-sure-to-do-your-duty-today-and-let-god-take-care-of-the-outcome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I discovered that everything you do is in response to a request or a suggestion made to you by some other party either inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/i-discovered-that-everything-you-do-is-in-response-to-a-request-or-a/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) ## More by Thomas Carlyle > [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The sincere alone can recognize sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-sincere-alone-can-recognize-sincerity/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [All human things do require to have an ideal in them; to have some soul in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/all-human-things-do-require-to-have-an-ideal-in-them-to-have-some/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Insurrection, never so necessary, is a most sad necessity; and governors who wait for that to instruct them are surely getting into the fatalest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/insurrection-never-so-necessary-is-a-most-sad-necessity-and-governors/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Let Time and Chance combine, combine! Let Time and Chance combine! The fairest love from heaven above, That love of yours was mine, My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-time-and-chance-combine-combine-let-time-and-chance-combine-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Does not every true man feel that he is himself made higher by doing reverence to what is really above him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/does-not-every-true-man-feel-that-he-is-himself-made-higher-by-doing/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The press is the fourth estate of the realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-press-is-the-fourth-estate-of-the-realm/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) [Explore all 917 Thomas Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More Deed quotes > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [“I discovered that everything you do is in response to a request or a suggestion made to you by some other party either inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/i-discovered-that-everything-you-do-is-in-response-to-a-request-or-a/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Be sure to do your duty today, and let God Take care of the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-sure-to-do-your-duty-today-and-let-god-take-care-of-the-outcome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One good deed will lead to thousands more of blessings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-good-deed-will-lead-to-thousands-more-of-blessings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you see a guy opening a car door for a girl, its one of two things, either a new girl, or a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-armenta/if-you-see-a-guy-opening-a-car-door-for-a-girl-its-one-of-two-things/) [Jorge Armenta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-armenta/) > [A man who is wise in speech but not in deeds is not wise for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-is-wise-in-speech-but-not-in-deeds-is-not-wise-for-me/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A good deed is not just a duty, but above all, a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/a-good-deed-is-not-just-a-duty-but-above-all-a-privilege/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) > [Not really what you can do, others can either. Not really what you can't do, neither can others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voeun-tivea/not-really-what-you-can-do-others-can-either-not-really-what-you-can/) [Voeun Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voeun-tivea/) > [“Kindness is not about words. It isn’t spoken. It is about action. Kindness is a deed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/kindness-is-not-about-words-it-isn-t-spoken-it-is-about-action/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Measuring life by what others do for us may disappoint us...But Measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/measuring-life-by-what-others-do-for-us-may-disappoint-us-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The deed of love is stronger than words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/the-deed-of-love-is-stronger-than-words/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Through the perfect karma of good deeds, one meets the Perfect Guru, whose speech is perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/through-the-perfect-karma-of-good-deeds-one-meets-the-perfect-guru/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [Reward will follow every good deed. Only by doing good deeds can a man know the true joy of living and have a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/reward-will-follow-every-good-deed-only-by-doing-good-deeds-can-a-man/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Life is never worth worrying about deeds. Just doing is enough to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-sheikh/life-is-never-worth-worrying-about-deeds-just-doing-is-enough-to-get/) [Aamir Sheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-sheikh/) > [Our everyday cares, making a living, the crazy rat race of life, often make us forget the value of a good deed. Thus, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/our-everyday-cares-making-a-living-the-crazy-rat-race-of-life-often/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) [Browse all 281 Deed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thought is the parent of the deed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Carlyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/thomas-carlyle-207_deed_thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed-160935_1609355.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thought is the parent of the deed.” — Thomas Carlyle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Carlyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thought is the parent of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-is-the-parent-of-the-deed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```