--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are selective about the things you…" description: "\"If you are selective about the things you choose to read, look at or listen to, then you are taking effective action against negative thinking. It's ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg" --- # If you are selective about the things you choose to read… ![“If you are selective about the things you choose to read, look at or listen to, then you are taking effective action against negative thinking. It's just like with a computer; if you change the input, you will change the output.” quote by Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg) > “If you are selective about the things you choose to read, look at or listen to, then you are taking effective action against negative thinking. It's just like with a computer; if you change the input, you will change the output.” [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing positive inputs shapes thoughts, mirroring how changing data alters computer output. **In simple terms:** Select good media to improve thinking. Key Takeaway Curate your information sources. Themes media consumption mindset personal development Mood reflective motivational Type self-help inspirational When to use this quote - reading habits - media diet - digital detox - education - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive psychology information theory Questions to Reflect On - What media influences your mindset most? - How can you filter negative content effectively? A Different Perspective Changing inputs may not fully address deep-seated biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Action Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-negative-4029624/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Input](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/input/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-thinking/) [Output](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/output/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Selective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selective/) [Selective Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selective-things-2299417/) [Stay positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-positive/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [You choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-choose/) ## Related quotes > [I'm certainly not a person who spends their every waking moment soaking themselves in signs and signals of the sort that cult studies people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-york/i-m-certainly-not-a-person-who-spends-their-every-waking-moment/) [Peter York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-york/) > [When we change the input into our minds, we change the output into our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/when-we-change-the-input-into-our-minds-we-change-the-output-into-our/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Your input determines your outlook. Your outlook determines your output, and your output determines your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/your-input-determines-your-outlook-your-outlook-determines-your/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Attempts to juggle domestic responsibilities with artistic production have often resulted in smaller bodies of work, and often works smaller in scale, than those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-chadwick/attempts-to-juggle-domestic-responsibilities-with-artistic-production/) [Whitney Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-chadwick/) > [Food for the mind is like food for the body: the inputs are never the same as the outputs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/food-for-the-mind-is-like-food-for-the-body-the-inputs-are-never-the/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“Your daily product determines your output”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/your-daily-product-determines-your-output/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When you think about it, there's no way to input things into a computer. It's all... the holes only go out, right? Like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/when-you-think-about-it-there-s-no-way-to-input-things-into-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [“Product is an output of efforts, skills and time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/product-is-an-output-of-efforts-skills-and-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Efficiency in government is a more elusive concept than efficiency in the private economy, which may be measured relatively easily as output per units…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/efficiency-in-government-is-a-more-elusive-concept-than-efficiency-in/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [A computer is a machine for constructing mappings from input to output.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kirby/a-computer-is-a-machine-for-constructing-mappings-from-input-to-output/) [Michael Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kirby/) > [It is interesting to note that everyone has a different take on the world, a different opinion, and given the same inputs have completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-fitzgerald/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-everyone-has-a-different-take-on-the/) [Penelope Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-fitzgerald/) > [“With teamwork we are able to multiply our output and minimize individual input.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/with-teamwork-we-are-able-to-multiply-our-output-and-minimize/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [Social organizations are flagrantly open systems in that the input of energies and the conversion of output into further energetic input consists of transactions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-katz/social-organizations-are-flagrantly-open-systems-in-that-the-input-of/) [Daniel Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-katz/) > [I'm a miracle man, things happen which I don't plan, I've never planned anything. Whatsoever I do, I want it to be an instant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scratch-perry/i-m-a-miracle-man-things-happen-which-i-don-t-plan-i-ve-never-planned/) [Lee “Scratch” Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scratch-perry/) > [Creativity is an input to innovation and change is the output from innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/braden-kelley/creativity-is-an-input-to-innovation-and-change-is-the-output-from/) [Braden Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/braden-kelley/) ## More by Zig Ziglar > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. But research now reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-companies-have-long-contended-that-stress-in-the-home-causes/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A plan is always successful if the plan is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/a-plan-is-always-successful-if-the-plan-is-good/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Many times our weaknesses are extensions of our strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-times-our-weaknesses-are-extensions-of-our-strengths/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [It's not what you've got, it's what you use that makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-s-not-what-you-ve-got-it-s-what-you-use-that-makes-a-difference/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The child who has not been disciplined with love by his little world will be disciplined, generally without love, by the big world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-child-who-has-not-been-disciplined-with-love-by-his-little-world/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [When there is hope in the future, there is power in the present, and since hope is the foundational quality of all change, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/when-there-is-hope-in-the-future-there-is-power-in-the-present-and/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The way you look on the outside has a definite bearing on how you feel and see yourself on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-way-you-look-on-the-outside-has-a-definite-bearing-on-how-you/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [You become great by going small thing in a great way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-become-great-by-going-small-thing-in-a-great-way/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [God showed me that He could and would replace everything that was missing in my life, but that nothing could replace Him in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/god-showed-me-that-he-could-and-would-replace-everything-that-was/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [As you move to the top, remember the story of the pump. If you start pumping casually or half -heartedly, you will pump forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/as-you-move-to-the-top-remember-the-story-of-the-pump-if-you-start/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Success comes from repeated efforts day in and day out. You learn from your mistakes, make adjustments and continue pressing forward until you achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/success-comes-from-repeated-efforts-day-in-and-day-out-you-learn-from/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Positive thinking will let you use the ability which you have, and that is awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/positive-thinking-will-let-you-use-the-ability-which-you-have-and/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [It will be disastrous when a leader or manager shows up with one attitude one day and treats people with a different attitude the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-will-be-disastrous-when-a-leader-or-manager-shows-up-with-one/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-go-looking-for-a-friend-you-re-going-to-find-they-re-very/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) [Explore all 788 Zig Ziglar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) ## 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. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are selective about the things you choose to read, look at or listen to, then you are taking effective action against negative thinking. It's just like with a computer; if you change the input, you will change the output.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zig Ziglar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-you-choose-to-read-look-at-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-you-choose-to-read-look-at-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/zig-ziglar-263_action_if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-yo_2886390.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you are selective about the things you choose to read, look at or listen to, then you are taking…” — Zig Ziglar", "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": "Zig Ziglar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you are selective about the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-you-choose-to-read-look-at-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-are-selective-about-the-things-you-choose-to-read-look-at-or/#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 } } ] } ```