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In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), therapists will work with clients primarily on their thoughts and behavior. Thoughts lead to feelings that in turn result in behavioral patterns.
In a fast-paced world where demands on life are just so overwhelming; where tomorrow's work was expected to be submitted yesterday, much can affect one's thoughts, feelings, and actions. A businessman who successfully closed a deal will have positive thoughts that lead to good feelings resulting in delightful behavior. E.g. He will think to himself that he can close further deals. He feels good about himself. He goes home, hugs his wife, gives her a big kiss and takes her out for dinner.
On the other hand, had he failed in the deal, he will be affected negatively. He thinks to himself that he is a failure. He feels useless. He goes home and notices an unexpected demeanor in the wife and lashes out at her.
In criminal law, the chain of causation starts from mens rea, the state of the mind of criminal intent (the thought) leading to the concurrence of actus reus, the criminal act (behavior).
Getting caught in a loop of thoughts that gives rise to all sorts of feelings may not be the place anyone wants to be. Depression or anxiety or both concurrently are highly probable. If one seemed to be running aimlessly and hopelessly in a maze of unfavorable thought patterns, it would be a sign that he or she needs to slow down and talk to somebody.
Brian Tracy wrote in "4 Must-Know Habits Of All Highly Successful People", that "self-concept" influences the way people think, feel, and behave and it precedes and predicts one's levels of effectiveness in every area of his or her life.
Whether in public speaking, popularity, the kind of spouse or partner one wants to be, the kind of parent one is, how well one performs in sport or physical activity, how organized or disorganized one is, how well one manages time and how productive he or she is, and one's ability to read, write and do mathematics boils down to what kind of thoughts he or she has about himself or herself personally and about the events taking place around them.
It is a simple equation: Thoughts = Feelings = Behavior
If one decides on unfavorable thoughts, it will then lead to not so good feelings and behavior. But if one makes the choice of FAVORABLE THOUGHTS, he or she will be rewarded with FAVORABLE FEELINGS and BEHAVIOR.
by Aloy L. Counsellor, Author, Speaker. He has rigorously trained in counselling and psychotherapy, served full-time in ministries, and worked businesses on solid principles. His calling and mission are to counsel, write, and speak Hope to all.
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Reference:
Tracy, B., (2014). 4 Must Know Habits Of All Highly Successful People. Brian Tracy International. Retrieved from http://www.briantracy.com/blog/general/habits-of-successful-people-self-concept-positive-thinking/
Wikipedia. (2016). Causation (law). Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causation_(law)