The old adage “ You are what you think ” is absolutely true.
As James Allen wrote in his timeless classic in 1902, As a Man Thinketh

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking – glass. (p. 1)

Values → Beliefs → Thoughts → Actions

This model is based on the premise that ultimately our actions are
dictated by what goes on inside our heads—our values. Every person
has a deep – seated set of values that develop over many years and are
resistant to change. These values determine the belief system that we
create internally to support our values. Our beliefs generate and guide
our thoughts. At the very least, our beliefs filter the way we see things,
64 Traditional Persuasion Theory versus Shiny Objects
and therefore, dictate our thoughts. Ultimately, our thoughts dictate
our actions.