Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.

Thinking should be bold and aimed at doing, while doing should be careful and informed by reflection. The saying reverses a common stereotype in which thinkers hesitate and doers rush ahead, and it lets each borrow the other's best quality. To think like a person of action is to keep ideas tied to purpose and ask what could actually be tried. To act like a person of thought is to move with awareness rather than reflex.

The idea fits Bergson's wider outlook, in which life is a continuous, creative flow rather than a series of fixed snapshots. Thought and action are not separate compartments but parts of one living movement. Be aware, though, that the line is widely repeated in his name without a clearly established source, so the attribution is uncertain.

Imagine someone wondering whether to change careers. Instead of weighing pros and cons for months, they could think like a doer: have coffee with someone in the field, or take a short course. Then, once they are trying things out, they could act like a thinker by setting aside a quiet moment each week to note what they have learned and adjust their course.