The information gathered while looking for this quote has lead me to believe it has more than one origin. Much like the Greek and Hebrew Concept of Knowledge I’m sure that the passage of time has disfigured its appearance and meaning.
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.
Henri Bergson the man that wrote this quote was a French Scientist DOB 10-18-1859 and Died 01-04-41 the age of the quote and the time frame of Mr. Bergsons death put a possible spin on how it may have originated in the program but there were too many key elements missing. Most of the slogans came from AA literature this was close but not on target.
Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was German born 09-28-1749 and died 03-22-1832. For personal reasons I found his work with colors worth further investigating. Although I did find Goethe’s work referenced in a Grape Vine article but still a no show on the quote in question.
My biggest lead was a term paper written by a college student written in 2007. The paper described the concepts of knowledge and had the direct quote we wanted. Still no mention of the quotes history but the term paper did mention alcohol as an example to the quotes validity. So I wondered (plagiarism).
The Quote came from a Book called Delivering Results: A New Mandate for Human Resource Professionals it was published in 1998 from the Harvard Business School Press. The quote in the book is an exact match to the one in question and I have no reason to look elsewhere. I have no reason to believe this quote is related to AA in any way shape or form but it wouldn’t surprise me to one day find it staring back at me from a wall hanging.
Truth lives, in fact, for the most part on a credit system. Our thoughts and beliefs pass, so long as nothing challenges them, just as bank-notes pass so long as nobody refuses them.
William James