Actions speak louder than words.

What a person does is more revealing than what a person says.

What They Mean

Discount the speech; audit the behavior. Promises are free and are priced accordingly.

Almost always. Words are issued in unlimited quantities. Actions require budget, scheduling, and intent.

Words are how most people announce the actions they never take, so they retain some diagnostic value.

8.5 out of 10

Reliable, well-supported by available evidence, and mostly cited after the fact.