Thoughts on Thoughts

First, a disclaimer: this is not my own thought. This is my friend Dawn's thought, but she said I could use it.
Here's the saying: "It's the thought that counts." Here's the question: is it, really? Or is it the action that counts? There are 2 thoughts on this (and they both count).
First, if you do something and mean well and it doesn't quite turn out right, it may be the thought that counts. If someone buys you a present because they care about you, and they are sure that you will really love it, it's the thought that counts. Even if you hate the present. In this case, you may want to look at the heart behind it.
On the other hand, if you think about doing something for someone and you don't do it, then, yeah, it means nothing. Those times saying "it's the thought that counts" sounds like an excuse for being lazy or just not caring. Thoughts without actions are meaningless.
Those are my thought about Dawn's thoughts about thoughts. What are your thoughts?