Most people confuse and misuse these terms. Although they overlap in a Venn diagram, they’re different entities.

A woman I know recently brought water to a homeless man she met while running on a hot summer afternoon.

I initially thought about how thoughtful the seemingly-simple act was.

But the act itself was not thoughtful.

It was kind.

We’re all thoughtful in situations like this. We’re thoughtful in all situations. Every encounter we have triggers a thought process. We think about everything involved in the interaction and the emotions it brings — whether anger, sympathy, pleasure or otherwise.

Everyone will become thoughtful while passing a homeless person on the street. Some will think negatively towards the person. Others will think about helping in some way. And of those who think the latter, only a handful will act.

The act is what separates thoughtfulness from kindness.