"Intention" is the Source that directs the flow of Energy towards either a Positive or Negative Reaction to an Action.
Positive Intentions -> Positive Energy
Negative Intentions -> Negative Energy
An "Action" is unrelated to an Intention. Just because an Action is Positive or resulted in a Positive Outcome does not mean it wasn't done with Negative Energy. While Positive Outcomes stemming from Negative Intentions doesn't sound bad, the World you are building around you is an illusion built on Negative Energy thus a False Foundation which is why so many people with money or fame are suicidal or have committed suicide. People look at their life full of glamour and cars and mansions and unlimited Sex & wonder how they could be so unhappy. Because all they could see was their Outer Illusion & couldn't see their Inner World... they couldn't see this person was a wreck on the inside.
Take for example, giving a homeless person money. If you give a homeless person a dollar believing it will help them in some way through their misfortunes then the Intention was Positive thus the Energy was Positive. Now picture the person who sees a homeless person and normally would walk right past them. There's few people around & they give the homeless person a dollar with the INTENTION of being admirable by others. The action was Positive unfortunately the energy was created with a Negative Intention so they have just added more Negative Energy into their own Internal World. Some of the most racist, sexist & cold hearted people donate money, give to charity & volunteer all the time. Why? Because the Ego desires admiration... so most of the time those people can't wait to tell others about their "good work."
If you're a Christian this is why the Bible preaches against doing things to "appear" good because God cannot be mocked & you live in the Internal World you created in your life upon Death. It will never matter who the World knew you as, not your friends, not your family... who you were on the inside is the TRUTH... & you can't escape yourself after death.
So the question sometimes becomes do you want to be a good person or do you just want to do good things? Because they have volunteer offices & homeless shelters everywhere. Doing good things isn't something that's difficult to incorporate into your life. Rich people donate to causes they honestly don't care about all the time & plenty of celebrities have foundations built on illusionary promises for PR & image purposes.
You want to be a Good Person then begin by starting with your Intentions because that will birth the energy that builds your Internal World.
Positive Intention + Positive Action = Positive Energy.
In a Biblical sense... all Jesus do was go around doing good for people, simple. They asked him about all these rules & systems and about what God desires etc & he gave Mankind the simplest rule in the whole of creation. Love thy Neighbor as thyself... very simple. All he wanted for people to simply... love echother. Sounds simple but look at the World & you'll see its not so simple. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Follow this and everything else will fall into place...