When is a deed considered a manifestation of one's inner thoughts?

Allah overlooks for the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) what they speak to themselves, as long as they do not act upon it or utter it.

The whispering of the self with sin has stages: 1. A mere fleeting thought to which the self does not incline: The servant is not held accountable for this. 2. The self becomes accustomed to evil thoughts and does not repel them, or these are thoughts related to the actions of the heart such as love, hatred, and envy: The servant is held accountable for this. 3. An intention to commit sins that are done with the tongue or limbs, but the self has not moved to act upon them verbally or physically: This is pardoned by the explicit text of the Hadith, and there is a difference of opinion regarding accountability for mere persistence and determination. 4. The self moves towards committing the sin, performing what it is capable of, whether in speech or action: Accountability applies here.