Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that ideas are worthless without execution. Anyone who has ever attained their goals will also tell you the same. That is why the two need to be brought together so that results get produced. However, there is an entire process from vision to execution which we will look at very briefly here and in greater detail elsewhere. Step by step is the way to go.

In essence, vision is only the big idea behind every good or great plan. What it needs for it to have an effect is a strategy, by which it can be implemented. Now strategy is what you will follow to achieve that big idea.

By comparison, vision is a where and what while strategy is a how. Both vision and strategy are indispensable and missing either leaves you without direction and the capability to manage effectively.

Once you have a vision and strategy in place, the next step is communicating your idea and implementation plan to others. It is only when the plan is communicated to others that it can be effectively followed and executed. This holds true wherever a team is involved. You may be a gym teacher, a health guru, a motivational speaker or a businessman, you need to communicate your ideas well.

Once your vision has been communicated to others, it is time to take some action. And it is not only you that needs to act alone, but everyone on the team needs to do so too.

Let’s say that everyone involved in a project decides to act. So what’s next? This is important as it involves going back and reviewing whatever you have done so far. Successful individuals and organizations keep a close tab on the progress being made and how much work still remains. So, reviewing not only helps you with assessing progress but also charting the way forward.

It also ties in to accountability where you not only hold yourself but also your co-workers, colleagues, students or employees accountable to your vision and the actions that anyone has taken to get there. Accountability also paves the way for corrective action, if required.

If you can get through all these guidelines, then you have successfully executed your vision and no longer have an execution problem. However, the process is not as basic or simple as described here. After all, this entire book is dedicated to the power of execution so there’s a lot more to come.