***Turn Your Great Business Ideas Into Reality

Isn’t it the truth that we have these great ideas but somehow they get lost in the shuffle? As time goes by, these great ideas wane from our consciousness and soon they are forgotten. But let’s look a little deeper into how you can actualize those ideas.

The Nike slogan “Just Do It” sums it up for most of us. Don’t you wish you could just do that all the time? Why is it that we tend to postpone our goals and get sidetracked? How good is your brilliant idea if you can’t just do it?

Let’s dive in and break it down in four manageable steps: First, comes the idea phase, second is the evaluation of the idea, followed by the planning stage, and finally, execution of the idea.

* Step 1. As you drive, read, talk, listen and meet with people, you hear a lot of information. Evaluate everything you hear with two questions in mind. How can I use this for my business? Is this something that could help me? If so, write it down.

* Step 2. Schedule a designated time in your calendar as your idea evaluation time. My personal tip is to have a number of email drafts open so I can continue to jot down my ideas or notes. During your idea evaluation time, review your notes and examine if the idea is a) good and doable, b) good but the time is not right or c) not the right time or idea, and then cross it off your list.

* Step 3. If the idea falls into category a or b, pull out your calendar, iPhone or Blackberry. Calculate how much time you need to execute your idea and break down the time frames for each phase of the project.

* Step 4: Execute the idea. This is the most challenging step for most people. So what is the trick? Here is my secret. I don’t ever think about if I “feel” up to it. I sit down, eliminate my distractions, and then I do it. I don’t get up until I’ve completed the first draft. No fixing tea, coffee or a bite to eat. I don’t answer emails—I stay focused on the task at hand. After the first draft, if you’re like me, you have to walk away and let it sit before you do a revision. Or you may know instantly that it’s as good as it’s going to be. You are the judge of that.

To sum up, to move your business forward, you need to become the best and most effective executor of your ideas that you can be. It doesn’t matter if it is an event, a marketing campaign, or a cold calling initiative. Write it in the calendar and plan it out. Focus on one big idea at a time and then “just do it.”