“Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.” — John Doerr
Nowadays, this quote seems to represent the Zeitgeist. It pits the idea against the execution. This creates (at least mentally, if not technically) a dichotomy between the idea and execution.
There is no dichotomy. Idea AND execution are two parts of a single whole - complementary and inseparable - representing the end product or service.
If you accept these false alternatives, you will limit both your idea and its execution. It all starts with an idea, and then comes the execution. It is actually a self-affecting circle.
You start with an idea and then use it to feed the next step - execution. Afterwards, you use the results as feedback for your idea. You change it, refine it, and make it better. You may even have a new idea that’s very different from the original one.
The following are three important points:
- Although ideas are plentiful, good ones are not as much. First, you need a way to decipher which ones are good and how to make them better!
- Thinking about both your idea and execution - as a whole - is key to your success.
- Maximizing your idea and realizing its potential is what connects your idea with its execution. It is the first step in execution.