A place where the curious minds converge.

We all have goals, dreams, and ideas. But there's something that separates people who only dream from those who achieve what they want. It's the ability to go from the "aha" moment to taking actual steps to execute goals, dreams, and ideas.

The greatest skill one can develop is decreasing the time between idea and execution. — Dan Koe

If you ever felt paralyzed to execute a project or a goal, waiting for conditions to be perfect — congratulations! You've experienced the Someday Syndrome.

Waiting for everything to align, whether it's resources, time, or a perfect partner, could mean an endless wait. Procrastination and the "someday syndrome" don't only put off our goals, dreams, and ideas; they make them unattainable.

Ideas don't come out fully formed. They only become clear when you work on them. You just have to get started. — Marc Zuckerberg

Why do we delay execution?

There are a few reasons why we delay the execution of our ideas:

• Fear

• Perfectionism

• Procrastination

Fear

Ideas frequently die because of fears about failing, losing time/money or leaving one's comfort zone. 

Next time you'll catch yourself in fear of getting started, remember that big dreams require uncomfortable journeys. Fear of uncertainty is natural. Acknowledge it. Accept it. Move on.

Perfectionism (my favorite)

In a world filled with advice on output optimization, the temptation to go on endless iterations is appealing. But you need to learn to avoid using perfectionism as a justification for delay.

Many of us fail to start because we wait for perfect conditions or have high expectations about results. 

Strive for progress, not perfection.

Procrastination

Procrastination often comes from a lack of clarity. Even with good intentions, we delay taking action. 

We procrastinate for a variety of reasons, including psychological and personal traits. Perfectionism. Fear of failure. Low self-esteem. You name it.

How do we reduce the gap between the idea and execution? 

For a very long time in my life, I've been delaying the execution of my ideas for one of the reasons above. I went through all of them. Sometimes a few at a time.

What I learned from this experience was that all I needed was more clarity. Clarity is the key to bridging the idea-execution gap. Clarifying my plan to its essence, and then taking the first step. Complexity often leads me to paralysis. Clarity gave me a sense of direction. 

Break down your goals

Taking an overly ambitious first step often results in frustration. We tend to delay tasks that seem too big, complex, or vague. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps to reduce resistance and increase clarity. 

For example, I break writing a newsletter into steps like research, outline, draft, edit, and publish. Same with design work: research, wireframes, UI design, interactions, handoff.

Embrace imperfection

Perfectionism gets me stuck in endless preparation cycles. I'm trying to account for every possible outcome before moving forward. 

But conditions are rarely perfect, and striving for perfection often serves as an excuse for inaction. 

Prioritize progress over perfection. This is a mindset shift to help you understand that your efforts don't need to be error-free. Remember that failure is just research unless you never try again. 

Leverage accountability

It is easy to put off commitments that only affect you. But most people have a strong desire not to let down those who rely on them. Benefit from this trait and tell about your intentions to someone close who will hold you accountable.

For example, going to the gym by myself has been always a challenge. But once I hired a coach – I showed up every time. All because I had to keep a promise to come to the gym at a time. 

You can join a group of people who share your interests or work on similar projects. Such environments make it difficult to give up without facing consequences. 

Reducing the gap between idea and execution means developing a habit that converts your ideas into actions. It's a skill that, like any other, can be improved with consistent practice, effective strategies, and the right mindset.

Remember that it's not the idea but execution that differentiates achieving a goal and daydreaming.