Entrepreneurs seem to have a knack for coming up with ideas. In fact, it is one of the characteristics that define us. For me, writing down ideas is a way to exercise my brain a little bit. Whether I am brainstorming about a product upgrade or making lists of startup companies to look into, ideas are a huge part of my existence. But, as most will find, ideas alone don’t get you very far. Those scribbles and notes that fill pages, napkins, and my iPad storage are nothing more than ramblings of my mind until they are executed.

Let’s be honest. Everyone has had a great idea or two in their life. Some have had hundreds even. Most people can say that they have looked at a situation or problem, seen a way to improve, and hatched an idea. But where did that get them? Unless they were willing to put action and execution behind the thought, the idea most likely ended up going nowhere.

In college, I knew a person who was notorious for getting drunk and coming up with completely off the wall shit to invent. While some of the ideas were probably pretty good, their destiny was to make people laugh while at the bar. The genius of the mind was completely limited without some follow through of the hands.

So, while it would be great to be able to sit around and come up with ideas all day, you have to be able to discipline yourself to put action behind the ones that are really good. Are all the things in my notes going to be invested in and executed? Absolutely not. To be honest, probably only a few will ever be given a second or third thought. But, if played right, those few good ideas, along with some time, money, and hard work, will pay for all the rest of the ones that didn’t amount to anything.

In the game that is life, business, and being an entrepreneur, you have got to know how to think and dream big but also how to work hard at making those dreams into reality. One without the other just won’t get you very far.

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