Execution of the Vision
It is common to not have a vision but also common to have a vision but no direction or guide to execute a plan that completes a vision. The execution should open the doors to lay a pathway to your desired vision. Execution is the physical action that takes place to land you where you want to go. These are your attempts and activities that you conduct that ultimately lead to your success in greatness. In the following, I will provide a basic course of action of what to do to order your steps of execution. First, you must know what is required to carry out your vision. Do you need certain experience, certifications, or skill of any sort? Once this is understood then plan to develop are increase your skills or experience in that area. When acquiring the required tools, skills, or experience, it is important you do what is required then more. If two people, person A and Person B, both desire to become millionaires under these actions they take who do you think is most likely to achieve it? Person A reads wealth-building, investing, and finance books and joins a wealth accumulating club, attends conferences on entrepreneurship and converses or even interviews millionaires to develop his plan to execute to become a millionaire in the future. Person A is trying to reach millionaire status before age 40 sets his plans to execute as the following: save 35 to 45% of his income and invest it into assets that generate more money, allow the small businesses owned by person A to make additional income to invest as well as lending money to consumers with interest, partnering with other professionals to use their money and own to buy land then build houses and charge rent and when enough of rent is collected to buy or build hotels. Person B every now and then reads an article about money.
Person B wastes time on all other things that are distractions from the direction of becoming a millionaire. Person B truly wants to be a millionaire and even tries to think of ways to get to millionaire status but often do not follow through or does not go in depth to get what is needed. What person is more likely to become a millionaire? Nothing is promised however as in it could very well be that neither becomes a millionaire but the hope is that they do. The action or execution of their plan to get to the million-dollar status is what determines if you will get there or not. Earlier when I mentioned the first step which was to know what is required to carry out your vision in this case you do not necessarily need experience, skill, or any type of certification although some would argue that but it comes down to having the heart and willingness to keep exercising ideas into practicalities and enforce ways to reach millionaire status. In this way, so it is in other ways. If a person wants to be a lawyer, doctor, or even something as a scientist what are your practices that add more knowledge or value to yourself that points you in that direction. Are you engulfed in the expertise of that certain field? Are you seeking out ways to fill gaps in the current systems we already use today? Are you making connections to your desired school of interest? All of this is part of the execution in fulfilling your vision. In doing so much as these things, you are in the process of executing your vision.
It is critical to note that whatever your motivation is that you never forget it and when times are hard your able to bring that motivation back into remembrance to spark an undying faith and courage to preserve and to keep going into you succeed. The execution part of your vision could encompass just you or to achieve it other who are like-minded are brought in to the picture that is up for you to decide. Regardless of what it may be, always continue, even if at first you fail or to the extent, you keep failing. It is possible that to perfect your execution you must sometimes fail at one thing to allow yourself to explore another way to accomplish your vision but all still remains the same in the overall solution you want. Once you know what is required to carry out your vision the second step is to position yourself to achieve those requirements. If you already have met the requirements, then you would design a way to advance yourself in that particular area at such a level that your ability far exceeds the average person.
To continue on to execute a plan for your vision after knowing what is required to obtain it now is to equip yourself. Through equipping yourself, you allow yourself to meet the expectations or qualifications of your desired vision. When a person equips themselves, whether by gaining knowledge or through material manners, this increases their chances of carrying acts out that support vision. This part is essential because a person cannot execute their vision if not equipped. What this looks like is let us say a person’s vision is to reduce violence and the crime in their city. So, in the first step stated earlier in the chapter is to know what is required which in this case no degree is needed however education on the subject and resources are important for this vision. At this phase, a person now equips themselves by researching general violence and crime. To take it a step farther by examining it in their specific city of interest and observing the factor that triggers violence and crime. Once the triggers are known, often local police already know the biggest triggers for violence and crime in their city, now you can see what has been done in the past and what is currently working to control crime in similar cities to see if there are solutions that fit. Next is to put your solution into practice and have a way to measure if your actions directly impacted the decrease in crime and violence in your city of interest.
Solutions that may or may not have worked include support groups that provide ways to avoid committing crimes and causing violence, improved police-and-community relations so citizens out of respect act as a aids to ensure an environment with less incidents per month as well as annually, or even have sponsors sponsor lunches or dinners that brings employers and hungry job seekers so jobs are made more available in that the theory is if a person is employed full time the less likely they are in committing crime or performing a violent act. This example shows few ways this person would equip themselves to tackle their vision. There are still numerous ways, in this case, a person could become equipped and should not be limited to these examples. In a way, you become stronger, and you are positioning yourself well to succeed and make your vision come to reality. Also, through making yourself prepared for your vision, you are showing you are serious. Many people will have a vision but never act on it. Therefore, the ones that distinguish themselves are the ones that plan and equip the knowledge and resources together to establish their foundation and roadmap to pursue the vision.
When making sure you have the right knowledge or resources a good way to start is to learn the basics of what is needed from you. If certain skills or experience are required, make sure to master them and invest in yourself the most. When you invest in yourself that could mean anything but for now generally it means researching, planning, and acting on the plans you outlined all the way until your vision is complete. I can say with great confidence the best decision a person makes is when they invest in themselves. Generally, when people invest in something the investor is expecting a good return or outcome. So, in this manner, you should expect a good return or outcome from investing in your own self. The good return or outcome could be a higher paying more fulfilling job, trade skills, or something such as an idea that stemmed from an experience, research, or even experimentation. When a person puts time into themselves and pursues as hard as they can to become great in a particular field or chase their vision success is often determined by the preparation work. Apart of preparation is the investment in you from you. Ask yourself how many books or sources have your read about materials that play a role in your vision’s success? Are you discussing these topics with experts are those who are already where you are aiming to be? As each day passes are you acting on things that bring you closer to your vision? Are you holding yourself accountable? Are you making excuses? Are you staying on track? If you find yourself stuck or in fear, then you must find out a way for yourself that will allow you to overcome this obstacle, so you do not remain in the same place motionless. As you make a way to overcome whatever may be holding you back its necessary to understand you may struggle and worst of all fail in trying to equip yourself but since when is becoming great been easy and something that everyone will achieve .
Foolish people do not prepare nor equip themselves. Wise people prepare and equip themselves. As you continue on this journey for your vision and to make it real through the execution of your actions, it is critical to know that the timing may be longer then what you expect. I assume like most people they want their success now and not later. This may or may not happen. It is important to try doing certain things quickly but be cautious because haste can lead to waste. It is possible that a person’s vision can be premature or not fully thought out. So, in this case, if a person goes to fast it is possible it could lead to disaster, severe losses, or chaos. In equipping yourself with whatever is needed to fulfill your vision, please make sure you let your vision develop healthily and maturely to avoid anything bad happening. In your approach to equipping yourself as a means of executing acts be patient and let things come into place or position smoothly not roughly or forced. Imagine a person who wants to start his or her own business but they need certain certifications and or license that may require a test.
As the person begins to equip themselves with proper qualifications and license to start a business they uncover on average it may take up to two years before they can start so they trying rush through it in a year and create a disaster. Assume this person rushed through it in a year and did not fully understand material then it took them two or three times to pass the test. Each time up until the person passed test cost them money so they blew money on the numerous test attempts when it could have been a more probable chance they would have passed the test had they not tried to rush through subject material relating to the qualification and them getting equipped to start a business first. Some may go through it faster and still pass but before jumping the gun make sure to understand your own strengths and weaknesses before deciding to finish something faster than normal. I believe it is best to know yourself and know what time period is realistic for you in your process to achieving your vision while equipping one’s self for that. This is a lesson to take seriously in your journey and ignoring this could result in a bad experience.
As you execute your vision by allowing yourself to be equipped, it is a good thing to find advisors or experts in that field. These people may be hard to contact but with reasonable consist attempts you may end up getting a chance to ask questions and have them critique your game plan for success in others words your vision. It is always helpful to speak to others who are familiar in the area you are interested in because this will expose you to more information and possible resources that could play a role in your success. Also, if people are not responding after you reach out, try others. There are good sources online and perhaps writing an email or calling their offices or sending regular mail. If you are new in a subject that you are trying to learn more about a part of equipping yourself is to know the bare minimum about your subject of interest. I look at it as the bare minimum is the basic information. The advanced knowledge of your subject of interest will come later but first, know the basics. To go a step further do not just only know the basics but master the basics. You may or may not have known how smart someone can sound using basic information. As you continue on you will see how making the connections will become beneficial. In this case do not be afraid to talk to people. Regardless of what route you decide to take toward your vision always know that this phase when you equip yourself can be the make or break moment for you. It all comes down to how hard you seek after it and what you are willing to do and sometimes sacrifice to obtain it.
To advance your vision and to begin making it a reality knowing what is required is critical as well as the ability to equip yourself with what is needed. What is next is making the connection or contact to the source or resource that is your target. I must note that the first initial contact or connection may even yield little to no outcome but it is good to establish a method of firm communication with whatever or whoever that may add or contribute to your vision. A basic system I use is the three-layer communication or connection point layout for introductory to even a more advanced form of communication to a constant approach to building relationships with others most often professionally. The first layer or connection point is to know what could possibly be gained from the initial contact of the target source or resource and what should be said or done to get the attention or acknowledgment of person or organization you may try to contact. The next thing to do is to act and reach out.
The second layer is to after making the first point of contact, regardless of whether there is a response or not, to make sure there is something that could benefit the receiver of your message. This beneficial thing to the receiver could be a good laugh, an interesting insight of their interest or anything relevant, a professional sketch not too long but concise that can be tied to something similar to their professional background. I also must add while making continuous contact or attempts to do it properly and not overdo it or bug others. Additionally, it is critical to master following up with the things people are reaching out to increase the chances of a reply and or to acquire valuable knowledge that is to be used for the bringing to the reality of your vision. Also, master follow-ups with others, another good practice is to maintain the relations of these parties so that if in future something of interest comes up that may require their partnership could be worth doing.
The third layer or connection point is communicating your ideas or vision to others to see if it is in the right fit for them to add to it or it might be better some do not help as in could not act as a something good contributory wise. This step is optional but your choice. This three-layer step is good for anyone desiring to have their vision become a reality and guides you through the ways to effectively use communication to reach targets. The connection point is essential or also known as “making the connection” is geared toward the ability and skill for someone to place themselves in an environment to have ties with sources or resources that can potentially aid in the execution of a person’s vision. This is the whole idea of this concept and three-layer approaches. Communication and how we handle communicating with others I think is one of the biggest parts of personal growth and will sometimes determine how far your success ends up. To extend the importance of communication sometimes, it is what will lead others to the road that is meant for them, and if communication is bad, it could possibly lead to no progression or even misguide you. If someone’s vision is to establish a marketing companythat builds the brand and promotes businesses operating on tight budgets, it is likely to become difficult if there is no business model or strategy to obtain customer info and any relevant information that would impact customer satisfaction. If the communication is good or shows a way for the marketing company to have intel to communicate to customers innovative ways there implementing systems to add to their customer experience this could retain the majority of customers and lead to potentially higher profits in the future. Here the right connection is made when the strategy to enhance systems is displayed to customers in a form that shows them clearly how our business services will help increase the value of their own business. The effect of this leads customers wanting to continue doing business with the marketing company.
I do acknowledge that even if marketing company did not communicate to customers about new improvements that there is a chance, it would not matter and the customers will either stay or continue doing business with them based off of their own decision-making process. We could look at communication in different forms. Let us say before this marketing business is made official through planning and legal paperwork that its business practices are legal but closely resembles illegal practices. When everything is filed and official citizens as you are hiring people to work could think your business is not legit or not worth working for. As for in this issue effective communication to demonstrate your business practices are in fact legal with sources to prove it citizens now are more considerate of working for the marketing business. The three-layer approach or connection points mentioned earlier in this chapter were general. However, all or some parts can coincide with areas to the perspective of accomplishing a person’s vision and bringing it to life. For example, like the marketing company could have been structured in the beginning from just an idea but then put into action with the concept of “making the connection.” Imagine an entrepreneur contact local businesses with their marketing services and know what could be gained is profits and revenue and a chance to serve the community as a supporter of small business.
Moving on to getting the attention of business owners could be trying or attempted by basic sales model in which a sales rep hunts for new business for the marketing company. The attractive part and how to get the attention of them is simply and to offer marketing services that are affordable and fits in the budget of the small business. In this, the benefit for customers is that they get their own business or whatever they choose marketed to achieve their own personal agenda. After closing, business deals with customers possibly try to upsell them or also aim to get them to continuing buying from a marketing company. For the many no’s to the service or product offered try to follow up with them in a couple of months to see if anything has changed or that they might reconsider and begin using the marketing services. As relations build with customers continue to make quarterly checks ups or if too many customers annually might better fit the checkup period. The third layer in the approach I suggested is optional but does not have to become carried out. This three-layer approach to communication should not be limited to this example only.
Consider another example of an undergraduate student aiming to get into medical school. The first step is to know what is to be gained from entering into a medical school. What is gained, I am certain the high possibility of jobs waiting for them when they finish plus job security. Also, what a person needs to do to get the attention of medical schools is the standards making good grades, extra curriculum activities, volunteer work, etc. Extending it a bit more is to have a real reason you are interested in medical school idea of saving lives and preserving life and protecting people from sicknesses and diseases. Also, by intelligence if a person persuades a medical school that they will benefit from you being in their school it is highly likely you will get in upon you have taken care of other factors that determine admissions like the MCAT test and scoring well on it things of this nature. As a part of the first as well as part of the second layer of communication approach the medical school would benefit off of the undergrad student attending their institution can be placed in both phases. This is what the undergrad is offering to the potential medical school he or she desires to enter into. This communication is critical because all people desiring to attend medical school must complete application for school and communicate to them their interests, background, character and much more. Some could even go as far as saying that this is a form of marketing yourself to medical schools for high chances of being accepted and made officially an enrolled student. I believe medical schools produce a standard of what they accept as students and then views applicants that closely match their standards. It is the exact same with corporate America they have hiring standards and then search for the best fit. So, in the case with the undergrad seeking to go to medical school with the basic three layers communication or connection points approach will help land this undergrad into medical school.
After a person makes the connections what occurs next is for the person to market themselves well enough to be professionally presentable. Marketing yourself is the key because this allows others regardless of the audience to view you in a unique way. A few points to demonstrate that a person can market themselves well are all of the following:
All of the points listed previously are critical and impose crucial factors on the marketableness of an individual. There are always more things a person can do to improve the ability to market one’s self. For now, I have compiled five points to illustrate the effectiveness of marketing one’s self if you abide by these points. First, dress the part means to have the proper attire for the right occasion or opportunity that presents its self. Mostly, when the phrase “dress the part” is used people tend to associate that with business attire and professional dress. In this case my dress the part is not limited to only professional dress but is contingent upon what environment a person is entering into. If the environment a person is entering is business, then business attire is appropriate. However, if the environment one is venturing into is non-business related then adjust your apparel or dress to the norm of the setting you are entering into. Business does seem to look very good even in settings that do not require you to wear business clothing but go with whatever is fitting for the place you are headed into. An extension of the point to “dress the part” also refers to the notion to prepare for a particular event. When dealing with clothing let us say a certain event only a certain type of clothing attire will be allowed so to get in the event you must match the dress code outlined by the person or people that developed the rule. In a similar way, it is necessary to dress or in other words prepare to become admitted into the event or the event as it represents your desired destination. An example is if someone’s desired destination is to achieve financial independence and no longer a slave to the American workforce system then there are ways to dress yourself to obtain financial independence. Once again as a reminder I am not talking about physical dress in this example but simple dress as a means to prepare yourself. So, to attempt to reach financial independence a person will dress basically prepares to accomplish it through setting in motions actions that bring you closer to the end goal.
What a person would do is many things to prepare such as spending less and saving more than placing that money into a resource or pot or account that builds more money. Other ways a person would prepare is thinking of ways to increase income as well as have numerous income streams and have at least 60 % to 80% of income going toward assets. In assets, I mean anything that generates more money and puts money into your pockets and not take money from your pockets. Also, in continuation of ways to prepare is having a tactic to pay off all debt as soon as possible and get into the positive net worth side of the equation. These methods are not absolute and will not guarantee the person will obtain financial independence but it does guarantee that the person is preparing for it and focused on making it happen instead of letting things linger on with no practical action.
Secondly, when I mentioned become or continue the consistency in your marketing approach I mean whatever marketing approach is best for you to continue on doing it. I look at marketing as how people see someone and what they are left thinking after seeing you shortly or over a long period of time. If someone loves to wear nice and stylish clothes, then that possibly will become viewed as a positive thing, and people or an audience is looking upon that person of good quality in their selection of clothing. Imagine this person who wears nice looking clothes offers to help others choose a style of clothing wear that looks nice and fits the interest of the person being helped. In the event that this happens because people already know and have seen the individual who wears good-looking clothes they are more positive in either letting that person help them or even if they refused help they will still have good things to say about how well the person physically dresses in public. I go on to make a point of if a person dresses nice as a way to market themselves then continue doing it. On another note, whether we agree with this statement or not I find that we are always marketing ourselves even if we do not always recognize it. Imagine a regular day to day of a person who does not groom him or her selves nor cleans behind themselves. I admit that sometimes how people look and behave are not always a reflection of their character but in a lot of cases often that is sometimes true. So, by someone not taking care of themselves through personal grooming and cleaning up behind themselves spells out a bad practice of them or habit. Returning to the basis of becoming or continue the consistency in your marketing approach I believe how you market or show yourself to others is important in executing your vision. I would also like to use the term “image” and match it to my point of marketing yourself.
A person’s image is what is being marketed and how others view you from your own actions and livelihood is major. Other peoples’ views do not define a person because even the sweetest and nicest person will become hated by someone even if they have no reason to hate them. However, my point is that building your image as you market yourself through your life is essential as it opens doors for you to accomplish your vision. Let us use as an example an independent certified mechanic who always charges for his services less than the commercial price ratings and ensures consumers if service was not satisfying then additional work will become added at no cost. Additionally, the mechanic offers incentives and rewards to showcase the gratefulness of his consumers as well as shows he is more concentrated on service rather than profits. This mechanic’s service and willingness to carry out such big activities are most likely viewed as generously attractive and in doing such this mechanic has shown the public and his consumers he is worth their business. This was a simple but remarkable example of one of the many ways a person markets themselves. In a business sense, this is beneficial because consumers save money on mechanical services and get more than what they are paying for and odds are they will continue returning for more services because of their level of satisfaction is high when conducting business with the certified mechanic. Along with what this mechanic is already doing plus his consistency will inevitability lead to long success especially if his vision was to become a mobile independent mechanic while eventually retiring early then starting mechanical shops nationwide and trains others. A portion of his vision is becoming fulfilled through his work now and as he stays consistent with his marketing approach his business will grow along with his reputation to attract other consumers. There are other ways in which a person can show or market themselves.
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