Ideas belong to those who implement them.

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing a good and successful Colombian friend, Alex Montoya. During the interview, he shared his journey of growth, having lived in New York, Caracas, and London, and finally, from Miami, becoming the head of one of the largest and most prestigious insurance companies in the Americas. Halfway through the interview, he shared a brilliant idea. As always, I was thrilled and immediately said, "Alex, remember this moment because I plan to steal that idea from you."

That’s when Alex, with great wit, replied, “Ideas don’t belong to those who generate them but to those who bring them to life.” Nothing could be truer. In previous articles, you’ve seen how much I encourage people to dream, to dream big. But today, I want to build on my friend Alex’s wise words and invite you not only to dream but, above all, to materialize those dreams. But where to start? I know, that’s precisely the hardest part. The biggest challenge is how to set a project in motion. So here’s a piece of advice: don’t seek perfection; don’t look for the ideal path… the path is made by walking.

When I write an article or start a project or a campaign for one of my clients at my agency, rarely, if ever, do I find the exact path I end up mapping out in those first lines. But those lines, imperfect, off-track, or lost, in some cases, are the best way to carve a path, to begin “the exploration.” Perhaps that’s the key word: “exploration.” The more we allow ourselves to start, to launch, the closer we get to the goal, the objective, the plan, the end. Anyone who waits for absolute clarity before starting is making a grave mistake and, more importantly, risking the project’s chance of taking off.

Think about the idea and start writing down what you think is the way to make it a reality. Any path is good. Why? Because every path represents progress. Mapping out a path and realizing it’s not the right one is a great learning experience. Knowing which way not to go is just as valuable as knowing the way forward. The key is to keep moving. To execute. To implement. Don’t let someone else steal your ideas. Don’t let your ideas stay just that, ideas. Start walking. Each step will bring you closer, closer to the goal. ... and yes, Alex, I still plan to borrow that idea.