The Vision–Execution Gap
Picture this.
You’ve spent the morning journaling, dreaming big, setting those bold, expansive goals for your business and your life. You’ve mapped out what your dream week would look like, imagined the income you want to create, the clients you’d love to work with, the freedom you want to feel.
You’ve done the work to Craft Your Playbook - you’re clear on the life and business you want to build.
But then, the next day, you sit down at your desk and… you don’t know where to start.
You’ve got Slack messages, client work, invoices, and a to-do list that seems to grow faster than it shrinks. That vision suddenly feels a little fuzzy, a little far away.
And before you know it, you’re back on autopilot - responding, reacting, and doing “all the things” without feeling any closer to that version of life you just designed.
Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever found yourself in that space - where your vision feels clear but your next steps don’t - you’re not alone.
This is one of the most common gaps I see for service-based entrepreneurs.
They’ve done the big thinking. They’ve done the strategy sessions. They’ve done the goal setting.
But what they haven’t done is map their moves.
Because a vision without a plan is just a wish.
Mapping your moves is the bridge between dreaming and doing - it’s how you take that big-picture clarity and turn it into confident, focused action.
Why Mapping Matters
Here’s the truth: Most business owners don’t fail because they don’t have big enough goals.
They fail because they don’t know how to translate those goals into an action plan that actually works.
They either:
Overcomplicate things with 17-page strategy documents that never get opened again.
Or, they go the other way - setting vague goals like “grow my business” or “hire help” without any real clarity on how or when that’s going to happen.
And when that happens, two things show up:
Overwhelm and inconsistency.
Because without a map, you’re just spinning your wheels - stuck between too many ideas and too little progress.
Mapping your moves is about creating direction.
It’s not about doing everything.
It’s about doing the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons.
And here’s the kicker: when you map your moves properly, you don’t just feel more organised - you make more progress with less effort, because every action lines up with where you actually want to go.
That’s how you build a business by design, not by default.
Introducing The Vision-to-Action Flow™
So how do you do it?
How do you take that bold, beautiful vision and turn it into a plan you’ll actually follow?
This is where my model - The Vision-to-Action Flow™ - comes in.
It’s the step-by-step process I use with clients to bridge the gap between strategy and execution.
There are five stages:
1. Define
Get crystal clear on what success actually looks like - not in vague terms, but in measurable outcomes.
Ask yourself:
What do I want to achieve this quarter or this year?
What results would tell me I’m winning?
How will I know I’m on track?
Because clarity is the foundation of confidence.
If you don’t know what you’re aiming for, you’ll never know what deserves your attention.
2. Design
Once you know what success looks like, decide where to focus your energy.
You can’t do everything at once - and you shouldn’t try to.
Pick your 2-3 biggest priorities.
These are the things that will have the most meaningful impact on your goals - financially, strategically, and personally.
This is where you start aligning your business priorities with your life priorities - because remember, your business should serve your life, not the other way around.
3. Decide
Turn those priorities into projects.
Decide what needs to happen, by when, and who’s responsible.
Break the work into bite-sized, actionable steps.
Ask:
What’s the timeline?
What milestones do I need to hit?
What resources or people do I need to make it happen?
This is where you move from idea to structure - where your goals start to look like something real.
4. Deploy
Now we put money and time around your plan.
This is where your financial and operational plans meet.
You look at your budget - what it will cost to execute, and what return you expect.
And you create your rhythm: when you’ll check in, when you’ll review, and how you’ll course-correct if things start slipping.
5. Drive
This is the final stage - building accountability and momentum.
It’s about creating the habits and rhythms that keep you on track week after week.
It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress.
When you Drive, you’re building consistency - and consistency is what compounds into results.
That’s the Vision-to-Action Flow™:
Define. Design. Decide. Deploy. Drive.
Simple. Repeatable. Effective.
From Vision to Action - A Real Example
Let’s make this practical.
Say one of your big Playbook goals is to increase recurring revenue by 30% this year.
If we apply the Vision-to-Action Flow™, here’s what that looks like:
Define:
You decide your goal is to add $10,000 in recurring monthly revenue by the end of the year.
Design:
You identify your top two strategies to get there:
Launch a group program for existing clients.
Improve your onboarding process to increase retention.
Decide:
You turn these into projects:
Group Program: Design, market, and launch by May.
Onboarding Revamp: Audit and implement changes by March.
You break each one down into specific steps, assign owners or deadlines, and slot them into your 90-day plan.
Deploy:
You build the budget:
Estimate costs for design, marketing, delivery, etc.
Identify the time commitment required.
Allocate resources - whether that’s hiring help, adjusting capacity, or blocking out time in your calendar.
Drive:
You set up your rhythm:
Weekly check-ins to review progress.
Monthly budget reviews.
Quarterly reflection to celebrate wins and reset priorities.
Now, instead of “I want to grow my business,” you’ve got a living, breathing roadmap for how you’ll do it.
That’s what it means to Map Your Moves.
Why Most Plans Fail (and How to Avoid It)
Here’s what I see far too often - business owners who spend hours creating a beautiful plan… and then never look at it again.
They get lost in delivery. Client work takes over. The plan becomes a “someday” document instead of a weekly guide.
So why does this happen? Because most plans are built for the planner, not the doer.
They’re too big, too complex, and too disconnected from day-to-day reality.
To avoid that, you need two things:
Simplicity: If your plan isn’t easy to use, it won’t be used.
Rhythm: Your plan needs a home in your weekly routine.
That’s why I’m such a believer in quarterly planning - it gives you the balance between focus and flexibility.
Each quarter, you zoom in on a small set of priorities, build a focused plan, and then check in weekly to make sure you’re on track.
Think of it like using Google Maps.
You know your end destination - but you still check in every few minutes to make sure you’re not off course.
Your business plan should work the same way.
Money Moves - Planning With Financial Intent
Now, you know I’m not going to talk planning without bringing money into it.
Because every move you make in business has a financial impact - whether you realise it or not.
Mapping your moves isn’t just about what you’ll do - it’s about what those actions cost and what they’ll return.
When you create your plan, include a financial layer:
What does this project cost to implement?
What’s the potential return or revenue impact?
How does this fit into your overall budget or cashflow rhythm?
For example, if you’re planning a launch, it’s not just about marketing and content - it’s about forecasting the upfront costs, timing the spend, and knowing when the cash will come back in.
Financial clarity is what allows you to plan confidently - because you’re not guessing; you’re making informed decisions.
That’s what it means to plan by design.
Building in Accountability and Boundaries
Here’s the other big piece: accountability and boundaries.
Because even the best plan won’t work if you don’t protect the time to make it happen.
I’ll give you a personal example.
Every Wednesday afternoon, I have a block of time in my calendar to work on my business - not in it.
That time is for strategy, planning, reviewing progress, and mapping out what’s next.
But I’ll be honest - it’s easy to let that block slip.
Client priorities pop up. A meeting request sneaks in.
And before you know it, that precious CEO time has disappeared.
So I’ve had to get really intentional about protecting it.
Because if I don’t, I end up in reaction mode - constantly working in the weeds instead of leading with purpose.
Your plan only works if you make space for it.
So here’s your reminder:
Protect your planning time like you would a client booking. Guard it fiercely. Because it’s not a luxury - it’s a necessity for sustainable growth.
And if accountability is something you struggle with - find someone to keep you on track.
Whether it’s a coach, a peer, or a community like Thrive HQ, having people who remind you of your goals and help you stay accountable makes all the difference.
Common Planning Pitfalls
Let’s quickly talk about the most common traps that can derail your planning rhythm - and how to avoid them.
1. Perfectionism
Waiting for the “perfect” plan before you start.
Here’s the truth: your plan will never be perfect.
Done is better than perfect - because you can adjust once you’re in motion.
2. Overcomplication
If your plan requires three spreadsheets and a decoder ring to follow, it’s too complex.
Simplify. Focus on what matters most.
3. Overload
Trying to do too much at once.
Focus on 2–3 priorities per quarter.
Remember - progress beats burnout every time.
4. No Review Rhythm
If you’re not checking in on your plan weekly or monthly, you’re flying blind.
The magic is in the rhythm - in making planning a habit, not an event.
When you avoid these pitfalls, your plan stops being a chore — and starts becoming your most powerful business asset.
Designing Your Planning Rhythm
Let’s build your planning rhythm together.
Here’s a simple Thrive By Design framework you can implement right away:
🗓️ Weekly Check-In
Spend 15 minutes every Monday reviewing your plan:
What are the top 3 priorities this week?
What’s one action that will move the needle most?
What needs to be adjusted or delegated?
🧭 Monthly Review
Spend 1 hour reviewing your progress and metrics:
Are you on track with your goals and finances?
What worked? What didn’t?
What lessons are you carrying forward?
📆 Quarterly Reset
This is your CEO moment. Step back and zoom out:
Revisit your Playbook and big-picture goals.
Reset your 90-day plan using the Vision-to-Action Flow™.
Adjust based on what’s changed in your business or life.
This rhythm keeps you grounded, proactive, and aligned - so your business runs with clarity and intention all year round.
From Chaos to Clarity
When you start mapping your moves, something powerful happens.
You stop reacting. You stop spinning. You stop chasing every new idea that crosses your feed.
Instead, you start leading with focus.
You start knowing exactly what matters today, this week, this quarter.
And that brings a sense of calm, clarity, and confidence that no amount of hustle can buy.
Because when you know where you’re going and you’ve mapped how to get there - every decision becomes easier.
Every “yes” and “no” becomes clearer. Every step forward feels intentional.
That’s the power of planning by design.
Recap - The Vision-to-Action Flow™
Let’s bring it all together.
When you Map Your Moves, you’re turning your Playbook into progress.
You’re using the Vision-to-Action Flow™ to bring structure, focus, and momentum to your goals:
Define what success looks like.
Design the priorities that matter most.
Decide on the projects and milestones that get you there.
Deploy your time, money, and resources.
Drive your plan forward with accountability and rhythm.
That’s how you bridge the gap between knowing and doing. That’s how you build momentum.
That’s how you create a business that works for you - not one that constantly works you.
Thrive By Design, Not Default
So as you finish listening today, I want you to ask yourself:
What’s one move I need to map this week?
Maybe it’s finally creating that 90-day plan. Maybe it’s booking a planning session into your calendar.
Or maybe it’s setting your financial targets for the quarter ahead.
Whatever it is, don’t wait for the perfect time.
Because clarity doesn’t come from thinking - it comes from doing.
And the moment you start mapping your moves, momentum follows.
Until then, keep thriving - but do it by design, not by default.
Crafting a Business You Love
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