"Une excellente exécution est au moins 10 fois plus importante et 100 fois plus difficile qu'une bonne idée."

The essence of this quote is all about the power of execution. It’s saying that having a great idea is just the starting point—actually making that idea happen is where the real challenge lies. Imagine you’ve got this brilliant new concept for a product. It’s revolutionary, it’s genius. But if you can’t bring it to life, it’s just a dream. Turning that idea into something real, something tangible, is far more difficult and way more crucial.

Think about the world of startups. How many times have you heard of a groundbreaking idea that never saw the light of day? Why? Because execution is tough. It’s the blood, sweat, and tears that come after the lightbulb moment. Steve Jobs didn’t just think about the iPhone. He and his team painstakingly designed it, iterated it, marketed it, and made it something we can’t imagine living without.

Let’s look at a real-life example to make this crystal clear. Back in the late 90s, everyone was buzzing about the potential of online grocery shopping. It’s a killer idea, right? Webvan, an online grocery delivery service, was one of the first to try it. They had the vision but faltered in execution. They over-expanded, didn’t manage their supply chain effectively, and, frankly, were ahead of their time in terms of consumer readiness. They folded in a few years. Fast forward to now, and look at how Instacart and Amazon Fresh have flourished. They executed better—better technology, better logistics, better understanding of customer needs.

So, how do you take a good idea and execute it well? Start small. Don’t rush to scale up before you’ve ironed out the kinks. Focus on flawless delivery rather than grand visions. Get feedback, iterate, and be prepared to pivot if needed. Relentlessness is key. You’re going to hit roadblocks but keep pushing through.

Now, imagine this: you’re sitting in your favorite coffee shop, and you overhear a conversation about a new app someone’s developing. They’re giddy with excitement. “It’s going to change the way people do X,” they say. A year later, you bump into the same person, and they’re frustrated. The app’s launch was a mess—technical glitches, poor user adoption, and funding issues. The idea was solid, but the execution? Not so much.

It’s like dreaming of being a chef. You can have all the recipes in the world, but if you can’t chop an onion properly or manage your timing, you’re not going to wow anyone with your meals. You need to practice, refine, and get your hands dirty. The sizzle might be in the idea, but the steak is all about execution.

So, next time you’ve got that million-dollar idea, remember: the magic happens in the doing, not just the thinking. Roll up your sleeves, anticipate the grind, and focus on the steps needed to turn that spark into a blaze. It’s going to be hard—really hard—but that’s what separates the dreamers from the doers.