Beyond the Buzzwords: Turning Vision Into Reality

FROM THE DESK OF LEILANY LIMA

Since the onset of my time consulting with leaders, I've witnessed a repetitive scene play out in boardrooms across industries: when it comes to organizational transformation, leaders lean forward with genuine excitement, outlining ambitious visions for change. Teams are assembled, plans are drafted, timelines are established. The energy is infectious, and the commitment seems unwavering.

However, a month later when I circle back to check on progress, I find those same initiatives languishing in 'Enthusiasm Valley' - the predictable dip where initial excitement meets the reality of sustained effort. The vision remains as compelling as ever, but the daily discipline required to bridge intention and implementation has quietly eroded.

This isn’t a judgement on leaders - it’s a predictable, observable human behavior we all have experienced at some time or another. And here's what's fascinating: this isn't just a willpower issue - it's neurochemistry. Our brains release dopamine when we anticipate rewards, not so much when we receive them. We get a dopamine 'hit' from planning and visualizing success, but by the time we need to take action, those dopamine levels have dropped - making the sustained effort feel much harder.

Think back, maybe you had a business idea you mapped out in detail but haven’t yet launched. Or a morning routine you planned meticulously, but struggled to sustain after a week. Or a skill you swore you'd develop this year, but haven’t gotten started on.

Whether we're leading a team transformation or attempting personal change, the psychology is identical: we're wired to get energized by possibility and planning, but sustaining momentum through the messy middle requires entirely different muscles - ones most of us have never consciously developed.

In this edition, we're going to explore how to go beyond buzzwords, how to work with our brain's chemistry instead of against it, and how to execute the changes we envision - changes for ourselves, our teams, and our organizations.

COORDINATES

What sets apart the 'doers' from the 'wishing-they'd-done'? The 'doers' embrace that they'll face the enthusiasm dip, and prepare for how to overcome it. In the Inner Compass section, we'll dive deeper into a simple framework that ensures you're truly prepared before you launch - and equipped to sustain momentum when the dopamine fades. But first, let's start with your quick-assignment: exploring implementation barriers - the specific challenges that tend to stall your (or your team's) progress.

Self-Direction

1. Implementation Audit. Write down an initiative or vision you started with enthusiasm but haven’t followed through with, then answer these questions:

• When did momentum slow down?
• How did your confidence in accomplishing the vision change from start to stall?
• What resources (tools, time, training, etc.) were you missing (if any)?
• Who or what was in place to keep you accountable?

Your answers will illuminate your 'stall point' - the place where you got stuck. They'll also indicate what you'll need in order to realize your next vision. Which brings us to….

2. The Implementation Loop. Ready to create a momentum loop that builds on itself? Once you've answered the questions above and defined your goal, master these steps:

• Define the first 3-5 action items you’ll focus on for the next 2 weeks. These should support reaching your ultimate goal, but should be small enough that they can be accomplished within a short timeframe. This will kick-off your dopamine boost.
• The "72-Hour Rule": After this initial planning session, commit to taking one concrete action within 72 hours, no matter how small. This builds the neural pathway from planning to doing while your dopamine levels are still elevated - essentially bridging the neurochemical gap between intention and action.
• Appoint an Accountability Coach: Identify someone (colleague, mentor, professional partner) whose role is specifically to check on your progress - not judge outcomes, but ensure you're taking the steps you committed to. Research shows that external accountability systems can provide the dopamine boost needed when your internal motivation wanes. The key is choosing someone focused on implementation momentum rather than just cheerleading your ideas.
• Bonus tip: repeat these 3 steps every 2 weeks and before you know it, you’ll be at the finish line celebrating!

Team Navigation

Your team isn’t immune to the enthusiasm and dopamine dip - apply the above strategies to your team’s next initiative, plus this one approach below:

• Design Micro-Goals for Dopamine Maintenance: Break larger initiatives into smaller milestones that can be achieved every 1-2 weeks. Remember, dopamine is released when we anticipate rewards - so frequent, achievable wins keep your team's neurochemical motivation tank full. Instead of waiting months for a major deliverable, celebrate completing key phases, solving specific problems, or hitting interim targets. This creates a steady stream of anticipation and accomplishment that sustains energy through the long journey of execution.

INNER COMPASS

You’ve read this far and want to learn the steps to turn your vision into reality - that’s the dopamine kicking in. Well done, let’s keep going!

I mentioned earlier that persevering through the messy middle of a goal requires flexing muscles most people have not been trained to develop. In this next section I'm going to break down a practical framework I've refined over the past 10 years that has helped my clients (and friends) close the gap between great intentions and actual results. Ready. Set. Go!

READY - Internal Readiness.

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” said Aristotle. I’d say it’s also the necessary foundation for achieving any endeavor. Understanding your Internal Readiness is the prerequisite to building external systems that actually work.

The 3 Cs: Competence, Confidence, Commitment. These internal pillars shape how we relate to our vision, and if we’ll persevere when things get tough. Whether you’re leading yourself or others towards a goal, honestly assess these three factors first:

1. Competence: Do I know how to do this? Have I done something similar before? Do I understand what success looks like? Can I teach someone else the key steps?How you answer these questions will directly tell you what needs you’ll have from the get-go, and can also support you in the next pillar: confidence.
2. Confidence: Do I believe I can pull this off? What thoughts come up when I imagine potential failure? What evidence supports my ability to succeed? What have I learned from past challenges that applies here? I could write an entire newsletter focused just on the confidence pillar because our beliefs about our capabilities is one of the strongest predictors of whether we'll actually succeed. If we genuinely believe we can accomplish something, we persist through setbacks, we seek creative solutions, and we take necessary risks. This isn't wishful thinking - it's neuroscience. When you truly believe you can accomplish something, your brain will strengthen the neural pathways associated with confidence and capability, creating ways to make it happen.
   1. Build Your Evidence Base: List three times you succeeded at something you initially doubted you could do. For each one, identify the specific qualities or actions that led to your success. This becomes your confidence foundation for future challenges.
3. Commitment: Am I willing to persist when it's no longer exciting? What is the greater purpose of this goal? How will I respond to setbacks? Am I only interested in the result, or in what I’ll learn as I go? The reality is that your feelings of excitement will fade - when the dopamine has worn off and the work becomes mundane, commitment to your purpose is what will sustain you. In order to overcome the low-enthusiasm moments, make sure you know why you’re working towards the goal. Make purpose check-ins a regular part of your strategy, and re-commit as often as needed.

SET - External Setup.

The 3 Cs establish your internal foundation, now it's time to build the external supports that will carry you forward.

• Resources (what I need): Start with your competence assessment - any gaps from earlier reveal your first resource needs, but don't stop there. Consider tools, time, money, training, mentorship, workspace, technology - anything that bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to be. The key isn't having everything upfront, but transforming vague requirements into specific targets your brain can actively pursue.
• Barriers (What might get in my way): Some obstacles are predictable - tight deadlines, budget constraints, skill gaps. While others come by surprise. The certainty of achieving anything meaningful is that challenges are part of the process. Map out likely barriers and your response strategies so that they become expected parts of the journey, rather than reasons to quit.
• Strength Inventory (What’s already working in my favor): Identify the relationships, skills, resources, and experiences already in your corner. Who in your network could mentor, support, or connect you? What past successes prove your capability? Which resources are already accessible? Having this inventory ready transforms barrier-hitting moments from 'I'm stuck' to 'Who can I call and what do I already know?'

GO - Implementation Strategy

Now that you’re READY (have internal alignment) and SET (have external preparation) it’s time to work with your brain's chemistry during the GO phase.

You might have noticed something happening as you worked through this newsletter... you already experienced a dopamine reward just from reading and making your plans. Your brain thinks "Great! We solved the problem! Mission accomplished!" when actually, the goal hasn't been accomplished yet. This neurological quirk is why so many people excel at planning but struggle with follow-through - the reward system gets satisfied by preparation, leaving less motivational fuel for the actual work of implementation.

But here's what's different about what you just did: I deliberately designed the Coordinates section to extend your dopamine release beyond just reading about execution into actually starting it. By completing the Implementation Audit and mapping your 72-hour action step, you've already begun rewiring the neural pathway from planning to doing. That deserves some celebrating, don’t you think?

So how do we sustain that momentum and bypass the detour to Enthusiasm Valley?

We practice dopamine management strategies:

• Use the 72-hour rule: take one concrete action after making a plan or brainstorming your vision, before the planning-dopamine fades.
• Create micro-goals for ongoing dopamine maintenance: Set incremental goals where smaller accomplishments are recognized and celebrated - this creates positive reinforcement every time you complete a step - which increases dopamine flow.
• Build accountability structures for when dopamine drops: Tell your accountability coach what you're going to accomplish in the next 2 weeks, then focus on making it happen. You'll get a dopamine surge both from committing publicly and from sharing your accomplishments
• Focus on one task at a time: Single-tasking drives completion, and the more you finish what you start, the more positive feedback you create. This builds momentum and naturally increases your dopamine levels through a cycle of achievement

The result? You'll create an environment that regularly triggers dopamine through recognition, progress, and positive reinforcement. Not only will this work for you, it’ll work for your team.

Thanks for joining me for this edition, I can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish by the next one!

Leilany Lima

P.S. What topics would you like to see covered in upcoming editions of The Growth Compass? Hit reply and share your leadership challenges, team dynamics questions, or anything you're working through - reader questions often spark inspiring insights!