Something I never really thought about until it I heard myself uttering these words at work “Yeah, I thought about that before…..”: if you are leading a team, accountable for direction and implementation, or in any way want to be recognized for a vision you’re working toward, it is non negotiable that you document your plan as thoroughly as possible. In writing, early, and often.

Why is this so important? As young millennials enter the work force and strive to make a difference, it can be hard to find your place or understand how you can create lasting impact. Short of starting a company, it can seem nigh impossible to alter the course of company that has taken on a life of its own. The amount of roadblocks to implementing an idea can seem insurmountable.

What’s the risk of not documenting your vision? People that work with you will assume that you haven’t fully fleshed out a plan. Which means you haven’t figured out how to implement your idea. Which means you haven’t thought through what will break at every turn. Which means you’re not prepared. You just have an idea. When your idea is brought up in a meeting or conversations at work, you’ll end up mentioning you thought about this ages ago. This at best looks like you’re thinking through issues in advance but at worst can sound like an excuse for why you didn’t pursue your vision. Talk is cheap. Write it down.

You’ll end up fleshing it out and being more prepared. Rule of thumb: spend at least 5 minutes writing down and examining your idea before sharing it.