We must take the first step if we desire to make great things happen: the first step starts with us as individuals, and this is what we are embarking upon here.
Many people seem to look at the now, in the present and think to themselves: "I wish I was this or doing that." "If I had a better paying job or my own business...." I like to look at it more like this: I am glad I learned what I learned already, and set the foundation for what I had already created the foundation for, to be where I am now. Had I not created that foundation at a previous time in the then present, I would not be where I am or who I desire to be now...
That goes into the present more then anything: If I wish I were able to do something or had already accomplished and attained something, this moment now will soon be a moment in the past in a "future, then present time." So If I start on doing it now, at that "future present time" I would have accomplished and attained it already, and looked back and been glad I had, and then be able to enjoy the benefits of having done it.
SO... rather then looking back in to the past with regret, I look to the present with enthusiasm and drive, knowing that in the soon to be present future the current will be the past, and that I will then be able to enjoy what I am doing now. The concept can be easy to understand, but really getting and applying it, to really act on it with sustained enthusiasm and productivity, is what makes the difference.
It isn't so much about ideas, as the ideas that you have maintained over time that become your attitudes and result in habits of action for you. You might decide and act on an idea you have once or twice. An idea that becomes a part of your attitude and mentality, however, is acted upon many times, whether for better or worse. It benefits you to have positive and productive attitudes that allow you to see the possibilities, to turn a challenge as others see it, into an opportunity for growth and potential benefit in deriving from it the most optimal solution.
Some people will be conquered by challenges. Other's conquer the challenge and move on ready to defeat and convert new ones into more optimal situations and solutions that benefit all involved. It's not so much about once or twice, but the pattern of this occurring that becomes a habit. Those that develop the habit to overcome and succeed, to turn the negative as seen by other's into the positive by coming up with new and novel solutions and opportunities. These are the people that become stronger and more capable personally overtime. They slowly rise to the top of success, becoming happy in their lives and with themselves, and becoming that which they desire to become, achieving that which they set out to do.
All things present are an accumulation of all things past. Over a huge accumulation of time, you inevitably have no choice but to accumulate a huge amount of outcomes and the lasting results and effects from such. You do have a choice of whether you accumulate a huge amount of positive or a huge amount of negative... that is your choice. Over a huge amount of time you can be hugely better off, or hugely not so much so.
The first step is to take inventory of yourself. This is not a static, one size fits all, or otherwise unchanging inventory. It is who you are right now, what you have at the moment. Compare who you are now, to who you desire to become, and what you desire to have. Everyone must start somewhere, and you must not allow where you currently are to define who you are, or prevent you from becoming who you want to be and having what you want to have. Some of the most successful and capable people had some of the most humble beginnings. You must realize where and who you currently are, and to be aware of where you want to go from there.
In knowing who you want to be, and what you want to have and achieve, you will be forming your vision.
Once you are aware of where you are now, and where you want to go, you can start to figure out what you need to do to fill that gap. You can begin 
forming a plan at this point. One of the main things to keep in mind is that most all great things accomplished by people are achieved in steps over time. Truly great things require regular and consistent progress over an extended period of time, and forming your daily activities and smaller goals around progressing toward your more ultimate goals and visions. People tend to prefer instant gratification, but with instant gratification generally only comes temporary, less significant things. To see progressing toward your goals as a process and enjoying the process itself can be a crucial habit and perspective to development.
