Big ideas and grand projects are undeniably exciting, and they are what motivate many of us on those less-than-engaging workdays. However, achieving your vision is not always straightforward, and there's always more to successfully realizing your projects than meets the eye.

The best way to bring those dreams into reality and follow through on long-term projects is to break them down into achievable goals and make a foolproof plan designed to push you through each stage. But what makes planning so important, and how can you do it effectively?