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You need to make a plan in the middle game. You then need to implement your plan and for this you have to take a number of actions. The plan should be viable and it should also take into consideration the important tactical factors. You can consider a number of plans in a position however go for the best plan. A good plan is essential for your game can become inconsistent if you don't have a good plan.

Now how do you make a plan? A plan is always based on strategies and tactics. Let us take an example to understand this better.

Slav Defence
1.d4 d5             2.c4 c6
3.Nc3 Nf6        4.cxd5 cxd5
5.Bf4 Bf5         6.Nf3 e6
7.e3 Bd6          8.Bxd6 Qxd6
9.Qa4+ Nc6    10.Bb5 0-0
11.Bxc6 Qxc6 12.Qxc6 bxc6

In order to make a plan White needs to do more than just moving his pieces. Moves need to be coordinated in order to make a plan. Various strategic factors are involved here like the semi-open b file, semi-open c file and the strong squares- e4 and e5. The backward black c pawn's weakness is also involved. Black can only attack the White with the queen so White has no worries about the position of his king. To stop the c pawn from making further advances, White plans to press it. However if Black is able to advance the c pawn then the weakness will disappear. So White plans to put Nf3 on e5 and Ra1 on c1. It also plans to apply adequate pressure on c6. Positional or material advantages are made by putting pressure on the opponent's weaknesses.

If White moves 13.Ne5 initially, Black will usually respond with 13.Rfc8. To chuck out the weakness, Black will threaten to play c6-c5. However White continues to analyze the situation because he knows that he should not allow Black to play c6-c5. To make this happen White has to play Ra1-c1 quickly. He also needs to get Nc3 out of the c file. White can go for a4 square since it serves a number of purposes. It frees the rook. It also controls c5 and b2 if Black plays Rab8. It is good to start with 13.Na4 though you can begin with any move. However 13.Na4 move strengthens White's position further. It also allows to knight to shift over to c5 if required.

13.Na4 Ne4  14.Ne5 Rfc8
15.f3! Nf6     16.Rc1

With 15.f3, black knight is drawn away by White. After acquiring the pawn, White plans to exchange all his pieces so that he ends with an extra pawn. This will put him in a winning position. The most common plan that is used is called simplification and it involves exchange of all or some of the pieces. It is necessary to have material advantage in order to apply this plan.

Now, Black has no resources and he knows that he needs to lose a pawn. Black can depend on his plan and his strategies to come back in the game though it's a remote possibility. Black's next move might well trap White if he is not careful enough. 

16.Kf8

Now if White gets hold of the pawn using Nxc6, Black's knight is bound to get pinned. White can get into trouble though it can also capture with Rxc6. After the rooks are exchanged, Black can threaten the rook winning check on c1 as well as the knight by playing Ra8-c8. The situation can become reversed also. However White has a last chance, he has a knight check on e7 and this could easily lead him to victory. To make sure this doesn't happen Black shifts his king to f8. Now, Black hopes that White will play 17.Rxc6 but White plays

17.Ke2

White can capture the pawn comfortably. Now this example shows that how one can win by using his plans and strategies properly. Your plan needs to be feasible if you want it to be successful.