As a web developer, I feel a lot of kinship with architects and designers who must configure something in their mind and then “get it out onto paper” and from there move it into a physical object. I believe that the same skills to move ideas into reality can be applied to life and personal development.

Looking for a great place to live? Identifying your core strengths? Understanding who is your best choice for a mate? Thinking about a new endeavor, project, or job search? All of these can be envisioned, “The Secret” style, and then brought into our physical plane of existence, from the ether.

In my own life, this has happened with my spouse, my job, my house, and my children. I continue to review and refine what is important to me (see my Visionboard 2012) on a regular basis, and my hope is that as my mind attains greater clarity of vision, my experience of life moves into closer alignment with that frame of reference.

I invite you to consider your own way to identify a dream, a vision, a plan, a goal, an idea — and take steps to move that idea into reality.

Entrepreneurs exist to create value for the economy: this is the primary benefit they offer.

Without a special group of someones bringing good ideas to market, we would have none of the amenities and treats we take for granted today, like ice cream, clothes, cell phones, cars, energy, even the food on your plate.

Unless you grow your own food and create all your own tools and clothing, you’re participating in the economy in some way, so you too are dependent on the strength of entrepreneurs.

If you have an idea about something, or you have some intuition about what you think would be a valuable product or service — then I truly believe it’s in your best interest — and our best interest, too — for you to follow through with that idea.

Get the help, support, counseling, and financing you need to get your idea to market. If you don’t try, you won’t know, but if you do try, you can either a) fail, or b) succeed. Either way, you’ll know for sure.

In my web design and development business, we work with many budding entrepreneurs and we help them understand what they can sell on the website, beyond information.

For example, you might consider offering members-only content, chat rooms, private messaging, status updates, discussion boards, and many other kinds of ways to get people involved, beyond purchasing merchandise, buying tickets, or joining online.

For more ideas, I invite you to brainstorm with me and drop me a line through my website. If you have an idea, and if we’re a good fit to help you produce that idea, then let’s connect.

photo by Mr. Dionysos

Socially responsible projects = benefit a person, community or the environment
Crowdfunding = accomplishing a goal by pooling money from a large group of people

Co-founders Molly Rasmussen and Stason Strong invite you to become a part of the GreenFunder community – the site eliminates the expense and risk of starting a green project, while focusing on building the environmental community and the “buy local” movement.

“Instead of developing a business plan, looking for investors and loans, producing and then testing the [startup] product, GreenFunder allows you to test and market your product before spending a dime. We love GreenFunder because anyone can use it to get their ideas off the ground,” says Rasmussen.

To GreenFunder, a green project is “anything with good intentions.” Projects creators may include a full description of the desired outcome, as well as multi-media enhancements like a video link and multiple screenshots and images. Project creators may offer “rewards” to funders at different levels, and a project only receives funding if it receives full support within its deadline.

“Every person has ideas to help make the world a better place. I’m so happy to offer a tool that allows people to see those ideas through to fruition,” says Rasmussen. “Our mission is to help people raise money to do good things.”

Disclosure: I’m crowdfunding for CoSustainable.com, a multi-seller marketplace that connects a community of conscious consumers with tradespeople, vendors, and artisans who create green and sustainable products. Check out my GreenFunder listing here: http://www.greenfunder.com/project/32/cosustainable.com

Have the strength of your convictions. Don’t wait for latecomers, naysayers, or negative people to quash your idea, especially if the timing is right, the window is closing, or the door just opened.

Confidence and belief in your own abilities go both ways: if you believe in something, move forward with it. If you don’t believe in something, then don’t move forward with it. No amount of convincing from other people will get you to change your own mind either way, so don’t expend energy doing something against your own nature.

In terms of advisors, trusted sources, and market research — of course you will gather as much information as possible and understand your market as much as possible — but once you have the data and you have the premise, it’s a gut check and it’s your call to decide whether you want to committ to the new project/product/service, or just drop it.

You can do it, if you choose to do it.
If you don’t really want to do something, it won’t get done.

If you’re in leadership, your intuition and action on those activities can make the difference between profitability and loss within that selling season.

Photo credit by stoneflower

If you are realizing that your current job is not a good fit and you’d like to try something new, I recommend you pursue some self-inventorying resources such as “What Color is My Parachute?” if you haven’t already prioritized A) what types of skills are your favorite to use and B) the kind of workplace where you want to use the skills.

If you’re aware about a specific career path, identify what your ideal setup looks like. For example, is your work project-based, or is it for 10 months of the year, or a few hours every day including weekends? Are you on call to an established company who can handle leads for you? Or do you want to do consulting to a community of locally-owned businesses?

If you’re not yet aware of a specific career path, identify people in your existing world: research the arts, finance, the restaurant business, the entertainment business, non-profit management, teaching, or something else — identify people who love what they do, so you can learn from their example.

Once you know your overall direction, your task is to build up your reputation by doing small projects here and there while you keep your “main” job, and eventually building your reputation and contacts to generate additional leads – enough to let you leave your existing workplace.

Here are a number of resources I’ve used in the past, in no particular order.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

http://zenhabits.net/start/

http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/pamela-slims-blog/

http://locationindependent.com/start-here/

http://blog.brazencareerist.com/

http://reallifespirituality.com/category/work-money/

Here are excellent resources for those thinking of going into business, management, or entrepreneurship.

http://blog.vistage.com/

http://openforum.com/

http://inc.com/

A note to those considering going “out on their own” — I recommend you decide what’s most important to you, what you want and what you’re willing to trade. Identify your risk profile. Starting your “own thing” is definitely a risk — you risk your health, sanity, family, and relationships if you start an entrepreneurial endeavor where you leave your “real job.” That said, there are many rewards.

Identify your overall timeline and consider your work as part of your life planning process. Also consider the different needs in your life, such as children’s or parent’s needs, your health and energy level, the long-term outlook at your current position, and your sense of purpose, happiness, and peace.

Consider that the average lifespan allows someone to have something like 3 or 4 full careers, so as workers, we are continually able to reassess, reinventory, and figure out your life plan for the next 5-15 years.

Everything around you today — job, relationships, house, possessions, etc. — is a reflection of your thinking in the past. So if you’re wanting to be in a different situation in the future, it starts with you thinking different thoughts today, and taking incremental steps towards whatever your next evolution is.

I believe your happiness is a good marker for your success. Most people have certain activities, maybe 5-6 activities, that bring them deep joy and satisfaction, and an excellent “fit” between your happiness and the “right path” is where the activities that you enjoy match what the world needs.

The world opens up with opportunities when you decide what you want.

Photo by Mr. Dionysos

Believe that your current, most pressing, most disturbing issue is here to give you insight, awareness, strength, and renewed vigor in your purpose here on Earth.

Perhaps you’re dealing with personnel or relationship issues. Perhaps cash flow is your big bugaboo. Perhaps your health is failing you. Perhaps there is a looming deadline, obstacle, or road block that clouds your upcoming vision.

Clarify. Concentrate. Understand…. then push forward.

Prove yourself — earn the respect that you know you deserve. Prove yourself by rising to the current challenge. Prove that you’re worth it, and prove that you expect these types of issues because you have the strength, grace, and courage to cope.

Prove that you can be a leader.
Prove that you can be a mentor.
Prove that you can excel in your current endeavor.

Prove that you are doing what you’re doing because you have a higher calling. Prove that your current situation in your business or your job is the best fit between the world’s need and your unique abilities.

Prove that your time on the planet is worthwhile.

Prove that you’re doing the best you can with what you’ve got.

Prove that you deserve to be where you are.

Once you’ve proven it to yourself, then go out and help another woman in business prove herself, too.

If you’re looking into developing a telecommuting plan for yourself or for your office, here are the items to consider:

1) Telecommuters need adequate ways to check in with other office mates, such as through Skype, IRC, or scheduled conference calls.

2) Telecommuters need comfortable and adequate supplies such as office equipment, computer supplies, or manufacturing supplies necessary for accomplishing their work.

3) The company is liable for computers or other hardware: sensitive information should not be stored on computers that are going home with employees.

4) Performance should be a main indicator of success (not time on the job). The number of hours logged does not often correlate with the quality of work: for evaluation purposes, always consider performance to be an indicator of a telecommuter’s success.

5) Adequate supervision: if a telecommuter or work-from-home coworkers needs assistance or guidelines, make a plan for them to get the support they need. A worker will always need a fairly clear list of tasks and an attainable timeline to achieve deliverables, goals, and specific benchmarks.

If you’re considering telecommuting for yourself, or you’re setting up a home office, consider searching for computer desks for home and finding items that are ranked high and rated well for durability, construction, quality of materials, and comfort.

Your work-from-home workforce will be happier, have a reduced carbon footprint, and will be as productive (or even more so) than when they’re in the office.

I encourage you to support the work-from-home and telecommuting movement by educating yourself and doing additional research on what your specific business will need to implement a telecommuting policy.

We’re having a giveaway for a $75 gift certificate to any product (out of the millions of items available) from CSN Stores. This online retailer offers everything from bedroom furniture, luggage, shoes and bags, home and garden accessories, and also living room and dining furniture, like this chest of drawers.

To enter for a chance to win (United States and Canada residents only):

How to enter:
1) Become a member of FreeThrive.com http://freethrive.com/user/register by December 17, 2010

2) Follow @monicadear and @freethrive on Twitter and let us know your username at FreeThrive.com

That’s it!

One chance per person.

Winner will be picked using random.org

Must be 18 or older to participate.

Contest ends at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on December 17, 2010.

Good luck!

We’re giving away a $75 gift card to one lucky WomenonBusiness.com reader – you may use this gift certificate at *any* of the CSN stores.

To enter, please do the following:

1) Follow @monicadear @womenonbusiness

2) Tweet this exactly:
@monicadear @womenonbusiness http://bit.ly/d3jVLU I appreciate…

and then fill in the blank with something that you appreciate.

For example, your twitter status might read: @monicadear @womenonbusiness http://bit.ly/d3jVLU I appreciate how my grandparents are healthy and strong