You can invest in your own idea or invention or someone else’s.  Investing in yourself can be a good start because you already know the things you like, have a skill doing, or could see yourself doing for the rest of your life.  You can invest in someone if the person has a product, service, or skill that you believe can generate income for you.  Whether you invest in yourself or someone else, you should –

• write a plan to crystalize what the idea or invention is and how it will be developed to make money;
• determine the amount of money and time you will devote to the idea or invention, everyday, to make the investment successful;
• conduct research on the industry or profession the idea or invention falls in so you can learn how to market your idea or invention, set price points, identify customer base, identify assets needed to operate, and how to account for income and expenses;
• become knowledgeable about contracts, which can be verbal and/or written; and
• be prepared for new investment opportunities so that you can diversify.

A written plan does not have to cost or be extravagant but should be understandable so that you can easily explain your idea or invention to someone else.  Only putting hard earned money into an investment without adequate labor can lead to an unsuccessful investment; not continuously working on your investment idea or invention can lead to low or no return on your investment; therefore, you should plan to do both.  Conducting research early in the investment process should maximize effectiveness and efficiency of your idea or invention; delaying research can cause bad decision making and payment of avoidable expenses that reduces the value of your investment.  Understanding what constitutes a contract so that you can recognize when you need one, entered into one, and methods available to resolve disputes without going to court and paying substantial attorney fees.

There are numerous investment opportunities in the world and many are not complicated to learn, understand, or invest in.  You just need the imagination, discipline, and comfort to invest for your own purposes