One of the primary driving forces that bring inventions to light is the profit motive. While Hollywood and the media tend to glorify the selfless inventor, the truth is that many of the most basic technologies we have would not have come to pass without the incentive of selling it. Venture capitalist Paul Graham explains this in his essay, "How to Make Wealth.

For most inventors, getting their invention sold on store shelves is the realization of a dream come true. Something they conceptualized and worked tirelessly to bring into being is now available before the eyes of a mass market. Their brainchild sits on shelves next to established and cherished products. What could be better than that? However, there are some pros and cons when it comes to selling an invention on store shelves.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is the governmental agency in charge of granting patents to inventors. As USPTO.gov states,

For over 200 years, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution).

Read about any successful inventor or businessman and you will inevitably notice something: a habit of decisiveness in all that they do. What is decisiveness, exactly? It is a word we often hear, but rarely define. In simplest terms, decisiveness is accepting the fact that you are in control of your own life. It is the methodical, systematic effort to determine the best course of action and then carry it out.

Raising money for your invention is an important step, and one that should not be taken lightly. Accepting money from outsiders often comes with strings attached. Therefore, it is important to

A) Decide the absolute lowest amount of money you can work with, and B) take not a penny more.

That said, there are several potential funding sources that are worth discussing.

With all the false starts and do-overs that come with inventing something, it is easy to feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of inventing: like you get "no respect" from credible figures in your field. If investors are turning you down, business partners are flaking out, and you can't even seem to get your calls returned, it may be time for a change of priorities.

If you are the kind of person with a million ideas and not enough time to pursue them, you might want to consider "fast tracking" your invention to market. In this way, you essentially become a hired gun. You, the inventor, perform the tasks of researching and developing the product. Then, you "outsource" the manufacturing and marketing to partners with money.

The day you decide to invent something will probably be one the most exciting days of your life. You will look back on it as the beginning of a long journey, one that may even change the course of your life. However, it is not always clear what the first steps down this new road should be. As a result, many inventors spin their wheels without any real sense of direction or purpose.

When it comes to establishing your credibility and value, few things are more effective than endorsements. An endorsement puts a trusted and well-known figure behind your invention. It says to potential customers, in effect, "I wouldn't stake my reputation on this invention unless it performed like its creator says it does." This is an enormous help in the task of establishing your invention as something worth buying.

Just as a growing number of people are starting to sell their patents, there is a rise in the number of people looking to buy them. However, it is wise to do some homework and number-crunching before spending big bucks to own a patent. It is also altogether imprudent to buy patents or ideas from certain sources. This article will help prospective patent buyers sift through this complexity and determine when it makes sense to buy.