Something I’ve come to realize, but have a hard time wrapping my actions around, is the hardest part about doing a thing of significance is the mental pendulum leading up to that decision. The back and forth, second guessing, and “what-ifs.”

Making the decision - doing it - is easy. You make the call and you operate.

I wouldn’t mind carrying a midget around that constantly reminded: “It’s simpler than you think.”

Fast Company, a business magazine with a heavy lean towards design and innovation (and a personal favorite of mine), has relaunched their website as a social network. Edward Sussman, President of Mansueto Digital, says this about the new FastCompany.com:

Starting today, we become the first major media website to tackle the following problem: Can a business publication blend journalism and online community to create something better than either by itself?

We think so. If done right.

For a publication who’s brand is ideas, I love this. Users who join the network can blog and comment, “befriend” other users, post videos, or even suggest questions to Fast Company. In opting to play equal parts mouth and mouthpiece, the new site is a big, fat, fascinating conversation. I’m looking forward to seeing how the user-generated commentary is used in the the printed magazine.

Conversations in motion include:

• Can good design save a bad product?
• How Social is “Social” Media?
• What is the role of the individual in corporate social responsibility?

Join the conversation by creating a profile here. And if you want, add me as a friend.

I wish I could go to this year’s FinovateStartup, but I’m too poor. Finovate and FinovateStartup are conferences put on by technology + finance guru Jim Bruene of Netbanker.

Startups demoing their products include: Andera, Boulevard R., Buxfer, Motley Fool CAPS, ClairMail, Credit Karma, First ROI, Jwaala, Lending Club, Mint, Prosper, SmartHippo, Unified Money, and the rockstars from Wesabe (see how big a fan I am of Wesabe here).

It’s a stockpile of some of the coolest things to happen to money since the invention of “buying stuff.”

Check out videos from last year’s Finovate here.

Update ( 2/2/08): Thanks to Jim Bruene’s good heart, it looks like I may be heading up there after all to cover the conference on Open Source CU. You rock, Jim.

In a 2007 session at ad:tech NY, Coca-Cola’s Director of Global Interactive Marketing John Stichweh said any company not devoting 10% of its marketing budget to experimentation will fall behind.There was an SNL skit where Will Ferrell, as Harry Caray, interviewed Jeff Goldbloom, who was playing an astrophysicist. There was a snippet of dialogue that went something like this:

Harry Caray: Hey! What about this?! If you had a choice between being the top scientist in your field or getting Mad Cow Disease, what would it be?

Jeff Goldbloom, Astrophysicist: Well of course I would choose to be the top scientist in my field.

Harry Caray: Oh good! I was worried you’d choose Mad Cow!

Anybody presented the choice between “being innovative” and “being stagnant” would choose innovative. Right? I hope?

So how does your business manage experimentation? Do you?

Do any of you have a formalized chunk of your budget allotted for it? Do you play it by ear, perhaps experimenting if a new idea falls under your radar? Do you limit your resources to the “Old Faithfuls” – traditional tactics you know have worked historically, and do not give your board heartburn?

This week, Trabian client The Filene Research Institute is hosting a colloquium on credit union collaboration. Have a discussion point? Click the link and leave a comment in their blog post with your topic. They’re recording and publishing the discussions from the event later this year (or in early 08), for your consumption and pleasure.