If you can, work with someone else to discuss how the markup is going to be structured, naming conventions of IDs and classes, how the CSS will be written, how the folder structure will be laid out, what CMS you’ll be using, if you’re going to be using a javascript library and if so which one?

These are fundamental web development questions yet people skip them all the time. They rush right into the markup and begin developing and building before asking Why and What. I can understand that some of this is due to excitement of building a new site, but often its because they don’t know better.

Take the design (whether it’s a PSD or jpg doesn’t matter) and print it out. Yes folks, print out your web design. Sit down with it (as many unique pages as possible) and a pencil. The full site design doesn’t have to be completed yet, doing this with only a few pieces of the site you’ll still see the advantages. You’ll see common elements throughout the site, try to reuse that markup and CSS as much as possible. Take your pencil and start to sketch out on the printed mockups your divs, classes, ids, unordered lists, elements that will need to be floated or positioned absolutely, etc. This not only helps to reinforce your skills as a developer but it helps flush out any development problems earlier in the process.

If you can sit down with the designer and another developer that’s even better. You’ll be able to bounce ideas off the other developer and learn why the designer made certain design choices. If you can sit down with a very small (and focused) group of individuals it may be more beneficial to use a projector and whiteboard. Yep, you guessed it – project the design onto the whiteboard and light it up with those markers. This will help the group dynamic and discussion. Potential problems can be squashed and ideas or concepts can be discovered with a bit more ease.

This Mental Markup is crucial to building clean and awesome sites and apps. Its only going to help make your product stronger and make you a better developer. If you’re not doing it already you should definitely start.

Be Honest

Don’t commit to things you can’t do. Don’t promise a fully developed site by 6pm tonight. Don’t say yes to a project before you know all of the goals and objectives of the project.

Too often, in this industry and others, people commit to jobs they can’t do because they’re afraid to say, “I can’t do this”. Why? It doesn’t make sense. When you say yes to something you can’t do and you don’t deliver, not only do you look like a jackass but you hurt the reputation of your respective industry.

I’ve been watching a lot of that show Holmes on Homes and in every episode he is dealing with people like this. They over promise and under deliver. They do crappy work and still take their clients money. Be the opposite of that.

Tell your client what you can deliver that fits within their budget, timeline, and, most importantly, fulfills their objectives. Under promise and over deliver. It will be less stress for both parties and creates a better working atmosphere. You’ll be happier with the work you’ve produced and your client will not only respect you more as a professional, but will also be happy that you stayed true to your commitment.

Admit your mistakes

Sometimes schedules get skewed, things come up, life happens. Mistakes are a part of life, you’re never going to be 100% mistake free. When you do make mistakes tell your client as soon as possible. Do you have a deliverable due tomorrow and you’re not at a point that you feel comfortable showing it? Tell your client today. They may not be excited to hear that you’re going to miss the deadline, but they’ll appreciate the honesty and transparency of the way you do business.

Sometimes there are communication mishaps, they happen. Be clear about what happened and how it happened along with a solution to prevent this from happening again.

Its messed up

Its messed up that so many businesses aren’t run this way, but it’s the sad truth of today. If you do these two things not only will you have better client relationships, but your business will be respected and getting repeat business from clients won’t be a issue.

I’ve been on my own for less than 36 hours, but I’ve already done about 14 hours of ‘work’. Some of my friends have already asked, “I thought you were going on your own to work less”. My reply, “I am”.

When you do what you love, it is no longer work. I know this is cliché but it has some truth to it. When you find your passion and turn it into your work, you no longer work. Sure, there are moments and things that will suck, but the majority of your time will be awesome, self fulfilling and happy.

What is it that you’re passionate about? Are you doing it right now? If not, how come? Don’t make excuses for yourself. There is always time for change. If you want to be a cook take some cooking classes and/or get a 10 hour/ week gig at a local restaurant. Want to work for yourself? Do it. Save enough cash over the next few months and then go. If your biggest worry is taxes and health insurance then good, it means you’re not worrying about income, clients or projects. Solve your taxes problem, hire an accountant. They’re relatively cheap when you consider all the problems and headaches they’ll alleviate from you. For health insurance, find some through your local government (if its provided) or even go through COBRA for now (although not the cheapest solution, but it could be a temporary fix). If you live in Mass go to https://www.mahealthconnector.org , they’ve got decent plans for amazing prices. I’m currently paying $168/month for mine and that’s awesome. (Big props to Marc Amos for showing me the site).

Hundreds of other people have said it before and I know I’m not the first, but whatever is in your way of doing great things – remove them. Chances are your excuses for not doing something are thin and can be easily solved.

“Mike, what if I fail”
So what? You failed. Oh well. Get back up and try it (or something else) again. We’re not in school anymore, failing isn’t the worst thing in the world (although they make it appear that way). You’re never going to be 100% successful at everything you do. Deal with that fact and move on.

Enjoy your life and produce great work, not excuses.

“Duh”

“…6 months after you write it”.

“What?! Why? That’s dumb, its already written and shipped”

This isn’t dumb. The product may have shipped but you’re still building applications, software or websites. This practice isn’t for the sake of the product, but for the sake of you.

You should be able to honestly look at your old code and be a bit disgusted. Not because its bad, but because it can be better — and you now know how you could write it better. If you’re not improving, you’re doing it wrong.

Don’t just sit there typing away the same shit, find a better way to do it. Improve it.

By getting better you produce better work. 
That means better value. 
Better paychecks.

It’ll make you happier. I swear. You’ll recognize that you’re growing, and that’s always an awesome thing.

And with Great Knowledge, comes Greater Responsibility… or something like that.

Coworkers and colleagues will start coming to you for help, advice and your knowledge. Don’t hog this knowledge, share it with anyone who is interested. They want to grow and expand their knowledge just like you do, so why not help them out. I’ve been doing jQuery tips of the week with a few of my coworkers who are starting to swim in the ocean of jQuery goodness. I send them a few clips of something I’ve written, explain a new concept and have them figure out what the rest of it does. They seem to be enjoying it and learning from it.

Moral of the story : Improve your skillz and then share your skillz.

Check yourself, before you wreck yourself because if you don’t – you won’t last too long.

• “I’m going to lose weight”
• “I’m going to save more money”
• “I’m going to start my own business”
• “I’m going to say I’m going to have some goal this year because everyone else is doing the same”

Well, Screw that. Stop waiting. Stop making excuses for yourself. Stop saying tomorrow. Do it today. Whatever it is, just shut up and start.

I write this from my own experience. It has taken me over a year to get this blog started and it’s not even really started. Currently the layout is horrible and unorganized, the grid is atrocious, the typography has some serious weak points, the markup and CSS are quick and dirty and I have no idea how it renders in IE .

But, it’s finally up and running.

Over the past year I’ve been designing, building, redesigning, pondering, redesigning, thinking, developing, redesigning, throwing away and designing this site. I needed it to be perfect. I suppose that’s the OCD designer in me, which is a good thing — but it’s also a curse. I wanted the site to be so visually stunning and awesome; that I kept delaying it, putting it off until next week, until I’d finally realized that is the stupidest thing ever.

I’ve now lost a year I could have been learning. I could have been writing for over 12 months, which would have improved because it still sucks as much now as it did then. I should have been exchanging my ideas and having conversations with people over the past 52 weeks. Displaying how I’ve grown as a designer, developer and person over the past 365 days. But no, instead I kept putting it off until next week telling myself I needed extra time to think about some mundane concept or scope creeping myself.

Over the past year the site’s design and layout would have been tweaked and adjusted as needed because I could initially design the Most Visually Rad Shit Ever, but if it sucks to use and read – it’s pointless. No one will read it. I should be improving my site over the course of the next 18 months so it may grow into something closer to perfection. It should change and evolve along with my skills. I should be sharing the tidbits of information I learn and find with the world. In the past 3 months I’ve produced more work for myself then I did in the previous 30.

In 18 months I hope to look back at this post and say “I’m glad I shut up and just started.”

(Note: I’m not a life coach by any means; I’m just a guy who has realized life is short so make it sweet. Get stuff you want to do done so you can enjoy it.)