What's next? A change in gear, a foot on the brakes or acceleration

When someone poses a question to you that you know the answer is "no" to and that you have no-one other than yourself responsible for that answer - you really have no-where to go.

It never struck me before that I had to be accountable to anyone, yet my friend, who I hadn't seen for some time, somehow made me accountable. He wanted to know if I had in fact done what I said I would do.

I hadn't.

For each great idea an entrepreneur has, most will never be realized. The reason is simple. Entrepreneurs have great ideas and they may go as far as to exploring their "great idea" with innovation and prototypes or just giving it a go - but most give up too early or fail to execute their plan. They don't get all their "ducks in a row" and somehow it never gets off the ground or if it does, not far enough off the ground to be in a position to fly.

It's true that hard work, determination, a little risk and a touch of luck are sure to help you become successful - but it is not a given that if all of these things are in place, that you will actually achieve what you set out to achieve.

For every rags to riches tale of those who have built large companies and amassed great fortunes, there are many more people whose great business idea failed before it started.

At some point, if you truly want to be successful or want to realize the potential of a great idea, then you need to take responsibility, work on your procrastination tendencies and make yourself accountable.

That's why so many smart entrepreneurs put together a board structure in the early days of their businesses.

Boards make you accountable and are there to challenge your opinions and direction.

It's been 18 months, and things have changed. A journey has begun and although it has not only been long, it has meant many thousands of miles around the globe more often than one would like, and it means that I am one step closer to realizing my dreams.

My dream is not to be "successful" per se, but instead to realize the full potential of my business and see it help the lives of other entrepreneurs trying to get that good idea off the ground or who have reached a certain point in their businesses and are not sure how to get to the next level.

Building an innovative marketing firm that transcends anythign that has been done ever before in the industry is exciting, but will only reach its potential if it is executed properly. That means, "head down, bum up", taking risks, being flexible, setting goals, sacrifices, persistence and knowing that nothing ever works the first time. 

Never giving up trying is something that I am living by right now and sometimes it tests my strength and will. Knowing that my pressing hard on the accelerator and not putting on the breaks or stalling around every corner, that I will be giving it my best shot is reassuring. Pressure and stress is something that most entrepreneurs have felt in their time, but there is nothing quite like it when you know time is running out. There won't be another 40 years to get it right. There is no time like the present and a global financial crisis is just an excuse for not reaching your goals. 

The question is: should we put so much pressure on "what's next" or should we live in the present and be thankful for what we have already achieved?