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I've been listening to a lot of podcasts in the last few days and a statement like that tells you a lot about what I have been doing ... mostly driving.

We left home on Wednesday to do a long road trip to visit several clients and the first part took 18 hours so there was a lot of listening time. Then yesterday we did the same trip in reverse but in 14 hours. There's no time for a leisurely drive when you hear that a minor tropical cyclone that was supposed to fizzle out actually turned into a Category 5 and crossed the coast just 200 miles north of where you live.

These things bring a lot of rain and this monster was no exception. As it approached the coast, and after it had crossed the coast, it dropped so much rain on the region that we had to get home very quickly or be stranded for days on the wrong side of at least one flooded river.

We made it with two hours to spare and lots of time spent listening to podcasts. We listened to a two hour interview with Matt Mullenweg, the "inventor" of WordPress and we listened to interviews with people you have probably never heard of but who have managed to make heaps of money doing something online. And, apart from their ability to make serious money, they all had one thing in common: they were all prepared to take risks with their future.

Every one of them was prepared to risk a relatively comfortable lifestyle to pursue their dream and build a business that would give them an even better lifestyle. One guy decided that, after running a very profitable restaurant for 10 years, there were better ways to make money in the same industry so he sold his restaurant and now has a thriving business as a consultant who provides advice, support and training for others in the catering and entertainment industry.

Another couple gave up their fairly well-paid jobs to take their successful food blog to the next level and they are absolutely crushing it. A third guy walked away from a comfortable life as an accountant to start importing sheepskin boots into America while a fourth risk-taker cashed in her 401K to finance a business that brought sports industry IT professionals together to help one another implement m ore technology in the industry.

Every one of them had reached a point in their lives where they were basically comfortable but every one of them wanted more and they were prepared to risk just about everything to move from where they were to where they wanted to be. Every one of them knew what they were doing and clearly understood the risks that were involved and I'm sure that every one of them was more than a little scared to take the next step ... but they took it anyway.

So how much of a risk taker are you? Clearly if you have moved from some other job or profession into marketing adult products online you are a risk taker but what happens next? What are you going to do now that you've taken the risks and you've reached the point where you're making a comfortable living in this industry?

Are you going to stay put now or are you going to look at the next level? Are you comfortable with where you are or have you got an itch to go a whole lot further? Whenever I think that I've reached the point where I want to settle for what I have achieved I am reminded of something a small business expert told me years ago: a business that has stopped growing is a business that is stagnating and anything that is stagnating is beginning to die.

But even if you want to grow your business, or take on an even greater challenge and start something new, have you got what it takes to succeed with your new venture? You may have shown incredible drive and determination to reach the point you're at right now but will it be enough to make that next step a success?

There is an interesting little book available on Amazon by Marshall Goldsmith that I would suggest is something you should definitely read if you want to push on to new heights with your business. 'What Got You Here Won't Get You There' just might help you achieve your next goal and maybe the one after that too. I've heard a number of successful business people recommend it and I'm about to grab the Kindle version because I'm sure that there are things that got me to this stage in my business that I need to develop further if I want to go on building my business.

Of course you don't have to buy that book or any other. You can believe in yourself and think that you're about as good as it gets so nothing is going to hold you back from taking that next step. If that's the case then I wish you all the luck in the world and I hope you achieve your goals.

You might also be one of those who doesn't see a need to grow your business anymore; it's fine right where it is today. You've worked hard to achieve the level you have reached and now is the time to sit back and let the money roll in. If that's the case then I wish you luck too and I hope that you enjoy your semi-retirement and the smell of a rotting business doesn't become too unpleasant.

But for me, I want to grow, I am prepared to take risks and I'm all about learning everything I need to know to get from here to there ... wherever "there" may be.