Do you think Bill Gates had his success handed to him on a silver corporate platter? He took personal responsibility for his success. A leadership speaker will tell you that Gates didn't allow fear, or hi-tech naysayers to stop him from taking innovative leaps.

Don't sit back and wait for success to happen to you. Your boss, clients and colleagues aren't just going to hand success over to you. If you stare blankly at the walls waiting for clients to walk through your door, then it's time to re-think your attitude and game plan towards success.

Whether you work for a company of five employees or run a company of 5,000 plus employees, success begins with you. You can't expect others to turn you into an overnight sensation.

Personal Accountability and Visionary Plans

Personal accountability determines the levels of success you will achieve. A woe-is-me attitude and negative thought patterns won't help either. Stop blaming others for why you aren't successful and look within - what's stopping you from success?

The first question to ask yourself: do you have a vision? You can't outsource someone else to create your personal vision plan. Don't expect others to create that amazing, perfect plan for you.

Think strategically about your vision and take the necessary steps to make that vision happen. Just sitting around the board room talking about goals won't bring you instant success. You have to actually make that plan work and hold yourself responsible for your personal goals and objectives. If you manage others, hold your staff accountable for their goals as well. Remember to lead by example and your employees will follow right along with you.

What Stops You From Achieving Success?

These are common mental roadblocks and excuses that stop people from pursuing their visionary goals.

• Wishful thinking - When you fall into that rut of wishful thinking, it will get you into trouble. Dreaming big is not bad, but a strategic dream/visionary plan is even better. The biggest detriment with a wishful thinking attitude is that it's passive and not active. It also comes with regrets about past decisions. You wish you had taken that job and made more money. You wish you had sent your kids to an Ivy League university. Stop thinking about the past and turn the "I wish" into "I can and will."

• Fear - Fear is the biggest mental roadblock that stops you from achieving success. It's simple - you have two choices. You can give into the negativity, skepticism and other's fears, or you can choose to ignore the dream stompers. Fear can be so overwhelming it can paralyze you. Remember to start small - there is always a way to get around fearful thoughts. Take low-risk steps and build up to bigger risks.

• Need for approval - It's normal for people to want to feel accepted by others. No one wants to rock the boat. When you think outside the box and take a different path, it can be scary. The "play it safe" attitude has been pounded into your brain since birth. If Gates had played it safe, would he be a huge success? Probably not. Taking a huge leap into the unknown may be the best way to jumpstart your path to success.

John Hersey is a successful business owner, published author and motivational leadership speaker. John writes one of the most recognized leadership blogs in the business world: http://www.JohnHersey.com/blog