Success in the music field, at least in the way I would define it, didn't happen because I couldn't make the commitment. I may not have had the talent, either.
I was hooked on hard-line jazz at an early age...way before I was good enough to even try playing it.
I met a lot of the jazz greats in LA in the early 60's and they had a hard way to go.
I liked communications, film-making, publishing and other things, too, and took the safe route.
"Suffering for my art" is a concept I understood but wasn't able to do.
Luckily, I was able to play for the cash when I needed it raising a family to support my corporate income and incorporate music into a lot of the projects I do in my company.
I sold out. In that respect, I wasn't successful.
I made the choice, and in my "heart of hearts" I regret it a little every day.
Russ