Well, after almost 25 years in the music business, and being fortunate enough to have worked with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, I can tell you that to make it in this business of music, you need the following tools (I call them tools because you must have them to build your career)

Appetite, ardor, aspiration, avidity, craving, desire, drive, eagerness, earnestness, energy, enterprise, enthusiasm, hankering, hope, hunger, initiative, itch, longing, love, lust, moxie, passion, push, spirit, striving, thirst, vigor, yearning, zeal, the ability to dream.. to see where and who you want to be, and last but not least-- The ability to not loose yourself in it all. to focus and remeber who you are, where you are, how you got where you are, and who helped you get there. It's the only way to know where your going and why.

If you do not possess or can not obtain all of thee above.. I suggest you take up another craft..

Huh?.... what's that you say? What about raw talent, unique killer songs, a unique image, a home town following, touring, interveiwing, networking skills, great live performance skills, management skills, booking agents, copyright laws, publishing, entertainment law, timing, contact negotiations, a great entertainment lawyer, knowledge of recording techniques, home recording, booking studio time and a knowledge of the music buisiness in general ?

Sure, you need some of these things too. But, I submit to you that all of these things can be learned, earned or brought. you may be tempted to point at a child prodigy who, at the tender age of 5 can sit at a piano and flawlessly play Beethoven's 5th with his pinky toe. obviosly the kid was born with this ability right ?... NOPE!. The kid was born with another ability. That is, the ability to learn (or self teach) at an accelerated rate. you may not be as fast as these Prodilogical children but, you, just like them, were born with the same natural ability to learn, and master, what you truly desire to learn, and master..

It's up to you.

Suggested reading: Anything that Donald S Passman (cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School) Ever... Ever, wrote about the music business...