A gentleman named Gerard Khoury responded to a question on Quora regarding the question "How do I know when it's time to stop learning the guitar?" I won't post the whole answer here but the first paragraph grabbed me, so here it is, and then I will offer my observation (his text is in grey):
I think, in the West, we tend to be very goal focused. We see things like music and art as a means to an end, and success is measured by how much money you can make out of it. And so, if someone takes up an instrument, they are compared against professionals and by their ability to become the best and command an audience.
It's natural to have dreams of fame and fortune, living the high life, sipping from the elixir of success. But what exactly is success? Is it global? For most people, the answer is "yes". People will argue that Metallica's BLACK ALBUM is their best because it sold the most. If something hasn't shifted millions of units, it's deemed a failure. I don't think that's right. But what do I know?
I think it was Jeff Bezos who said something like your idea is stupid until you make money at it. Or to put it another way: Nobody cares how you wrote that song or movie until it sells incredibly well. You can write your own version of "Free Bird" or HARRY POTTER but if it's not a "hit", nobody will show even feigned curiosity about it.
Nobody sees success as local or even marginal, it has to be global. You can have the best bakery in town but unless you're on some stupid reality show about it like CAKE BOSS, nobody will line up to suddenly brag about your cannolis.
I made my best album MARBLEHEAD two years ago, and wrote my personal best song "Turn To Rust" on said album. Received airplay on WRAT 95.9 in Belmar, NJ and guess what? I consider that a success. I got on mainstream rock radio when others told me that would never happen because "you need a singer, dude!" (Want a slice of humble pie with your sour grapes now, "bro"?)
Touring with TM Stevens was a wild dream come true. Opening for King's X was a huge highlight for me on a personal level. Being asked to directly support both Uli Jon Roth and Michael Angelo Batio was a great honour. But at the end of the day, what did it mean? All were nice ego boosts for me but a lot of people still saw me as a local cat because they didn't like the idea of me blowing past their peers. (Enjoy your Line 6 amp and Dimebag guitar, okay?)
It's pretty much ingrained in us that we have to make all the money, sell the most products, sweat and toil because that's real work. I say work smart, not hard. I don't subscribe to that 50's mentality of breaking your back for the sake of it. Yeah it's a nice war story for your children and grandchildren but you end up sounding like Al Bundy. Nobody cares how hard you worked until you amass a lot of money. Materialism dominates peoples' lives, simple as that. I like nice things, but am not egregious or ostentatious. Yet people enjoy glitz and glamour, as it sends them a message of "That can/should be me!"
So yes, Gerald's answer really intrigued me. I consider myself a successful musician, did more than most, yet will always be under-appreciated and outcast for not bending to anyone's will. No shark-jumping for me. Integrity is a rarity in this world. Either you have it or you don't.
Safe to say 50% of the world hocked their soul.
Prove me wrong.
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