Awesome contribution. Especially I like the comparison with a professional athlete.
I can only agree. There is a lot of background work to do, to increase the probability of a success in the foreground. There is no guarantee but without the background work, your chances are as good as zero.
The work in is like a lottery ticket, have to have one to win. I know a few professional athletes who have been training since they were knee high for years with no guarantee of ever making a dollar plus, the constant risk of injury. Steem is difficult, time consuming, complicated and frustrating but, it isn't close to impossible to be successful here. At least not yet.