Focus and determination too. Being prepared to make sacrifices in the other areas of your life. Being ready to follow every opportunity no matter the consequences. Drive. Single bloody mindedness.

Charisma and talent help, too. But there's plenty people who have that, but also have a satisfying day job and/or a family and/or a mortgage and can't or won't take the risks involved in going for it. That's why some of us are happy to compromise and, like Will said, we go the 'being "up there" isn't the be-all' route. Cos it's not.

...it seems to me.