I agree with a lot of this though my journey has been really different. Running a business didn't interest me for a long time - then I realized I felt I was very skilled and I was just tired of working in the industry. So I came up with side projects on my free time. I think everyone has their own non-linear journey on how they get there.

The biggest thing I have learned so far is it's really not about "hard work". Imo, its much more about how well you balance work and life. Are you on an unsustainable path or are you on a sustainable one? Are you enjoying what you are doing? This is critical. Are you genuinely eager to work on it and can you sustain that after one year? If so, you're highly likely to succeed in my opinion. If you believe in it, and love what you're working on, it's very likely there are other people out there who do too.