First of all, I just hate the way these threads shrink down to a one or two inch column.

Anyway, I agree with the inspiration/perspiration saw. Most businesses fail and more often than not it is due to some kind of owner failure.

How many times have we enjoyed a new restaurant, only to return a few months later to find the service and quality deteriorated to the point of epic fail. This is different from the creativity of a Einstein, Mozart or Jobs.

A person can create a successful business or turn themselves into a journeyman writer or musician by their blood, sweat and tears, but they will never reach the stars without born creativity.

The more one's success depends on blood, sweat and tears, the more a term (4 years seems to work well) of higher education or military service,or apprenticeship, seems helpful.

In business, I worked hard and did well. I probably could have worked harder and done better.

If my father had been Sam Walton, I might have become the CEO of Walmart, but unlike Jobs, I would never have built the better mousetrap.

I am not selling myself short. I think I would make a Dandy Czar or King, surrounded by creative advisers.