There's a world of difference between having the passion to play guitar and being good enough to make a decent living as a guitar player. Getting married and raising a family has snuffed the hopes and dreams of quite a few that had the potential.
I've been playing instruments since young, but I was never interested to play the "struggling musician role"... so I worked... I saw no need to get hung up in the cycle of seeking value of being called a struggling musician with a vain hope that I could one day say, I was a struggling musician who made good". For some that is a pathway they choose, some make it and some don't.
Music is many things but the music industry itself is a program of its own, a few people select who will and will not get financial backing. There's been a lot of "One hit wonders" who fade into obscurity, to revert to a lower circuit and carve out a living.
Today, a determined person can "produce themselves", as digital recording equipment is very inexpensive in comparison to how it was before, and there are web platforms or one can create their own to promote their own music.
Rap Music was once thought to be a short lived category, but now it has found its way into many other categories of music, and the commercial and movie industry has embraced it within its sound tracks that become big market moving tracts.
A great many musicians spend their time trying to be "cover players", repeating other peoples music. I personally never took that as a measure mark of whether or not I can or cannot play. I play what feels good to me of what I want sounds to do.
Therefore: No one can tell another what pathway to choose.
As to work, I've had long careers working, as I was never a Job Jumping Fanatic. I held various jobs before I engaged the long career job... and now I work a second career. My work
cannot be "exported"... !!!! It is also in the best interest for the entity I work for that it not be "outsourced"... So... I can work until I'm ready to not work anymore. When I am not willing to keep a daily job, I can work as a consultant, and I have various readily available choices of areas I can do consulting work.
I keep building my home music room, and I will also build a "small craft wood working shop in my back yard".... of which I can market items via the internet.
So... I say its interesting for any individual to develop a variety of skill sets... if they can and if they want to... some people choose to specialize in one.
I'm not interested in any concept of "Retirement" where I just do recreational and lounging things.... I can already do that... "
after work" and "
weekends".
I have friends who retired from various jobs, and went out and found jobs...
Some do other things, and one for example, 'Restores old cars", because that's what he has done his whole life
even while working, he also Builds Custom Made "Steel Bar-B-Que Pits.
I see some who do lawn service work, and one older guy did "stump removals"... Therefore, I know as long as Health is Good... People are amazing in what they can find to do.
Some people do like the
recreation and lounge life and if that works for them... then its "great too".
Money Only is not everyone's objective...