Im 23 which i guess is still a youngster ahaha

i went through a lot of stages before i got where i am now in my musical career. It is interesting though since my own journey has been very unorthodox, i was an engineer first then changed to music.
My first step was simply, hiring a concert hall and promoting myself to death. 3 months of promotion, radio, newspaper, public appearances(at rotary clubs, retirement villiages etc etc). I did my first concert with a sell out hall, and made 10grand Australian dollars in the process (most i ever made for one concert). I never turned back after that. Then i did lots of teaching since after concerts i would meet with the audience and talk heaps about music. Lots of people became my students and my teacher at the same time!
Since i never studied music teaching at a university all my experience in teaching comes from teaching. At the moment now i have in front of me decisions to become a travelling musician or maintain my focus on education and peformances around my state (West Australia).
It is really interesting, before i started a music career i thought, the only way you can make a living is by becoming famous and playing international competitions and concerts. This isnt really the reality. I know a great deal more musicians who make a living not doing anything on a HUGE scale. And they make a very good living.
I do lots of smaller concerts which bring in maybe 1k the night, but you get to meet a lot of interesting people.
As for the question of greatness. what is that? To be the best technically and expressively? i can tell you all now from my experience so far, which isnt that great but still i have seen the how this music industry works. People, the general public, who sit and listen to your concert want to be entertained. That is the first thing, you have to be an entertainer, be quick witted on stage, ad lib, crack jokes, bring the music to life in an interesting way. But at the same time you have to satisfy musical critics which you must invite to your concerts for free of course

I have played concerts which where totally scattered, one piece from one composer then change. I was totally burned by the critics who said it was so scattered but still entertaining and enjoyable. I got even people come up to afterwards and say you where better than Helfgott (as if that is a task?) eheh. Some go crazy and say you are better than some other international pianist and i just laugh.
It is the entertainment value whcih sells you, and those that think if you master your technique and expresion you will go far, you are very mistaken. Well you have to be the very very very best then for technique and expression to take you anywhere. I never compare myself to other musicians, there is utterly no use. I think it is good to measure your musical ability and effect on people by the number of tickets you sell, and how many people actualy come back to listen to you. If no one likes how you do a concert or how you talk or how you entertain, then it doesnt matter how well you play.
thats what me thinks anyways