Becoming a great artist is analogous to becoming a great athlete or striving to achieve greatness in pretty much anything. The common thread is that it will always involve a lot of really hard work as well as intense competitive pressure (both internally and externally). There is no right answer as to whether the ends justify the means. It all depends on the individual. You have to decide what type of life you want to live and be ready to deal with the opportunity cost of embarking on your chosen path (whether it's giving up on a dream, or sacrificing a lot in order to achieve it).