I did stand-up comedy for 18 years. Ten of those years were spent learning four years were spent refining and four years were spent in wild success. I was seeking comic originality and fame fell on me as a byproduct. The course was more plodding than heroic.
Nearly all the powerful people of this age are unbelievers the best of them in doubt and misery the most in plodding hesitation doing as well as they can what practical work lies at hand.