Great reality checks, both from your post and the two linked ones. Being self-published, my dream is simply to do well enough to break even. Yet, I consider myself to be successful. Already my sales are beyond what I often hear quoted as typical, and most readers seem to enjoy the story. As I've said after coming back to the day job after a week's vacation... "Didn't win the (state) lotto, Power-Ball, or Mega-Millions. My book didn't suddenly hit the best seller list. I had to come back."
Dave