The most crucial part of personal success is being able to define what that success means to the individual. Success does not come in a one-size-fits-all package. One person may define success as being able to work from home creating art. Another may define it as becoming the CEO of a corporation and being rich. If you gave one of these people the success of the other, they would not only be dissapointed; they wouldnt even consider it success.
So, the most important part of succeeding is personally defining what that means to you. Then it all becomes simple: You start working your ass off to achieve that success, and you either achieve it, or you die first. Some people become wildly successful after they die, so even death may not deter you from accomplishing what you seek. Others have just enough time to see their hard work pay off while they breathe. But if you work hard towards what defines you and never stop, those are the only possible outcomes.
Get to work.