[Jtsummers]

Practice isn't enough. Deliberate practice that pushes your boundaries with feedback is the critical part. That's much easier to get in a school, or a professional environment if you have a good mentor, which constantly pressures you to go deeper into the field and try new things than solo practice. Working on your own it's tempting to reach a level of comfort and not go further, or to reach a point where your skill level seems "good enough".