Aim High? Or Be Realistic?

How about both?

I can't begin to tell you how many new authors start out with the well intentioned fantasy that they're going to be the next Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Robert Jordan or [insert well-known author name here:].  While I never say stuff like that can't happen, I do say you shouldn't count on it.  One should not become a writer with the idea that being the next famous author is the absolute end goal or the ultimate reward (or that it absolutely will happen for you) because undoubted...