Of course it's hard. Harder than people who aren't trying can imagine. Chance of success is low. But there are a number of success stories. Perfect example:

Of course it's hard. Harder than people who aren't trying can imagine. Chance of success is low. But there are a number of success stories. Perfect example: the search for extra solar planets. Twenty years ago, Geoff Marcy, a prof at a teaching school, SF state, begged for telescope time. Now he's a prof at UC Berkeley, and (I think) PI of a roughly trillion-dollar space mission. Marcy is a multiple-sigma deviation. His success is rare. Careers in academic science have a very poor risk-adjusted payoff, worst than startups. Would I rather be the guy who pioneered planet finding or one of the google guys? Don't know. :)