In general, I've found it a bit more helpful to think "Where do I want to go and what is the clear next step to a place closer to there than where I am today?"

In general, I've found it a bit more helpful to think "Where do I want to go and what is the clear next step to a place closer to there than where I am today?" rather than "Why am I not like this other person who I am not like?" It's less disempowering and more actionable. Bully for the gentleman who lives in Costa Rica. His success in no way makes you worse off. If you presently do not have a software business, and you want to some day have a software business, there's a very short list of things I could recommend to you. Writing software and selling software are at the top of the list. If you want to run a software agency, your two tasks are stuffing the pipeline and delivering engagements. If you don't have an engagement yet, find an engagement, preferably one which will provide you a client/project that has citation value in dealing with new clients. You then go on a cycle of stuff pipeline to bursting / hire new employees to deliver engagements / stuff pipeline to bursting / etc.