Ahhh a good post thisen!
I like to think I'm as passionate as most other bass players but at times I can that perhaps I'm a bit more driven than some, like some of the guys I teach and know, all have different approaches to it all, one of them seems to only practioce when I teach him but I know at the end of the day he's just focused on the band and doing his bit for the band he isn't concerned with being the enxt Wooten or anything really and I respect that, yet on the other hand, the other guy I teach is driven and is still amturing as both a bassist and musician, when I started teaching him he was cocky, arrogant and swore by only 2-3 bassists but within the first week or so of being on the music course he apologised to me and asked for serious help and i like to think with my help I've sent him on a good raod to becoming a damn good bassist, and teaching these guys does make me think that I'm an alright player, lets face facts only a few bassists will actually "Yes I am very good" but I know I can go into a room and play my bass comfortably and use the theory I know to a standard that it can impress people but then again it isn't about amazing or impressing people but it's nice to know when you have. But I know I've got a long way to go before I become the bassist I want to become, I guess its an age thing, being in the bracket of the younger guys on here we have some advantages in Youtube coming along when it did so were exposed to mroe bassists with greater ease than some fo the older guys when back in the 70's and 80's it wasn't always to easy to find out about but thats not say they not benefitting now either.
I think I just know being 18 now I have years to come which will bring new basses ,amps, new bassists and all kinds of influences and will ultimatley shape the bassist I become, it's just now I'm midly happy with what I can do and Im sepnding between 2-4 hours day practicing many things and also listening to music in great depth, and I can look back and see where I was and know i have imrpoved and all I can do is improve further, I just think sometimes some people set out to be the next Wooten or Clarke or Miller that they end up becoming a copy and realise they're not really doing anything that hasn't already been done before.