Today I was speaking to a mother whose teenage son has been in theatre since he was a child (and has had numerous leading roles onstage). He is ready to head off to college and she asked him if he wanted to major in theatre and pursue acting as a career. He said something to the tune of, "I don't think I have a chance of being an actor because everyone's so much better than me".
Just because something has always been done "that way" doesn't mean we should still be doing it. When I see dancers being taught to hike their leg up on the barre to stretch (esp. children at a barre that is way too high for them). It makes me cringe.
If you want to achieve excellence in your work, art and life, take every opportunity to work, watch and surround yourself with people who you consider better than you.