Art is a subset of creativity.
It's really a great asset to be willing to fail and blow it, so to speak, and to be okay with just making stuff, sharing it and getting feedback.
The best camera, is the one that you have with you!
Portfolios are everything, promises are nothing. Do the work.
The gear you can't afford is not the barrier keeping you from success. Gear has very little to do with photography.
The distance between where you are now and the path you think you should be on is probably smaller than you think it is