Here's my two pennies *gets out soapbox*
This is a matter of success versus excellence.
Success is not in your control, it is an external, subjective qualification placed on you by others. Other people determine your success (voting, stickers, frontpage, downloads)
Excellence is in your control, it is an intrinsic qualification you determine. When you set and reach a personal goal, you have attained excellence in what you have done. You may not get a lot of good votes, or stickers or awards, but what you have done has value to you because you did the best you could.
Excellence > Success IMHO
As long as we keep the goal of excellence on the horizon, I believe success will follow. The only thing that follows success is failure (unless you're Bounc3, then it's more success!)
stickers are fun, great music is even more so