Module, I still don't follow your point at all. So you take the "believe in yourself" answers as patronising because it's someone on top trying to get all Zen like? Maybe it's just an honest answer. Maybe the reason you can pick that answer out as being cliche is, in the end, it's the one answer that's common to those who have "made it" with the rest of their experiences being somewhat unique to time, place and effort?

Here's the thing. When nobody has heard of you, you will have people trying to tear you down. When slightly more people have heard of you, you will have more people trying to tear you down. The "bigger" you get, the more this increases. If you don't believe in yourself and let such bullshit affect you the wrong way, you're closer to failure. It's probably more important to remember this, and remind yourself of it, with every increase in "success" one has. So, in the end, I don't see how it's patronising to tell people to believe in themselves and follow their heart. It's excellent advice for an area where people talk shit, stab backs or try and influence your own work.

Mark added the bit about the business side which sometimes gets left out of interviews. But, there is where you basically have a universal formula to succeed at anything. "Believe in yourself" + "RTFM/Learn" + "Network" + "Do" = Best chance of "success," whether personal, financial, or both.