If you are pursuing a career in music you have to decide if you are going to focus on music performance or music creation. Either way, you'll be doing both, but deciding which you want to be your bread and butter will give you a clear path to take (as clear as a music career path can be).
If you want to perform then expect lots of gigs, touring, and generally NOT being in the studio (whether it's in your home or elsewhere).
If you want to create music then you'll be in the studio...a lot...probably too much.
Either way, the importance of networking cannot be stressed enough. I'm pretty sure everybody on this site can produce a better song than the disasters of Kim Kardashian and Rebecca Black, but if nobody knows who you are, it doesn't matter. Networking increases your sphere of influence, your potential fanbase, the resources that are available to you, and a bunch of intangible things as well (like luck).
One other thing I'll say is that outside of performing, music is usually something that is done behind the scenes (meaning it's made to accompany something else 9 times outta 10). I say that to drive home the point that a career in music requires you to think outside the box. You won't find ads in the paper requesting the aid of a producer to write a companies new jingle or that song that's playing during a commercial. Well, you might, but it won't be often and the competition is going to be fierce. You've got to get yourself out there, CREATE work for you to do (whether that's setting up gigs or literally writing songs), make sure people know who you are, and then people will seek you out....maybe.
That's my two cents, hope that helps a little.