How much of creating good images do you think relies on training (ie courses and lessons), how much on gear, how much on good luck (right place, right time), how much on pure born talent, and how much on just slugging it out and practicing by yourself?

I've been taking photographs for quite a few years and yet I don't feel like I've advanced at all. I got so disheartened a while back that I pretty much stopped completely. After finding this forum, I've picked up the camera again, but I don't want to keep flogging the same old dead horse. I know that good pictures don't come completely from the equipment, but I don't really know what to focus on. Should I go to TAFE? Should I just keep doing what I've been doing and with practice, my images will simply improve? Or, is a lot of it down to natural talent? How much of the composition and scene spotting stuff can be learnt? Where does a beginner start?