I recommend hanging out with musicians! Making friends is key in this industry. Networking allows you to sustain yourself by getting shows, building fans, and showing record labels that you can sell. In the end, if the Billboard Top 10 in pop is really what you want, you'll likely want some monetary backing to get a professionally recorded album with high-profile shows, riding the coat tails of more famous people as the opener, and selling records that way. Most bands make their money by touring nowadays, and even then it is difficult -- sometimes, bands will go on tour and end up in the red. Although hard, I do think anyone can do it. You just gotta have the stuff.
Whatever you do, don't forget to feel the emotions -- if you're not, it's difficult for the audience to feel what you're feeling and relate to you. And have fun. You are setting a lofty goal which is SO AWESOME but don't get discouraged if you don't get there. Most don't, but that doesn't make them bad musicians. Its a combination of luck, talent, money, and most importantly, who you know.
Check out Balanced Breakfast, which is a music meetup with locations in SF and Oakland. Also, go to lots of shows of musicians you enjoy and meet up with them afterwards to ask them how they're doing it. Rock on!