This question reminds me of my days in direct-selling. One company I worked for had a 10-step sales presentation in which, like a good dog training program, one step logically followed the one before it. As an instructor, one of my favorite questions was, "Which is the most important step?" Answer - The one you are in at the moment.
Without a well-bred dog, you are wasting all your other resources. Without enough time or the ability to dedicate enough time, you are wasting a good prospect. Without good grounds/water, you lack the ability to draw out the potential of a well-bred dog. Without a good training group or automatic equipment to replace them as assistants, you are limited in the types of set-ups you can use. Seems to me this is a package deal and that is why so few top quality, national-caliber dogs are produced each year.