
I work between 5-12 hours per day depending on what is going on. If I am busy I work more and if I am not busy I work less. But my working day is normally split up by various other activities and it was only in younger years that I could truely work a solid 12 hours without burning myself out.
The advice I would give on it though, is this -
1. Nobody is going to hand anything to you, you have to go out and get it yourself. So don't be afraid of hard work and long hours when you have the energy for it; as long as you have a goal (short or long term) that you are working towards.
2. Remember that time has great value and that you need a work-life balance so if you are working hard to earn money, make sure you allow time for yourself to translate that money into enjoyment, otherwise its pointless.
3. If you don't already, you should strive to start your own business so that all of your time is being converted into benefit for yourself and your family rather than for someone else.