What I desire as a photographer

I am not much of photographer but just a hobbyist with a camera.

I have been clicking for 3 years now and all those times I have been trying my luck as an amateur to get more and more consistent with the camera.

I don't deny getting good occasional shots but the battle is something else. When can I say that, I am successful as a photographer?

How do I define the word professional in this context. 

Is it when I have managed to procure expensive cameras, those big stylish lenses, strobes and what not? Is it when you are at your dream place clicking snaps and you are paid for that? Is it when your pieces of art are critically acclaimed in all the famous photography media?

I still struggle to find answer for the questions I ask. I am not saying that the above mentioned are not indicative of your success but I wish that these are not what an amateur artist should desire when he starts thinking beyond.

The basis of a good photograph is a lot of things, that includes composition, exposure, colours etc.  But, the basic is the story that it depicts.

The most fundamental is the story that my picture should convey every time someone looks into it. The onlooker should no matter what, but spend his precious moments thinking about it, when he looks at it. This and this only justifies the picture as truly a successful attempt to a photograph.
I am worried, because I just don't want to be any other guy who holds a camera and starts clicking. I want to migrate beyond that. 

How to summarize what I aspire? A good picture with a meaningful content. I am not sure. All that I say is I don't want to click a thousand pictures but just a few good ones.