Tight financially
When Madonna started out it was a rough time financially. She would have very limited money to spend and would eat nothing more than yoghurt, potato chips and peanuts.

Believed that she would succeed.
Madonna says that it was her faith in that she would eventually succeed that made her survive the times that were tough financially. It was also high ambitions that made her succeed. In her mind the rough times were some sort of test.

“I never thought the dream would not come through. I refused to accept anything else than success”.