I remember a conversation I had with my doctor once. She was talking about her son, and mused that she thought my disability had made me a much grittier and conscientious person than most of my peers.

That's a nice sentiment, but something I noticed when I eventually managed to graduate college was that there was no substitute for a good safety net and parental support.

I watched dumbfounded as some of my classmates went on to found or join risky startups during the great recession. For me, failure would have been catastrophic. I'd have likely wound up sleeping under a bridge. I was amazed they were so fearless! Only, I later learned the reason they were so fearless is they knew their parents would step in and pay for their living expenses while they got back on their feet.

TLDR: Some folks can swing for the fences, take outsized risks, and reap the rewards, because failure is always an option.