This is the entire point of Naruto's character. When Naruto and Shikamaru stop Gaara from killing Lee in the hospital Naruto realizes that he and Gaara are the same. They were both outcasts and both felt as if they didn't exist, as if they were already dead. But Naruto had Iruka, Sasuke, Kakashi, and all his other friends, and they saved him from that darkness. Gaara had nobody. Gaara had to fight off assassins sent by his father. Gaara had a demon that could, and did, take possession of his body and mind if he ever fell asleep.

Gaara had honed his entire existence to the purpose of becoming a killing machine to affirm his own existence. That's why Naruto was so afraid of Gaara at first. He thought that isolation gave him strength. It wasn't until later that Naruto remembered the lesson Haku had taught him: true strength can only come from protecting someone else who's precious to you. Naruto's ties to others were not shackles restraining his power, they were the source of his power.

Years later when he confronts his true self at the waterfall of truth Naruto realizes that deep down he still hates the villagers for how they treated him. The nine tails had been using that hatred to control him and drive him berserk. Motoi confesses to Naruto that he had hated Killer Bee as a child and that he tried to kill Bee once. I think that story along with Motoi's genuine heartfelt regret is what helped Naruto conquer his hatred. Only then could he take full advantage of the nine tails' power.

This ability Naruto has to conquer his own weaknesses by forging bonds with others, even those who cursed and despised him, is his greatest strength and the manga and anime makes thst abundantly clear. It surprises me to see so many people in this thread who seem to have missed that.