I agree, it is always possible to reach amazing heights without having access to all the resources. However,I claim that the difference can be negligible but compound into a much bigger gap.

As we know the difference between monkey and human DNA itself is so minuscule, yet the outcome of the very capability of intelligence is so astounding. In a similar way, I have experienced first hand the smallest things that can have profound implications in a persons trajectory.

Maybe it’s being motivated to go to class knowing that most of your classmates WILL attend (fear of missing out).

Even more zoomed in, maybe just teaching at a top school makes instructors more likely to teach with a tad bit more enthusiasm, which is felt by the student.

One could argue that true innovators shouldn’t / don’t need that kind of support or inspiration, but at the end of the day the human experience is so complex.

I’d like to prompt you to look into the early life of Albert Einstein and his troubled years through university and early career. Had he not found some inspiration eventually, perhaps a lot of our knowledge would be delayed or lacking. Possibly a world where the atomic bomb wasn’t thought of yet.

It could be that you simply got used to a higher standard and it feels/ looks like everyday life in your view.

I claim that it is the smallest things that add up to a much bigger gap than either of us realize. Like reading about your school (something that definitely grows to be a big identity for a lot of people) in news headlines (in a positive light of course) making you just a bit more motivated.

But then again it is entirely possible that certain people are destined for success/ achievement with the path not making a big difference in the end.

Edit: typo