As a polymath, it's easy to dismiss inaction on the grounds of great potential: "I could be X, Y, or Z... if only ." But really, true potential isn't founded on mentally masturbatory couterfactuals, it's based on some function of action and ability plus a random variable.
The random variable generally being some sort of mentorship, as well as being in the right place at the right time. Also 5 to 10 years of some sort of effort.
In any event, potential isn't a function of action, but success is a function of action.
I think that your point is that you only legitimately get to posit counterfactuals if you have actually tried actual action in an actual direction.
