You bring up some interesting points, Dave. Sometimes, it's the people who get little encouragement who wind up excelling. Those who become convinced early on that they have great potential never get past the potential part because they believe they have nothing to prove.

As to Good Will Hunting, sometimes a movie is just a movie. It's popular because it's a fantasy, a Cinderella story about brains rather than beauty. Anyone who takes the blueprint for their life from Hollywood is in serious trouble.