Agreed. Hard work is hard work.
Some of the most impressive people I've met were elite athletes. They had a working relationship with the cycle of failure and success, with moving goalposts, and with the growth that comes from both.
A lot of people hold back their own growth because they're afraid of temporary failures. Instead of shrugging it off and trying again, they internalize it as a reflection of low self-worth and confirmation of their insecurity.
I’m all for championing excellence over mediocrity, but it is a mistake to imply that academic achievement is the only measure of it. Jocks and prom queens aren’t the antithesis of merit and striving, and in some ways, their arenas are more “real” than academic curriculums. Fight passivity and low standards!