They go out and try to better themselves and they aren't exactly perfect and get criticized so they feel like they shouldn't even try.  Yeah, because people who succeed always get there by never being criticised. Ask any concert pianist or chess grandmaster how they became so great, and they'll give you the same answer: "My teacher never, ever criticised anything I did. They always told me I was perfect. It's a good thing, too, because if I'd ever been criticised I would have given up immediately. Phew!"