Well, I would say "time" and "energy" assume opportunity is everywhere. How do you create an opportunity for yourself to invest your time and energy in the first place if you don't sacrifice or risk something?
Where do you get the opportunity to grind if no path is set for you and you must create a new path? Is it possible to create a new path and keep a good reputation or will the disruption you cause create a bad reputation inherently?
Rather than say is it possible, is it likely that a person can create a completely new path (often very disruptive) while maintaining a good reputation?
you have to look for opportunities, everyone does! Some are better than others. We all have to go out in this world to look for opportunities, I did when I was 16.
We all have to create our paths, I think it all comes down to the individual.
And that is the dilemma. The necessity of having to create opportunities (or find them). If it's an advantage to be unscrupulous then wouldn't it favor those who have less behavioral restrictions?
There is ultimately the choice between conformity and "true to self" mentality vs goal oriented success at any cost mentality. Some may in fact subconsciously be choosing to be less financially successful in exchange for feeling better about themselves.
In that case it is a chosen path. I think someone like Buffet has the privilege even if he earned it to have an ability to say he puts reputation first. In his case he has enough money for 100 lifetimes so more of it makes no rational sense if reputation is lost.
But someone who doesn't even have enough money for 1 lifetime has a lot less to lose with a lot more to gain.
I'm not supporting buffet in the slightest, just pointing this out..
Personal integrity doesn't no have to be sacrificed for financial gain (again, not using buffet as an example, just saying...)