I would phrase this interesting thought a bit differently: They made different choices.

At university I have seen many smart people, but only a few created lasting success. The few were mostly not the brightest stars in the night sky, but those who kept shining brightly for decades.

When I read stories about Zuckerberg, Bezos, or Musk, they mostly revolve around their work ethic. I rarely read stories about how they partied hard back in their college days.

Success is about work-ethic. And as you said, there is always a dark side...