I've been drinking so bear with me. The culture of the organization reveres heroes. We all want to do something that matters. Many of us have a desire to go down in history. How many people know about your dead relatives and how many even care? If you want to be remembered and instead of forgotten after a couple generations you need to do something significant.

That same culture that reveres heroes favors people that color inside of the lines and minimize risk. Staying in line gets you further than stepping out and stepping up. The culture may revere heroes but the system favors mediocrity. Reaching higher and seeking to push the boundaries will sometimes result in failure while maintaining the status quo keeps the boat on course and your career on track. Back in the day in order to be a well respected SNCO you needed to have some derogatory information in your record. Losing a stripe or getting red lined was almost expected. These days that cuts your career short. The system favors perfection over flaws and learning from your mistakes.