Why are we so afraid of financial mistakes?

Growing up, I heard one saying repeatedly: the early bird gets the worm. Like so many childhood proverbs, I accepted it without much thought—one of those quiet truths adults repeat often enough that children stop questioning them. For most of my life I assumed it was a lesson about hard work. Wake up early, start before everyone else, stay disciplined, and success will eventually follow. Lately, though, I have begun to wonder whether I misunderstood it entirely. Maybe it was never abo