Considering the context, I think there's a misunderstanding. That doesn't mean "becoming rich/powerful/noteworthy". It more likely means "Barely managing the essentials" - buying food, paying bills on time, sleeping enough. Everything in life becomes a struggle to overcome one's own resistance, which in turn makes every subsequent task that much harder. The accomplishments you talk of are fantastic dreams compared to just making it through the day.

[–] Shellofbiomatter@lemmus.org 2 points 4 hours ago

Fair point, even the most basic tasks can become herculean effort during the worst times