Fear the fear, feel the fear
Most of the things we avoid are avoided because we're afraid of being afraid.
Too meta?
Sorry, but it's true. The negative outcomes that could actually occur due to speaking up in class, caring about our work product, interacting with the boss–there's not a lot of measurable risk. But the fear… the fear can be debilitating, or at the very least, distasteful. So it's easier to just avoid it altogether.
On the other hand, artists and leaders seek out that feeling. They push themselves to the edge, to the place where the fear lives. By feeling it, by exposing themselves to the resistance, they become more alive and do work that they're most proud of.
The fear doesn't care, either way. The choice is to spend our time avoiding that fear or embracing it.