I too, was pressured to succeed. It seemed no matter what I turned my hand to, I excelled, sports, school, you name it. If I got a 99 on a test, the question at home was always, "where's the other point?"

I did okay, I became a lawyer, I also quit. I later found out that I was Autistic.

Honestly, as much as they might mean well, I think comments like "you had so much potential," and pushing kids like that is more about the aprents than the kids. They want to feel good and look good by pointing to thier wonderfully successful offspring. The mental well being of the child never seems to enter the equation.

You're not a failure, you're a resounding. success because you're doing what's right for you and looking after your mental health. being happy and healthy is much better than any title or high paying job.