to succed in this world there is only two roads:
1- the first one is by earning money following the good way : like these two actors , generally it's long and difficult road but not dangerous.
2- the second road is earning money following the bad way ( seeling drugs, killing other people, rape...) generally this road is short , difficult also and dangerous
and like u said "u are the director of ur own life" u will chose the road that u will follow.
Yeah, choosing the bad ways is just not worth it. The good way, although it takes longer is so much more satisfying.