I think most people's feedback threshold requires some return on their efforts in a relatively short time period. It takes monk-like patience to work on something indefinitely without any intermediary returns. So then, I don't think the point in contention is whether people are willing to make extraordinary effort, it is whether they are willing to make extraordinary effort without extraordinary returns in a time span relative to their feedback threshold. Even in eastern cultures where many people believe that enlightenment in the strong sense is possible by meditating your whole life, there is a reason why there are only a few practicing monks.