I also think athletes who landed 3As and quads at a young age will find triples relatively easy later on in life. That reliability surely contributes to an empowered mindset. (how young to train those elements is another issue)
i wonder if alysa's mindset is so strong because she already achieved the things she set out to do prior to her retirement... become an olympian, worlds medal. the stakes feel different for her. i don't think we can compare to other skaters who feel like it's now or never.