Index funds give you something like the expected value over a huge class of possible investments.

What you aim for if you want to invest early is rather a probability distribution of

- get rich with a small (but nevertheless realistic) probability p

- get something between little, nothing, and loosing a little bit with probability 1-p

This is a very different offering than the profit probability distribution that index funds give you.

Sure, you could take calculated risks for predictable returns over a long enough time scale.

Or you could take what's in the box!!