Do you take your hot air balloon up and trust where the wind takes you?
Do you sail across, into, and down the wind, using its power but still choosing where you go?
Do you cycle under your own power, lifting your saddle, tucking your head down, and trying to avoid the wind’s effects as much as possible?
All three are valid! Most people can’t sail or produce 400W with their legs, but most people can operate a hot air balloon burner. The capital expenditure part of this analogy might work as well:
the balloonists spends a reasonable amount of money to ride where the wind takes them;
the yacht crews spends fortunes to conquer the world as first-class wind masters;
the cyclists go it alone through sheer human strength and persistence, with a handful of them being astonishingly good at it.
(I cycle to work btw, albeit on a 50lb Pashley cruiser. Bike level autonomy at, erm, hot air balloon speed!)