Sellout is a compliment

Sellout - n. Someone who succeeds at doing something that you, either as an individual or as a group, have told yourselves that you cannot do because you have X characteristic. The Sellout has X characteristic also, but accomplishes Y with flying colors, thus invalidating others' excuses for their own shortcomings, challenging their worldviews, and exposing their laziness/incompetence.

Antonym - sheep.

See also - Black people who do well in school and their careers, Intelligent women who in addition to doing well at their jobs became mothers, Idealistic folks who don't choose jobs that leave them impoverished, Twentysomethings who don't live to get drunk and party.