MTT strategy question

[stokken]

I have looked trough my last mtt`s where I have been in good shape when rebuy/add-on period is over. Picked my last 15 entries, and has been in top 10% after 1 break.
I am not trigger happy nor risk averse.
The situation which often arises is then as follows:
Being faced with a 50/50 hand against an opponents typical range with same sized stack or at least 70%. Meaning if u loose gamblers ruin or crippled, If u pull it off contender for serious money. ( I play mostly 11 r ps and 55 r ps)

So far I`ve taken the downside of the coinflipp.

In 9 of the tourneys I have lost hands like TTvsAK JJvsAQ AQvs 88 AQ vvTT and so on, and almost always from button semistealing or on blind defending/restealing.

To be a sucsessfull tourney player do U avoid these situations or take em going for gold?
Sofar I have felt that I need to trust my evaluation of a given situation, a read, a range etc
Problem arises when the potential reward is so large.
I know sometime soon I will get the best of a 50/50 situation, thats not it-I would like to know if other sucsesfull mtt players avoid or embrace these situations. do you find that you do just as well waiting for the other edges where less of the stack is at risk or the gamble is more favourable, or must one take these opportunities when presented?