strong poker players are not afraid to bet big , they can do it whether weak or strong when the situation seems correct . they won't second guess themselves if the action doesn't work either . that said , i admit i don't do it well with a hundred bucks or more in front of me in a live no limit ring game .
I think there's a difference between "scared money" and proper bankroll discipline. If a bet size makes you uncomfortable because you're worried about the money itself rather than the hand, that's usually a sign you're playing above your bankroll, not that big bets are inherently bad. On the other hand, if you have the roll for it and you're just hesitating because of variance aversion, that's a leak worth working on since it makes you predictable - opponents will notice you only fire big with the nuts. I try to size my bets based on what accomplishes my goal in the hand (value or fold equity) and keep my buy-in small enough relative to my roll that the sizing decision itself never feels emotional.