I think it depends on the freeroll. CC freerolls have a much higher quality of players IMO...you can actually 'play poker' during those tournaments!
In the regular tournaments, about the first hour seems to be devoted to weeding out the donks! Sometimes it is not worth doing anything but folding because someone is constantly all-in!
Poker requires a lot of skill & much patience to last for the long haul in those cases. It is IMO, about utilizing the skills you have to use the cards you're dealt to the best of your ability! Sometimes you are not going to be able to do anything about being beat! And sometimes you have a great streak of luck to go with your skills.
It is dependant upon the cards both you & your opponents are dealt at the time, the skills you all possess & luck that you will outplay & outwit the same opponents! It depends also on the human feelings that we all possess that may put us(or our opponents) 'on tilt' too!
As for me, I'm trying out new tactics most of the time, so I am not so predictable. I have a rather long list of things to do and not to do! I am still developing my style of play!
If you look at every good player, you can see losses...but more often than not, they will prevail. So just because you lose, it does not mean you are a bad player. Just strive to be better next time & learn from your mistakes! That will make you into a good & winning player!