There's no one fsctor to it. Instead, I'd say it's a mix of these factors: 1. Luck, probably split down into: A: Genetic talent/skill B: Family/personal conne

There's no one fsctor to it. Instead, I'd say it's a mix of these factors: 1. Luck, probably split down into: A: Genetic talent/skill B: Family/personal connections C: Timing/environmental circumstances 2. Determination, and the willingness not to give up early (may have a genetic component) 3. Hard work, and the skills developed from such With no particular factor being able to guarantee someone is successful, but all of them potentially being able to tip the balance that way. It basically seems to be a bunch of factors that'll either click into place or not depending on your current situation and that of the world around you.