"Where you were born" The cost of living is different everywhere. You could live like a king in a country like Cambodia and be barely middle class in the US.

"Where you were born" The cost of living is different everywhere. You could live like a king in a country like Cambodia and be barely middle class in the US. "How much money your parents make" This doesn't really have to do much with success. I know plenty of people (myself included) that grew up with barely enough to scrape by and make much more than their parents. "What college you went to, if applicable" This helps, of course. Mostly because it is an example of being able to start and finish something that's difficult and stick with it until the end. Someone that can do this will most likely be successful in other areas of life. You also have companies like Google looking down on anyone that doesn't come from an elite college, which only makes it more difficult for everyone. "How much your prioritize making money" This is a big factor, but it is a choice. I have a friend that is college educated and intelligent. Hates the idea of making money and works a minimum wage job at 35 years old. The only reason she isn't living in poverty is because her husband is a manager at a major corporation and makes really good money. "For everyone else, understand the rules of the game and bend them as much as possibly" What a terrible outlook on life. The Internet has made it so anyone can start a business with almost no money. Instead of taking advantage of this, too many people waste their days on social media and instead try to lobby the government to give them a pay wage increase.