I used to think that putting in the hard work was everything. That's what my parents taught me. Now I see how significantly the systems in which we operate eith

I used to think that putting in the hard work was everything. That's what my parents taught me. Now I see how significantly the systems in which we operate either allow hard working people to capture their value, versus having the value extracted from their hard work. Recent examples I can think of are: 1) Thousands of extremely hardworking athletes at the top of their sport, in their prime, who have had their value captured by the NCAA, instead of by the athletes themselves. 2) Scientists who have worked hard to invent novel technology but who have been blocked by institutions from licensing the technology they invent or being supported to further that technology. 3) Entrepreneurs who work incredibly hard and have their time, energy, and money drained by patent trolls who use the legal system to extract value. 4) Business owners who have to compete in a marketplace with VC-backed companies that can operate at a loss for years until they monopolize the market. I could go on, but I'm not surprised that people are questioning whether hard work is enough. In many cases it's not. It's hard work + the system in which you are operating + having the connections and resources to fight entities that will inevitably try to leach off of your hard work.