The opposite view also implies some sort of cosmic order, it implies that "deserving" is some type of natural, objective currency and that X work must be perfor

The opposite view also implies some sort of cosmic order, it implies that "deserving" is some type of natural, objective currency and that X work must be performed to achieve it. But that's not how it is, "deserving happiness" or "deserving success" are self-defined thoughts. Did I "deserve" to eat ice cream yesterday? Yes I did, because I decided that I did. You're conflating these abstract concepts with a more scarcity mindset about whether you deserve a specific job or accolades or whatnot. If that's how you narrowly define your own success, then you yourself are deciding that you don't deserve it (assuming you're not realistically working towards that specific goal).