Do you think success comes from hard work or luck?

• A. It depends on your definition of success.
• B. Hard work always guarantees success.
• C. Luck always determines success.
• D. Both hard work and luck can play roles depending on the definition of success.

Answer: (D)

Think about what you’d call success in a given situation. The amount of effort you put in clearly builds skills, discipline, and resilience, which raise your chances of achieving something you value. But outcomes often hinge on chance, timing, or external factors beyond your control. When you define success differently—sometimes as steady growth, other times as a single achievement—the balance shifts accordingly. In the real world, success usually comes from a mix: hard work lays the groundwork, and luck or favorable circumstances can turn that groundwork into a realized result. That nuance is why the best answer says both hard work and luck can play roles depending on how you define success.