Do you think success is dependent mostly on luck, on ability, or on pull? 64% Ability 11% Luck 21% Pull 4% No opinion Source: Office of Public Opinion Research, Roosevelt Survey
Agree/Disagree "Good luck is just as important as hard work for success." 44% Agree 54% Disagree 2% Don't know Source: U.S. Civil Rights Commission
Agree/Disagree: For me, good luck is more important than hard work for success. 77% Net Disagree 17% Agree 7% Uncertain Source: Amalgam Survey, National Opinion Research Center
Agree/Disagree: "In my company, success is mainly a matter of luck. It doesn't matter how hard you work." 63% Net Disagree 21% Neutral 16% Net Agree Source: Time/Yankelovich, Skelly & White Poll
Please tell me which two or three of these qualities are the most likely to lead to financial success...Family wealth, intelligence, street smarts, connections to important people, hard work, willingness to take risks, luck, ambition, a college education, ruthlessness, guts, careful planning. 59% Hard work 42% Careful planning 37% Ambition 34% Intelligence 31% College education 15% Willingness to take risks 15% Connections 14% Luck 12% Family wealth 5% Street smarts 5% Guts 2% Ruthlessness Source: Survey Of America's Inner Financial Life, Roper Starch Worldwide
What do you think matters most for getting ahead in life today--a good education, hard work, saving and smart spending decisions, knowing the right people, coming from a wealthy family, natural ability, or luck? 36% A good education 28% Hard work 14% Saving and smart spending decisions 8% Knowing the right people 5% Coming from a wealthy family 3% Natural ability 2% Luck 2% Other (Vol.) 1% Don't know 1% Refused Source: Gallup Poll
Do you think being wealthy is mostly a matter of luck or hard work? (If both, ask:) But would it be mostly luck or mostly hard work? 21% Luck 74% Hard work 5% Don't know/Refused Source: Money and The American Family Survey, AARP
I am going to read you two statements. After I read both statements, please tell me which comes closer to your own opinion. You might agree to some extent with both, but we want to know which one is closer to your own views....Some people say that people get ahead by their own hard work, others say that lucky breaks or help from other people are more important. Which do you think is more important? 81% Hard work 15% Luck/Help from other people 5% Don't know Source: Reason-Rupe Poll
Have most wealthy people earned their wealth by being successful in a career or do most wealthy people receive their wealth through inheritance? 59% Most wealthy people have earned their wealth by being successful in a career 28% Most wealthy people receive their wealth through inheritance 13% Not sure Rasmussen July 2012
