Ambition is overrated. Hard work is ubiquitous.

Our lives have become LinkedIn. Hustle culture and the idolization of entrepreneurs, clapping emojis, and singing praises to the pantheon of billionaires is the mythological underpinning of the modern era. We're steeped in rituals of hungry ghosts peacocking for positions of power, influence, money, or whatever else capitalism promises us on the other side.

There is no end to the game of money and power. But where you start plays a big role in where you end up.

The self-made man is a misnomer. This mythical man is either a product of his generational wealth or early onset luck. A primary factor, usually out of one's direct control, is being in the right place at the right time.

I am not here to deride the rich. What I am balking against is the implicit worship of the rich. Why do we idolize Elon? Why do we drool at the feet of the newest successful entrepreneur?

Hot take: they are just people with the right circumstances. They are not special.

Before you come at me with your pitchforks, let me explain. Yes, they are probably very hardworking. They are probably smart. They are probably ambitious. They possess qualities—an inner drive and a strong work ethic—that have helped them get where they are. They are not lazy bums (well, probably not most of them).

Here's the thing: hard work is easy. It is ubiquitous. Everyone has the capacity to work hard. Hard work alone does not guarantee success.

Many, if not most, do work very hard. Many have dreams and ambition. Many are driven. These are not unique qualities. They do not make people highly successful—not in the realms of achieving full financial independence with many millions.

It is the confluence of luck, drive, hard work, and circumstance that offer the path, though not the guarantee, to high levels of success.

Here's my invitation: when you catch yourself crushing on an entrepreneur, ask yourself: why am I so charmed? What is the delta of where they started from to where they are? Do I like this person because of them or because of their accolades?

We may find ourselves humanizing these people off the idolized pedestals and see them as more level with us.