"IS THAT LUCK ONLY WHICH MATTERS IN LIFE"

I am in a confusion regarding good luck and hard and smart work. How this two are related and impact our lives. In our day to day lives we normally see that people who are really hard working get the results after a long wait and people who are clever and smart workers do often better in their lives. Does this mean that in modern world, it is only luck and looks that matter and not your actual capabilities. I really want to figure this out, please can anybody help??

Working hard is something which everybody cannot do and that is why the smart work comes in. in today's fast moving world one should be more of a smart worker than a hard worker. But does that mean that one should just stop working hard thinking that nothing is going to benefit. Are hard workers on such a back seat. Is working hard becoming useless?

No, is what i feel. Because what I have learnt from life is that the hard workers reap benefits but that might happen later. God tests their patience, may be. No issues at all. The person who deserves to be their on top will reach their one day only with hard work and not by flattery. Its talent and attitude at the end of the day which takes you to great heights.

Can I then conclude by saying that the topic of debate remains- "Do means justify ends" or the means you follow to reach the top don't matter at all.