Just for the record, Barack Obama was born in the United States, as all Presidents must have been, and did not start life as a lecturer but, rather, as a baby.
However, the overwhelming evidence suggests the contrary, that hard work has nothing to do with success and is actually counterproductive.
This is a very interesting point and could be the center of a persuasive essay. But, alas, it doesn't match the rest of the essay, which appears to offer a recipe for success rather than arguing a point. What, exactly, was the question you were answering?