Thomas Edison’s famous “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” springs to mind but successful people who claim that ‘damn hard work’ was what brought them success don’t seem as rare as you imply here.
A quote that would be at least as credible in Edison’s case (and in general): “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent taking credit for other people’s work.”
A quote that would be at least as credible in Edison’s case (and in general): “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent taking credit for other people’s work.”