This is a great quote and one that tends to bring out a lot of different perspectives. You can get to know a person's life view a little bit just by their reaction to this quote. I do believe in luck. As my mom always said, so many things in life are about timing. Sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time, or you know the right person. That's not hard work on your part but rather luck, or something akin to it. However, if you're not prepared to make the most of those opportunites then the chance could easily pass you by. That's where the hard work comes into play!
For example, I worked in the mental health field for over 7 years but wanted to make a change to teaching and work in the same school district as my children. There were no openings and other obstacles stood in my way. I went ahead and prepared anyhow. I researched what I needed to do to get a teaching license. While on maternity leave, I studied and took the test that got me my teaching license. I prepared! Shortly after returning back to my job, I applied to my children's school system as an aid, the only open position out there. You don't need a teaching license for that position and I would have been unable to afford the pay cut, but thought perhaps I could get my foot in the door. I was called in to interview and they hired me for a teaching position that wasn't even posted! The school system has an alternative placement site where kids are court-ordered to live if they've been in trouble with the law, and my background in mental health was a perfect fit. If I hadn't prepared, I would not have been able to take advantage of that opportunity. Some may say it's a higher power rather than luck, but none the less I was ready for it!
This does not negate the hard work I put in of course. As someone who's jokingly referred to herself as unlucky throughout life, I certainly felt lucky with the timing and how everything worked out! I've never experienced someone dismissing my hard work as luck, so I can't speak as to how that would feel. Have others experienced that? I'd be interested to know your response. I have had people dismiss me or assume me less intelligent because I'm a woman and I wonder if it might feel similar, but I suppose that's a topic for another time.