You are correct that work is the way to free oneself by pushing yourself to advance. For the vast majority getting down to the grind will determine whether they will succeed or not I do wish to point out though that luck does have a part to play.
A friend of mine won the lottery and was able to change his life, so there is that..
Oh, and the fact that some of the wealthiest people alive today gained a sizable portion of it through inheritance. It is not hard to make money if you have money.