Question of Poverty

What causes some people to struggle to overcome incredible odds to succeed in life...achieving wealth, family cohesiveness, fame, etc., etc., etc...while others who have similar opportunities to overcome the odds against them but simply don't try, or don't try hard enough? Is it intellect? Is it some sort of inate capability to fight? Is it nature or nurture? I wish I knew. I read of people who spent years living under bridges, using public restrooms, scraping together bits and pieces for their tiny families, yet working hard to overcome...and succeeding in rising out of poverty and building lucrative careers. And I read about and encounter people who couldn't overcome C- grades in high school to accomplish basic stuff, like getting a job and going to work every day. On the one hand, I feel that those who don't ever rise from poverty probably never got a break...but on the other hand, some of those who succeed didn't get a break, either, they made their own opportunities. Where is the answer? Is it somewhere in between?

My gut tells me it is a mixture. Some people will overcome the most insurmountable odds simply because they refuse to give up. Others will not overcome the slightest barrier simply because they view every barrier as impossible. I suspect that slight difference in experiences can make the difference between being a survivor and a loser. One wrong word, one hapless experience, one positive mentor...any one of them can make the difference. I wish I could capture the positive motivators and bottle them...and then give the bottles away.