But the key is your statement that you took advantage of the opportunities you got. THAT will make you a success in any climate.
While I consider myself a success, I will never deny that I had opportunities others have not had, along with NOT having had opportunities others have had; I'm not a great athlete, do not possess a genius IQ, am too scatter-brained to focus on one specific task...but I maximized my chances and didn't squander them.
But I have made the most of my opportunities (to paraphrase Woody Allen, 90% of success is just showing up), and I have none of the guilt that liberals feel successful people should have.
Have I had breaks? You bet. Doesn't diminish my accomplishments one iota.