My observation is that personal beliefs are not what determines 'success' in an individual. One can be Muslim, Christian, atheist, agnostic, Buddhist and still be successful. Personal beliefs or religious views do not determine whether people become 'successful'. A person may be completely irrational with respects to personal beliefs, yet behave rationally in pursuit of a specific goal they may have. A person may also be rational, and have desires, yet convince themselves they have no such desire, because they cannot bring themselves to believe that they can achieve that goal. So, why are some people more successful at achieving the goals they set for themselves than others?