The myriad poor (and good) micro-decisions I've made notwithstanding, I don't believe you can substantially deviate from the fate life has dealt you.

It's what Turks call "Kismet".

If you are supposed to be a dog-catcher, that's what you will be. You can struggle and improve and become a somewhat more successful dog-catcher but you won't become the next Elon Musk no matter what you do.

How much has Elon Musk or Donald Trump have done to become what they are?

Their success does not correlate with their input/effort. Not even close.

In fact the whole "work hard and you will be successful" mantra is pure BS. You can waste your entire life working dawn to dusk and still end up essentially the same thing.

I do admit having made questionable decisions which only solidified the above. Even these decisions seemed like Kismet. I did not know any better at the time, could not have known, did not have anyone in life to mentor me in the right direction and 1000 and 1 other factors outside of my control.