On one hand I would say that you are right. If someone is successfull and takes cocaine, it does not mean that you taking cocaine will make you successful. If he has green hair, you having green hair will make you successful.
But: people who work hard and in a smart manner should be copied in a way that the other person should work hard and smart as well.
If not, you are saying that they should not try to learn a thing or two from successful people and that there is no way to become successful.
If you cannot learn something from successful people from who can you learn something?? One thing is for sure... one cannot learn anything from those so-called teachers at public-schools... those are really the worst persons...
even so, still doesn't work since all contexts are different.
I am saying that learning from all people is the best way to go. There is no need to focus only on the successful ones. Heck, you can even learn more from the unsuccessful ones.
Public teaching is useless