They'll always talk about how many hours they put in at the gym; how they gave their life to the game; etc.

My Dad will reliably cut in with a comment like "And it sure didn't hurt when you turned out to be 6' 8"!"

Working hard is absolutely essential (although some of these pro athletes don't work all that hard—genetics and talent can allow for a lot of partying and hard living) but hard work by itself isn't enough to get anyone there.