I guess we could discuss what "success" means, and what "get lucky" means.
The first choice reads horrible, as in, as formulated, only an individual not actually interested in science but on the accolades would do that.
The second choice is, to me, academic research as usual. It's amazing how much a laptop, experience, ingenuity, and a network of friends and collaborators can accomplish, even without a budget. And the journey and the nurturing personal relationships are the reward; the end goal is always yet another metaphorical lush valley, jungle, or sea floor to explore.