Being at the good place with the good people is indeed a very important factor for succeeding or not. In my first PhD experience in Japan my professor and the others just kept criticizing whatever I proposed for 3 years without giving me actionable ideas. The prof in the lab next door loved my research, sadly I found him too late to switch lab. Now I'm at a place with half of the people in the country that can understand fully another project of mine and give a shit (that's a grand number of 2 people), and my project already benefited from some of their data. Plus the director likes me too and includes my in the lab activity even if I'm not officially affiliated to the lab. Now, that's the environment I can succeed in. My take way is finding the right environment and people may be difficult, but it's crucial other even very good work is done for nothing.