What gets a person furthest in this world: money, brains or looks?

I would say that studies support looks. But your question leaves a lot to interpretation. A person who inherits a lot of money is already far, far ahead in the world. But when's the last time you heard of a lottery winner getting... anywhere, beyond holiday resorts and possible early grave? People on the streets and the slums have the same brains as everybody else, and you could say they even have to use them more, but despite the stereotypical story, is there actually anybody who "got far" from the slums? Looks works though; there's an endless cavalcade of movie stars, supermodels and celebrities whose only gift seems to be that they meet (and, admittedly, sometimes define) the current standards of beauty.