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We're not rolling our eyes at the idea of persistence or hard work.
We're rolling our eyes at the fact that you think this is a novel or brilliant idea, at least enough to bother sharing.
It communicates a level of out-of-touch self-aggrandizement that is laughable.
I agree that people should be in a mindset to be persistent, but I think “God helps those who help themselves” or “fortune favors the bold” may be more applicable. 
Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is literally impossible, and that phrase used to mean that very thing. From Wikipedia (I know, I know):
In original use, often used to refer to pulling oneself over a fence, and implying that someone is attempting or has claimed some ludicrously far-fetched or impossible task. >

This is going make people pop a forehead vein. >

Agreed. It's a stupid saying to begin with seeing as the original context was talking about literally trying to lift yourself by pulling your bootstraps is impossible, but the meaning behind the phrase can be good advice. The world sucks a lot and it's sadly common to find yourself in tough situations, but no matter how much help you can get, self discipline and working hard can go a long way. >

"Don't tell people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps! Just tell them to work hard. I'm sure that thought has never occurred to them." >

Many if not most work hard. They just work hard at the wrong things. Or they work hard now but didn’t when they were 15-23 years old. Working hard to learn in-demand skills is critical when you are at the age where you actually have the opportunity.