Sometimes one just needs a little luck too—
Right place at right time..
In my belief and experience
its all about being prepared and then acting when luck happens.
Even then, take the example of Audie Murphy, a guy 5 feet 5 inches tall and underweight at 110 pounds. He was the most decorated American combat soldier of
World War II receiving every military combat award for valor available from the US Army in WWII — with that notoriety went on to a 21-year acting career. His exploits during WWII didn't guarantee a successful acting career — his talent in acting did that — but his exploits gave him the opportunity to show off his talents.
Anywhere along the line of his military career it was pure luck that he didn't catch a bullet and it would have ended. If it happened at the beginning no one would have heard of him.
.....Personally, I’ve always sided with the regular paycheck and bonus
There is no such thing as a regular paycheck and bonus, IMHO, it's all an illusion that if you rely on other peoples success (as an employee for them) it can all end when their success ends or hits a downturn.
As they said in the service "No balls, no medals" but many, many guys with balls didn't survive as they put themselves in the risky positions and you only hear about the very few that made it.