My instructor in a corporate decision making class talked, ironically about luck in this way

He and his college friend just received PhDs. He was hired by a consulting firm. His friend took a job in wall street.

At Christmas they got together. The friend told him of the time his "firm" manager called him into the office. The manager handed him an envelope and said this is your bonus. The friend said he was so new he didnt think he would get one.

He thanked his boss and left his office.

The friend returned to the bosses office shortly after opening the envelope. He said to his boss "there must be some mistake."

The boss said no, there isn't. We have a small group [of 13 he said later] and this is your share.

My instructor wondered out loud if he should have taken a job in wall street too.

The check in his friends envelope was for $5,000,000