The always excellent "99%" website is really on a roll lately - this two part article called "The Future of Self-Improvement" is full of insights into which character traits seem to predict the greatest long-term successes.
The Future of Self-Improvement, Part I: Grit Is More Important Than Talent
The Future of Self-Improvement, Part II: The Dilemma of Coaching Yourself
The website's slogan is "It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen" and they're absolutely right - the best creative idea in the world is worthless without someone with the talent and perseverance to develop it into a state where it can go out into the world.
Well worth checking out. Here's some more from their About page:
“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”— Thomas Edison
At 99%, Behance's think tank, we focus on what happens after inspiration — researching the forces that truly push ideas to fruition. Our profiles of proven idea makers, action-oriented tips, best-practices sessions, and annual conference are all designed to help you transform ideas from vision to reality.
