Sticktoitivness

The recipe for greatness isn't a big secret. 

Everyone seems to have this idea that if they read this book, or do this person's regimen, or have this guru's mindset, that they can achieve anything. I suppose some of that is true. I don't think those things will hurt you, or decrease your chance of success. 

First of all, if you want to be "great" (keep in mind that to some degree "greatness" is a subjective concept), you have to have above average ability in whatever thing your trying to be great at.

Greatness can be summed up formulaically as follows:

determination + ability + 10 years = the potential for success

The acquisition of knowledge on anything is irrelevant if it's unapplicable. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say "I read this book and I've learned so much from it," only to leave me wanting to ask: "Oh really. Prove it."

In fact, I recall once talking with someone who said, "There is no amount of money I would trade for what I learned reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad." And yet, this person doesn't own one piece of real estate and doesn't have 2 pennies to rub together. How was that book so valuable?

Another great example is the 48 Laws of Power. This is a book I've read more than once. I think it's a great book to read. Not necessarily from a practical standpoint, just from an entertaining standpoint. But if you have this idea that you're going to read that book an suddenly become this powerful person, you're either a sociopath or naive.

Are there concepts in books that are worth knowing? Absolutely. 

But if you don't have the ability or personality to apply what you're "learning" in those books, then it's useless. An overwhelming amount of one's knowledge is completely useless.

The amount of effort it would take to apply the "laws of power" to your life is a daunting task that would essentially require an entire personality makeover. You literally wouldn't be the same person, unless you were already a power-hungry sociopath who just didn't have the skillset to accomplish the power that you were after.

If you want to be great at anything worth being great at, the first thing you need to do is have the personality trait of sticktoitivness to devote yourself to that which you want to be great at for at least 10 years. Hardcore determination will override some deficiencies in ability, to the point that you can probably get good enough to be satisfied with your results.

Reading books, or acquiring information, could aid you on that journey, but it's not a shortcut for success. 

People love to recite cliches. One is "knowledge is power." 

Certainly knowing is half the battle, but the true relevance of knowledge comes from experience.