Prolific Workaholics:
A Case Study
August 2nd, 2010
“I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”
Leonardo da Vinci, if you didn’t already know, was a painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist, mathematician, engineer, and apparently, quite a workaholic. To read his list of accomplishments aloud requires several deep, replenishing breaths. Notable in his accomplishments was the conceptualization of flying machines – airplanes – 400 years before their manufacture.
Now, I’ve built some wicked paper airplanes, but that’s it. My accomplishments feel a little hollow in comparison. This got me thinking. Why is it that some people can accomplish so much? What experiences spur them? What circumstances enable them? In looking for the answer, I drew up a list of people I consider prolific. Then I searched for clues in biographies and online. Here are the results.
The Workaholics
I use the term workaholic with negative connotations removed. I’ve dubbed the following folks workaholics merely because they’re able to pump out a remarkable amount of content. This is respectable, even if you plop out the occasional stinker. You miss 100% of the shots you never take, right?
Without further ado…
CC: Flanker
Agatha Christie, writer: Sales of Christie’s works have exceeded that of every other modern author. She’s second only to the Bible, and possibly Shakespeare if you want to nitpick. Her grandfather was an army captain, her first fiancé a gunner, and her first husband a lieutenant. Coupled with a stint as a nurse during WWI, a military form of discipline may well have been imparted on her. At least one biographer has said her consistent crafting of mystery novels could be attributed to a need of income. She did indeed have many estates and servants to pay for. Materialistic, perhaps, but who wouldn’t want a butler?
CC: Zohar Elkayam
Chris Rock, comedian: Rock grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a hardworking father and a tough but caring mother. His father worked overtime on multiple jobs and impressed upon Chris the importance of hard work. Rock’s IMDB profile shows year after year of impressive appearances, with consistency going back to the eighties. Nowadays he’s cutting his teeth as a producer, which provides all the money of acting, without actually having to act. A far cry from working overtime on three jobs, no?
CC: Ed Costello
Paula Radcliffe, athlete: Multiple world record holding Radcliffe got off to a running start, the daughter of involved and athletic parents. She was paired with an excellent trainer at an early age. Good fortune only gave her a solid footing, with the rest of her career driven though dedication. She married her trainer, was running 14 miles per day well into her pregnancy, and racked up several major marathon wins over the last few years. Her current best marathon time is 2:15, which means she can casually outrun me at my fastest sprint, and then keep up the pace for another couple hours just to really rub it in.
Nikola Tesla, engineer: Tesla was the son of a strict Orthodox priest. Tesla’s mother was a housewife who laboured ceaselessly during all waking hours. It is said that in university, Tesla’s professors wrote a letter to his father, warning that his son might be compromising his health through overwork. In his adult life, he practically lived in his laboratory. Good thing he did because we’re really benefiting from that “electricity” stuff he invented.
Da Vinci, polymath: The illegitimate son of a wealthy notary and a peasant woman – possibly a slave – da Vinci, it seems, had something to prove. He sought out commissions that challenged himself to develop new skills, rather than simply reusing old ones. He also found a rival in Michelangelo, the competition between the two inspiring several celebrated works of art. Da Vinci was even said to practice polyphasic sleep, napping in brief intervals through the day in order to sleep less hours in total. I get exhausted just reading about his life… imagine living it!
I suppose what I take from this research is that success in life is a combination of two things: what you have handed to you, and what you take on your own. Some people are born into families that can help them achieve greatness in their field. Others aren’t. But in all cases, a well-crafted work ethic can work wonders.
