As far as I know, there are really two paths to doing great work:
1. Be great at what you do.
2. Surround yourself with people who are great at what they do.
In my experience, most people (but not all) who pick Path #1 end up coming across as prima donnas, douches, and tyrants. People who follow Path #2 (and genuinely try to contribute) seem to have more fun, more opportunities, and produce the best work. Ultimately, they end up in the place the Path #1-ers wanted to be anyway.
