Val, I really enjoy your posts.
I'd add in stubbornness in there and actually argue you need to have some sort of balance between stubbornness and thoughtfulness.
I've worked with a number of gifted individuals, some who are the top of their field. DH and I both come from families filled with gifted individuals who vary in degree of success in their lives. I can actually think of two individuals in (one from DH's family and one from mine) who are very intelligent, creative, AND thoughtful but are unsuccessful. In both cases it's like their thoughtfulness consumed them and led them to depression. They seem to get overwhelmed with the tragedies in the world or how things are unfair and seem to get stuck. I can actually think of two fairly successful colleagues who could do much more with their lives but have the same problem. They get depressed because of politics or what they perceive as their own limitations.
Stubbornness is an extremely important goal. Einstein clearly was stubborn and couldn't let physics problems go despite his work situation. Feynman constantly questioned authority and wouldn't believe what others said. Part of that is thoughtfulness but you need stubbornness to stick with your own ideals and not be weighted down by the opinions of others (as I have seen happen many times).
I see stubbornness as a key ingredient that differentiates DH and myself. I just can't persevere through problems at work as well as he can. He as the ability to shut off the rest of the world and stick to his ideas. I just can't do that. He's also been much more successful at work and I think that's a key ingredient.
The problem with stubbornness is that many people have it and don't have the other key ingredients too. That's why you always hear about crackpot scientists that try and go rogue and claim they have the answer to everything but nobody else will listen. Sure, this has happened on a few occasions but it's definitely the exception more than the rule.
