We can seek to rationalize the worst behavior by pointing to outliers (famously successful people). But no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed, or disconnected. Even if these traits are correlated or associated with certain well-known individuals, so are a few others: addiction, abuse (of themselves and others), depression, mania.

In fact, what we see when we study these people is that they did their best work in the moments when they fought back against these impulses, disorders, and flaws.

Only when free of ego and baggage can anyone perform to their utmost.