George R. R. Martin struggles with procrastination
One of the world’s preeminent fantasy writers, there’s no doubting George R. R. Martin’s genius. But fans of his A Song of Ice and Fire series, which began in 1991 with A Game of Thrones, are well aware of his fatal flaw: procrastination. The most recent novel, A Dance with Dragons, was published more than a decade ago, with two more novels supposedly on the way.
Warren Buffett is addicted to Coca-Cola
Warren Buffett is one of the world’s richest people and probably the most successful investor of all time. But the 92-year-old is also hopelessly addicted to soda, drinking as many as five cans of Coca-Cola a day. Initially a Pepsi drinker, Buffett switched after tasting Cherry Coke in the mid-80s and hasn’t looked back.
Bill Gates interrupted people to criticise them
While tech impresario Bill Gates has sought to work on this problem since he was running the show at Microsoft, an interview with Inc reveals that “he would regularly berate other Microsoft execs if he found flaws in their work or what they had to say. He was known to interrupt people mid-presentation with comments such as, ‘That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.'”
Albert Einstein was incredibly messy
Einstein wasn’t just smart: the wispy-haired scientist has these days become the short-hand for intelligence itself. So it might surprise you to learn that the man who devised e=mc², revealing the order of the cosmos, was nowhere near as tidy himself. This picture, taken by LIFE magazine soon after his death, reveals the disarray in which he worked.
Tom Cruise bites his nails
Tom Cruise has, since the 80s, been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But Cruise’s reputation as international action man and swoonworthy hearthrob took a hit when it was revealed that he bites his nails. The compulsive habit is thought to be a stress-relief exercise, or brought on by boredom.
Marie Curie never took breaks
Marie Curie won the Nobel prize for Chemistry not once but twice, and her outstanding success in an overwhelmingly male scientific elite cemented her place in the history books. Yet while her work ethic was in some senses commendable, her inability to take breaks was a factor in her eventual death from radiation poisoning.
Stephen King drinks six cups of coffee per day
Let’s be honest: it’s far better to be addicted to coffee than other, more dangerous substances – and as a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, renowned horror writer Stephen King could tell you that from experience. Still, the inhumanly prolific King allegedly drinks six cups of coffee per day, which is near enough double the recommended limit.
Thomas Edison took naps
Thomas Edison is America’s most famous inventor, credited with the lightbulb, the phonograph, the alkaline storage battery and many more. However, unlike many of today’s entrepreneurs who tend to boast about how little sleep they get, Edison was positively narcoleptic, taking several naps throughout the day.
Madonna chews gum loudly
Madonna is one of the most successful musicians of all time, selling more than 300 million records. But she also chews gum with her mouth open. The most famous critic of this habit is one Donald Trump, who (according to niece Mary Trump) apparently complained that the Queen of Pop chewed loudly and unattractively.
Neil Armstrong was incredibly shy
You might think that global fame would endow someone with a certain level of confidence – but the first man on the Moon would prove otherwise. Neil Armstrong so shy, in fact, that he refused autograph requests from 1994 until his death in 2012. He also snubbed various reunion events with the more vivacious Buzz Aldrin (who once famously, and confidently, punched a conspiracy theorist).
