Intelligence and an understanding of the market helps out a lot, too. You can be determined and focused and making something, and it could not be that successful (assuming success in making a lot of money is your goal)
I'm not debating your position on whether or not Steve did the polyphasic sleep, but none of those links don't really have much actual evidence of him being(or specifically call him) a liar or a charlatan.
I lived in Japan for two years in a rural/semi-urban area. It was only about 2 hours from Tokyo, so I have seen the difference between urban and rural life.
Two things come to mind with this:
1) The huge divide between big business and small business. There are so many small businesses in Japan that don't scale. They run from small run-down shops run by old people to super-trendy, artisan shops run by young people. Most of these younger people just want to run a small artisan-type business, they're not interested in being a part of the next big thing, or going public, looking for investor backing, etc.. These businesses are essentially confined to a community and neighborhood. The largest I've seen is one that spreads across the prefecture.
On the other end, you have the zaibatsu/keiretsu, which are run by oligarchies (Mitsubishi, etc.). A lot of young businesses talent is driven to these companies because they run essentially everything. I feel like this is what's driving the economy, and it's also not a part of the consciousness of the everyday Japanese person.
2) Japan's global stance. Japan is very traditional and modern in very awkward and confusing ways. People may have high definition TVs, but they live in hundred-year old houses with antiquated heating systems.
A friend once told me that Japan may be inefficient or wrong in some ways, but Japanese people like it and want it that way, and they are willing to work hard for it.
I feel like maybe the whole Japanese economic boom was some type of fluke. It was an odd advantage that a naturally introverted society had, and the economy is just going back to the way it was always supposed to be. I don't know if they're supposed to have a large economy, or really want one if it comes with a certain price.
He has a copy of his company's and his own personal management document, Principles, on his hedge fund's site. It's a really good and interesting read.
