Hermann Hesse. The glass bead game (№ 457279)

Another may be a star of the first magnitude in ability, willpower, perseverance, but he is so well centered that he rotates in the system to which he belongs, without any friction or unnecessary expenditure of energy. Another has the same talents, even more beautiful, but his axis does not pass exactly through the center, and he spends half of his strength on eccentric movements, which weaken him and disturb those around him.