Warren Buffett, was not known much about outside his inner circle till the end on 20th century. By the 2000s he started becoming a household name.
He is the number one investor in terms of his wealth, not in terms of his average annualized long term returns. In terms of returns he is way behind.
His 90% of sucess was to do with time and the tenacity with which he focused through the long span of time.
What seperates is the depth over a long strech of time. Not being spread into too many things over a short duration.