What does it take to be better at chess

As a start, its worth looking at why Fischer was the best.

1. When anyone talked to him his answer was : "what's that got to do with chess?"

So- single mindedness, to devote all your time and energy towards mastery

2. His most famous quote about "crushing their ego"

So- will to win. His was double even that of Kasparov.

As Tal said of Fischer: "He plays to the bare Kings".

What other player does that today? What other player tries to win 6-0, rather than coast like Karpov did against Kasparov when up 5-0?

3. A story about him goes that he would analyze a position long after other players around him had given up.

So - concentration. His concentration and the associated analytical ability were more highly developed than anyone else. Botvinnik and the Russian GMs prepared a variation against him which he refuted at the board- astounding Botvinnik. Botvinnik was only able to save the draw thanks to adjournment analysis by all the Russian GMs.

I give 98 percent of my mental energy to chess. Others give only 2 percent. – Bobby Fischer