A fulfilling life

Apropos of nothing, a question for the day

Would you rather live a full life, full of fun and frolic, and live to be 90+ writing numerous mediocre short pieces, and a few mediocre novels or live a troubled life and die at age 44... but write what is arguably the greatest American* novel of the century?

Note: The examples I link to are only illustrative and I do not mean to compare the two writers. You could write the greatest Indian novel or greatest country-of-your-choice novel, for all I care!