Vision

You need a vision of who you are and where your field is going. A suitable parable is that of the drunken sailor. He staggers one way and then the other with independent random steps. In $n$ steps he will be, on the average, about $\sqrt n$ steps away from where he started. But if there is a pretty girl in one direction he will get a distance proportional to $n$. The difference, over a life time of choices, between $\sqrt n$ and $n$ is very large and represents the difference between having no vision and having a vision. The particular vision you have is less important than just having one -there are many paths to success. Therefore it is wise to have a vision of what you may become, of where you want to go. as well as how to get there. No vision, not much chance of doing great work; with a vision you have good chance.

Another topic I must discuss is that of age. Historically, the greatest contributions of mathematicians, theoretical physicists, and astrophysicists are done when they are young. On the other hand, apparently in music composition, politics, and literature, the later works are most valued by society. Other area seem to fall in between these two extremes, and you need to realize that in some areas you had better get going promptly.

People often complain about the working conditions they have to put up with, but it is easily observed that some of the greatest work was done under unfavorable conditions. What most people believe is the best working conditions for them, is seldom, if ever, true. In my opinion the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton has ruined more good people than it has helped. You only have to judge their work before they were appointed and afterwards to come to this conclusion. There are exceptions, to be sure, but on the average the ideal working conditions seem to sterilize people.

Another obvious trait of great people is that they do their work in such a fashion that others can build on top of it. Newton said, ``If I have seen farther than others it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants.'' Too many people seem not to want others to build on top of their work but they rather want to hoard it to themselves. Don't do things in such a fashion that next time it must be repeated by you, or by others, but rather in a way that represents a significant step forward.