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38 year old math PhD checking in. Guess I missed my shot. Oh well.

by rcpt 4y ago

numerik_meister 4y ago
I'm only in my late 20s but have managed to rid myself of the pursuit/worry/desire/envy of being a great mathematician. What I worry about now is how to approach the subject with my children. Because on one hand I do not want them to not be ambitious as younglings. But I also do not want them to experience the crushing disappointment of realizing they are not talented, as that was one of the hardest bitter pills of my life.
- nindalf 4y ago
  When I read things like this I feel happy that I went to high school with some truly extraordinary people. I already grew up knowing I wasn’t that talented compared to the real talented people. Now I’m at peace with being just a person. I don’t expect more from myself than just trying my best. I only get disappointed if my effort is lacking.
- noisy_boy 4y ago
  I had similar feelings of lack of talent when I was doing my higher maths/stats. Then I realized that I don't really love either; that realization prompted me to drop out and through a series of serendipitous events, I ended up learning computers. That is when I realized that I really love programming. And that ensured that I don't have any crushing disappointments with respect to the probable lack of my talent in programming; even though I am never going to be even close to being the best in the field, its fine - I just love it.
- rowanG077 4y ago
  Honestly if you are a mathematician you are already at the top of humanity in terms of cognition. Saying that is not talent is quite something. But I guess I can understand if you see yourself in relation to other mathematicians.
nus07 4y ago
You got a PhD in math. That alone makes you way smarter than me and the majority of the world population .
- avip 4y ago
  "Tie a donkey to a balcony in MIT and in 7y he has a PhD"
thinkharderdev 4y ago
You've still got 2 years!
- williamstein 4y ago
  The Fields Medals are only awarded every four years.
madcaptenor 4y ago
me too! (I got out of the research game two years after my PhD, so it's not like there was any doubt.)

38 year old math PhD checking in. Guess I missed my shot. Oh well.

by rcpt 4y ago

38 year old math PhD checking in. Guess I missed my shot. Oh well.

I'm only in my late 20s but have managed to rid myself of the pursuit/worry/desire/envy of being a great mathematician. What I worry about now is how to approach the subject with my children. Because on one hand I do not want them to not be ambitious as younglings. But I also do not want them to experience the crushing disappointment of realizing they are not talented, as that was one of the hardest bitter pills of my life.

nindalf 4y ago
When I read things like this I feel happy that I went to high school with some truly extraordinary people. I already grew up knowing I wasn’t that talented compared to the real talented people. Now I’m at peace with being just a person. I don’t expect more from myself than just trying my best. I only get disappointed if my effort is lacking.
noisy_boy 4y ago
I had similar feelings of lack of talent when I was doing my higher maths/stats. Then I realized that I don't really love either; that realization prompted me to drop out and through a series of serendipitous events, I ended up learning computers. That is when I realized that I really love programming. And that ensured that I don't have any crushing disappointments with respect to the probable lack of my talent in programming; even though I am never going to be even close to being the best in the field, its fine - I just love it.
rowanG077 4y ago
Honestly if you are a mathematician you are already at the top of humanity in terms of cognition. Saying that is not talent is quite something. But I guess I can understand if you see yourself in relation to other mathematicians.

nus07 4y ago

You got a PhD in math. That alone makes you way smarter than me and the majority of the world population .

avip 4y ago
"Tie a donkey to a balcony in MIT and in 7y he has a PhD"

thinkharderdev 4y ago

You've still got 2 years!

williamstein 4y ago
The Fields Medals are only awarded every four years.

madcaptenor 4y ago

me too! (I got out of the research game two years after my PhD, so it's not like there was any doubt.)