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I have generally sought to work on questions that I…

“I have generally sought to work on questions that I thought were both interesting and approachable, yet not too widely appreciated. To struggle to make discoveries that would be made by others a short time later seems futile to me.” quote by Jack W. Szostak
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“I have generally sought to work on questions that I thought were both interesting and approachable, yet not too widely appreciated. To struggle to make discoveries that would be made by others a short time later seems futile to me.”

Jack W. Szostak

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pursuing interesting, approachable yet under‑appreciated questions avoids redundant discoveries.

In simple terms: Seek unique, approachable questions.

Key Takeaway

Target novel, tractable problems.

Themes

research innovation originality efficiency

Mood

reflective strategic

Type

philosophical professional

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • startup R&D
  • grant writing

Key Concepts

science philosophy epistemology career strategy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What under‑explored problem excites you?
  • How do you assess a question’s originality?
A Different Perspective

Novelty may be hard to gauge; risk of low impact.

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