--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have generally sought to work on…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/jack-w-szostak-40620_appreciated_i-have-generally-sought-to-work-on-quest_2848029.jpg" --- # 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/jack-w-szostak-40620_appreciated_i-have-generally-sought-to-work-on-quest_2848029.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/jack-w-szostak-40620_appreciated_i-have-generally-sought-to-work-on-quest_2848029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/jack-w-szostak-40620_appreciated_i-have-generally-sought-to-work-on-quest_2848029.jpg) > “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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciated/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries/) [Discoveries Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries-short-3773039/) [Futile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futile/) [Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generally/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Approachable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-approachable-3773040/) [Later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-discoveries-276791/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Short time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-time/) [Sought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sought/) [Sought Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sought-work-3773041/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-interesting-311560/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Widely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/widely/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [It took only seconds for me to make these discoveries, but even in that short time, my stomach nearly jumped through my mouth trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/it-took-only-seconds-for-me-to-make-these-discoveries-but-even-in/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I'm not sought after. I never get enough work. It's the history of my career. There just isn't anything to turn down, let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-asner/i-m-not-sought-after-i-never-get-enough-work-it-s-the-history-of-my/) [Ed Asner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-asner/) > [When I write, I make discoveries about my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carson-levine/when-i-write-i-make-discoveries-about-my-feelings/) [Gail Carson Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carson-levine/) > [...It would be possible to make much more progress than has been made if the NCI knew its job better, knew how to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/it-would-be-possible-to-make-much-more-progress-than-has-been-made-if/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [It has often been said that, to make discoveries, one must be ignorant. This opinion, mistaken in itself, nevertheless conceals a truth. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/it-has-often-been-said-that-to-make-discoveries-one-must-be-ignorant/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [“The most important thing is not to work on things that other people are working on because otherwise all you'll do is get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jewitt/the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-work-on-things-that-other-people-2/) [David Jewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jewitt/) > [The secret of all those who make discoveries is that they regard nothing as impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-von-liebig/the-secret-of-all-those-who-make-discoveries-is-that-they-regard/) [Justus von Liebig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justus-von-liebig/) > [ We make our discoveries while in the state \[of high functioning\] because then we are clear-sighted. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/we-make-our-discoveries-while-in-the-state-of-high-functioning/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [To make discoveries, you have to be curious about why the universe is the way it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/to-make-discoveries-you-have-to-be-curious-about-why-the-universe-is/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I want to make my own discoveries…….penetrate the evil which attracts me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-want-to-make-my-own-discoveries-penetrate-the-evil-which-attracts-me/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [We make our discoveries through our mistakes: we watch one another's success: and where there is freedom to experiment there is hope to improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-our-discoveries-through-our-mistakes-we-watch-one-another-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The most important thing is not to work on things that other people are working on because otherwise all you'll do is get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jewitt/the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-work-on-things-that-other-people/) [David Jewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jewitt/) > [ \[Those\] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/those-who-have-an-excessive-faith-in-their-theories-or-in-their-ideas/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [There seems to be one quality of mind which seems to be of special and extreme advantage in leading him to make discoveries. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-darwin/there-seems-to-be-one-quality-of-mind-which-seems-to-be-of-special/) [Francis Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-darwin/) > [“he would have been the first to scoff at the notion of labeling himself anything other than an explorer. His words to me were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-holley/he-would-have-been-the-first-to-scoff-at-the-notion-of-labeling/) [Val Holley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-holley/) ## More by Jack W. Szostak > [I greatly enjoy reading the biographies of scientists, and when doing so I always hope to learn the secrets of their success. Alas, those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-w-szostak/i-greatly-enjoy-reading-the-biographies-of-scientists-and-when-doing/) [Jack W. Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-w-szostak/) > [What do cells do when they see a broken piece of DNA? Cells don't like such breaks. 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Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-w-szostak/) > [I remember in 1967, when there was that terrible fire on NASA's Apollo 1 rocket that killed three astronauts, my father made pure oxygen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-w-szostak/i-remember-in-1967-when-there-was-that-terrible-fire-on-nasa-s-apollo/) [Jack W. Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-w-szostak/) > [In my lab, we're interested in the transition from chemistry to early biology on the early earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-w-szostak/in-my-lab-we-re-interested-in-the-transition-from-chemistry-to-early/) [Jack W. Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-w-szostak/) [Explore all 10 Jack W. Szostak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-w-szostak/) ## More Appreciated quotes > [Art is art when it is appreciated by someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isao-tomita/art-is-art-when-it-is-appreciated-by-someone/) [Isao Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isao-tomita/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [You know, your sarcasm isn’t appreciated right now. I’ve been drugged, beaten, nearly raped, saved, drugged again, hijacked, and now threatened by you. Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-your-sarcasm-isn-t-appreciated-right-now-i-ve-been-drugged/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The Spanish never appreciated me like the British.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seve-ballesteros/the-spanish-never-appreciated-me-like-the-british/) [Seve Ballesteros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seve-ballesteros/) > [What I appreciated was the fact that the script delved into how Australians were - and still are - condescended to by the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/what-i-appreciated-was-the-fact-that-the-script-delved-into-how/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [For once I feel appreciated and not someone to show off constantly smiling and knowing how amazing you are, I just want make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-once-i-feel-appreciated-and-not-someone-to-show-off-constantly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sometimes find that my family's emphasis on stories, characters, and art that appeals directly to children rather than over their heads to adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/i-sometimes-find-that-my-family-s-emphasis-on-stories-characters-and/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. 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