--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went into physics to hang around with…" description: "\"“I went into physics to hang around with the bright kids. I wasn’t doing anything else and I didn’t want to look dumb, so I thought I’d pretend to be a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/leon-max-lederman-106434_leon_i-went-into-physics-to-hang-around-with_219265.jpg" --- # I went into physics to hang around with the bright kids. I… ![“I went into physics to hang around with the bright kids. I wasn’t doing anything else and I didn’t want to look dumb, so I thought I’d pretend to be a physicist, just like the others. It was five or ten years after my Ph.D. before I realized I was pretty good.” quote by Leon Max Lederman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/leon-max-lederman-106434_leon_i-went-into-physics-to-hang-around-with_219265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/leon-max-lederman-106434_leon_i-went-into-physics-to-hang-around-with_219265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/leon-max-lederman-106434_leon_i-went-into-physics-to-hang-around-with_219265.jpg) > ““I went into physics to hang around with the bright kids. I wasn’t doing anything else and I didn’t want to look dumb, so I thought I’d pretend to be a physicist, just like the others. It was five or ten years after my Ph.D. before I realized I was pretty good.”” Leon Max Lederman ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial self‑doubt can mask latent ability; competence often emerges after prolonged immersion and perseverance. **In simple terms:** Doubt hides true skill. Key Takeaway Persist to discover your competence. Themes Self-doubt Persistence Skill development Science Humor Mood humorous encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - Graduate studies - research projects - teaching Key Concepts Physics Career development Questions to Reflect On - When did you realize you were capable? - How can you support others doubting themselves? A Different Perspective Self‑deception may delay progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) ## Related quotes > [A physicist is just an atom's way of looking at itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niels-bohr/a-physicist-is-just-an-atom-s-way-of-looking-at-itself/) [Niels Bohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niels-bohr/) > [“I'm convinced that Theoretical Physicist is just another way of saying BS Artist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-cassels/i-m-convinced-that-theoretical-physicist-is-just-another-way-of/) J.C. Cassels > [Cambridge was the place for someone from the Colonies or the Dominions to go on to, and it was to the Cavendish Laboratory that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-klug/cambridge-was-the-place-for-someone-from-the-colonies-or-the/) [Aaron Klug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-klug/) > [I went to engineering school, I went to physics class. I said, 'Screw this, I don't want to be here. I'd much rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/i-went-to-engineering-school-i-went-to-physics-class-i-said-screw/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [When I first went to college, I went into physics, and my goal was to help perfect nuclear fusion so I could solve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/when-i-first-went-to-college-i-went-into-physics-and-my-goal-was-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [The day I went into physics class it was death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-day-i-went-into-physics-class-it-was-death/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [ I think it was because \[Nikola\] Tesla and \[Leon\] Theremin were part of what made up the movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-think-it-was-because-nikola-tesla-and-leon-theremin-were-part-of/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [I think Leon is a very well-rounded fighter, very tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-luque/i-think-leon-is-a-very-well-rounded-fighter-very-tough/) [Vicente Luque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-luque/) > [ I began to analyze the movie \[The Day the Earth Stood Still\] and said it was really made out of these two characters \[Nikola… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-began-to-analyze-the-movie-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-and-said/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [Some men look great unshaven; others just look like they forgot to shave. Beards and mustaches can be really distinctive if you go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/some-men-look-great-unshaven-others-just-look-like-they-forgot-to/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [That name was a kind of joke, and not a very good one. An author, Leon Lederman, wanted to call it 'that goddamn particle'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-higgs/that-name-was-a-kind-of-joke-and-not-a-very-good-one-an-author-leon/) [Peter Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-higgs/) > [“It isn't always easy between us, I admit that. But it's right between us, always." -Leon Grey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caragh-m-o-brien/it-isn-t-always-easy-between-us-i-admit-that-but-it-s-right-between/) [Caragh M. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caragh-m-o-brien/) > [Leon is a really good fighter in the sense of technique and strategy. He's a really good fighter. I fought him back in 2017.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-luque/leon-is-a-really-good-fighter-in-the-sense-of-technique-and-strategy/) [Vicente Luque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-luque/) > [“Because it’s so much safer in here where two people have died and there’s a crazy asshole pointing a gun at us every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lemmons/because-it-s-so-much-safer-in-here-where-two-people-have-died-and/) Wayne Lemmons > [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) ## More by Leon Max Lederman > [“That’s the eureka moment, when suddenly you know something. Your hands sweat, you get into all kinds of symptoms of tremendous excitement. First of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-max-lederman/that-s-the-eureka-moment-when-suddenly-you-know-something-your-hands/) Leon Max Lederman Explore all 2 Leon Max Lederman quotes ## More Leon quotes > [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [“Because it’s so much safer in here where two people have died and there’s a crazy asshole pointing a gun at us every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lemmons/because-it-s-so-much-safer-in-here-where-two-people-have-died-and/) Wayne Lemmons > [Leon is a really good fighter in the sense of technique and strategy. He's a really good fighter. I fought him back in 2017.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-luque/leon-is-a-really-good-fighter-in-the-sense-of-technique-and-strategy/) [Vicente Luque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-luque/) > [“It isn't always easy between us, I admit that. But it's right between us, always." -Leon Grey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caragh-m-o-brien/it-isn-t-always-easy-between-us-i-admit-that-but-it-s-right-between/) [Caragh M. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caragh-m-o-brien/) > [That name was a kind of joke, and not a very good one. An author, Leon Lederman, wanted to call it 'that goddamn particle'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-higgs/that-name-was-a-kind-of-joke-and-not-a-very-good-one-an-author-leon/) [Peter Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-higgs/) > [Some men look great unshaven; others just look like they forgot to shave. Beards and mustaches can be really distinctive if you go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/some-men-look-great-unshaven-others-just-look-like-they-forgot-to/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [ I began to analyze the movie \[The Day the Earth Stood Still\] and said it was really made out of these two characters \[Nikola… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-began-to-analyze-the-movie-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-and-said/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [I think Leon is a very well-rounded fighter, very tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-luque/i-think-leon-is-a-very-well-rounded-fighter-very-tough/) [Vicente Luque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-luque/) > [ I think it was because \[Nikola\] Tesla and \[Leon\] Theremin were part of what made up the movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-think-it-was-because-nikola-tesla-and-leon-theremin-were-part-of/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ Trotsky found out about him - Leon Trotsky - because A.J.\[Muste\] worked. He was an activist. And he organized the first sit-in strike in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/trotsky-found-out-about-him-leon-trotsky-because-a-j-muste-worked-he/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [If you walk into a coffee shop in 1903 Vienna, you might find at the same table the artist Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, Leon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/if-you-walk-into-a-coffee-shop-in-1903-vienna-you-might-find-at-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [“It sure is ugly.” “Ugly, never hurt a thing.” I scoffed. “Oh, ugly has hurt some things. It’s just that pretty hurts more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-sure-is-ugly-ugly-never-hurt-a-thing-i-scoffed-oh-ugly-has-hurt/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Someone came in all Starfleet badges today. Not on my shift, sadly.' 'Fascist,' Leon had said. 'Why are you so prejudiced against nerds?' 'Please,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/someone-came-in-all-starfleet-badges-today-not-on-my-shift-sadly/) [China Mieville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [“Well, surely you know. Didn’t you rebel? Don’t you? Why, Leon said of you there is a core in you which no one touches."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/well-surely-you-know-didn-t-you-rebel-don-t-you-why-leon-said-of-you/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [I love Opening Ceremony, Kenzo - anything Humberto Leon and Carol Lim touch. I drool over Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou, Delpozo, and Wes Gordon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-love-opening-ceremony-kenzo-anything-humberto-leon-and-carol-lim/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) Browse all 63 Leon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I went into physics to hang around with the bright kids. I wasn’t doing anything else and I didn’t want to look dumb, so I thought I’d pretend to be a physicist, just like the others. 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