--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was finishing my PhD, I could just…" description: "\"When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me and I thought, 'well they are the people w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg" --- # When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who… ![“When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me and I thought, 'well they are the people who are going to make the great discoveries.'” quote by Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg) > “When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me and I thought, 'well they are the people who are going to make the great discoveries.'” [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes feeling eclipsed by peers during PhD, fearing they will achieve greatness. **In simple terms:** Feels inferior to faster, smarter peers. Key Takeaway Focus on your own path, not others'. Themes insecurity academic pressure self-doubt Mood thoughtful encouraging Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - Graduate research - career planning - personal development Key Concepts Impostor syndrome achievement motivation Questions to Reflect On - What unique strengths do you bring? - How can you collaborate rather than compete? A Different Perspective Comparison can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“You teach the reader that he’s way smarter than he thought he was. I think one of the insidious lessons about TV is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-teach-the-reader-that-he-s-way-smarter-than-he-thought-he-was-i/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [We've only explored about five percent of our ocean. There are great discoveries yet to be made down there, fantastic creatures representing millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-widder/we-ve-only-explored-about-five-percent-of-our-ocean-there-are-great/) [Edith Widder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-widder/) > [All great discoveries...are products as much of doubt as of certainty, and the two in opposition clear the air for marvelous accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/all-great-discoveries-are-products-as-much-of-doubt-as-of-certainty/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [We've only explored about 5% of our ocean. There are great discoveries yet to be made down there - fantastic creatures representing millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-widder/we-ve-only-explored-about-5-of-our-ocean-there-are-great-discoveries/) [Edith Widder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-widder/) > [Great discoveries are made accidentally less often than the populace likes to think. Commenting on how an accident led to the discovery of X-rays..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cecil-dampier/great-discoveries-are-made-accidentally-less-often-than-the-populace-2/) [William Cecil Dampier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cecil-dampier/) > [Harebrained schemes often lead to great discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/harebrained-schemes-often-lead-to-great-discoveries/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [“All great discoveries are made by opening up the changing room door”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/all-great-discoveries-are-made-by-opening-up-the-changing-room-door/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [None of the great discoveries was made by a 'specialist' or a 'researcher'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-h-fischer/none-of-the-great-discoveries-was-made-by-a-specialist-or-a-researcher/) [Martin H. Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-h-fischer/) > [The great discoveries are usually obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-crosby/the-great-discoveries-are-usually-obvious/) [Phil Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-crosby/) > [Great discoveries are made accidentally less often than the populace likes to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-rontgen/great-discoveries-are-made-accidentally-less-often-than-the-populace/) Wilhelm Rontgen > [Great discoveries were once great miseries...Don't forsake your destiny too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-mosaic/great-discoveries-were-once-great-miseries-don-t-forsake-your-destiny/) Keith Mosaic > [“Great discoveries, whether of silk or gravity, are always windfalls. They happen to people loafing under trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/great-discoveries-whether-of-silk-or-gravity-are-always-windfalls/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [People who have read a good deal rarely make great discoveries. I do not say this in excuse of laziness, but because invention presupposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/people-who-have-read-a-good-deal-rarely-make-great-discoveries-i-do/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [By mutual confidence and mutual aid - great deeds are done, and great discoveries made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/by-mutual-confidence-and-mutual-aid-great-deeds-are-done-and-great/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [All great discoveries are made by men whose feelings run ahead of their thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-henry-parkhurst/all-great-discoveries-are-made-by-men-whose-feelings-run-ahead-of/) [Charles Henry Parkhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-henry-parkhurst/) ## More by Simon Singh > [All I am saying is that if you want to answer a question, then we need to examine and weigh up the evidence. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/all-i-am-saying-is-that-if-you-want-to-answer-a-question-then-we-need/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [One of the common responses to criticism of psychics is to suggest that even if their powers are illusory, there is no harm done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/one-of-the-common-responses-to-criticism-of-psychics-is-to-suggest/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Scientists aren't necessarily good communicators, because they aren't trained to be good communicators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/scientists-aren-t-necessarily-good-communicators-because-they-aren-t/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Many of the worst cases that triggered the campaign for libel reform involved corporations suing critics, so these particular sections of the bill are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/many-of-the-worst-cases-that-triggered-the-campaign-for-libel-reform/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [The only consolation is that homeopathy can only be practised on animals by a fully trained vet or under the supervision of one, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/the-only-consolation-is-that-homeopathy-can-only-be-practised-on/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [“Pascal was even convinced that he could use his theories to justify a belief in God. He stated that ‘the excitement that a gambler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/pascal-was-even-convinced-that-he-could-use-his-theories-to-justify-a/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [When I attended a forum on libel reform at the British Academy in 2011, 20 figures ranging from law professors to leading libel law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-attended-a-forum-on-libel-reform-at-the-british-academy-in/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [People back down because the libel system is so utterly hostile to journalists, bloggers, scientists. The smart thing is not to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/people-back-down-because-the-libel-system-is-so-utterly-hostile-to/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [In my case, I estimate that the members of the British Chiropractic Association have an annual turnover of £100m, and the BCA decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/in-my-case-i-estimate-that-the-members-of-the-british-chiropractic/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Part of the problem is that if anybody has a gut reaction about an issue, they can go online and have it backed up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/part-of-the-problem-is-that-if-anybody-has-a-gut-reaction-about-an/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Sunspots are hubs of intense magnetic activity and they trigger solar flares that launch charged particles, X-rays, ultraviolet radiation and radio waves at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/sunspots-are-hubs-of-intense-magnetic-activity-and-they-trigger-solar/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [“In April 1977, Rivest, Shamir and Adleman spent Passover at the house of a student, and had consumed significant amounts of Manischewitz wine before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/in-april-1977-rivest-shamir-and-adleman-spent-passover-at-the-house/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [The worlds of maths and science have a long history of naming important objects after people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/the-worlds-of-maths-and-science-have-a-long-history-of-naming/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream scientific consensus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-expertise-championing-a-view/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Indeed, it is a proven mathematical theorem that a doughnut is topologically distinct from a sphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/indeed-it-is-a-proven-mathematical-theorem-that-a-doughnut-is/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) [Explore all 55 Simon Singh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) ## More Discoveries quotes > [Out of the questions of students come most of the creative ideas and discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-langer/out-of-the-questions-of-students-come-most-of-the-creative-ideas-and/) [Ellen Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-langer/) > [“The nimble of mind long for the challenge of new discoveries. Weary minds cling to what is already known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-lee-lerner/the-nimble-of-mind-long-for-the-challenge-of-new-discoveries-weary/) [K. Lee Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-lee-lerner/) > [To me, part of the magic of this era is that the very same innovations, discoveries, and technologies that are allowing us to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/to-me-part-of-the-magic-of-this-era-is-that-the-very-same-innovations/) [Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/) > [Science is the most exciting and sustained enterprise of discovery in the history of our species. It is the great adventure of our time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/science-is-the-most-exciting-and-sustained-enterprise-of-discovery-in/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/we-only-know-a-tiny-proportion-about-the-complexity-of-the-natural/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [It's nice to witness these discoveries at first hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-aspel/it-s-nice-to-witness-these-discoveries-at-first-hand/) [Michael Aspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-aspel/) > [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/) > [Like buried treasures, the outposts of the universe have beckoned to the adventurous from immemorial times. Princes and potentates, political or industrial, equally with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellery-hale/like-buried-treasures-the-outposts-of-the-universe-have-beckoned-to/) George Ellery Hale > [The wonderment of humanity leads to its greatest discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-thomas-newton/the-wonderment-of-humanity-leads-to-its-greatest-discoveries/) Charles Thomas Newton > [“One of the greatest discoveries you could actually discover in life is the treasure of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/one-of-the-greatest-discoveries-you-could-actually-discover-in-life/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The real achievement in discoveries... is seeing an analogy where no one saw one before... The essence of discovery is that unlikely marriage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-real-achievement-in-discoveries-is-seeing-an-analogy-where-no-one/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [It (the Bible) has never bowed its head before the discoveries of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/it-the-bible-has-never-bowed-its-head-before-the-discoveries-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If innovations were predictable, they wouldn't be discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-innovations-were-predictable-they-wouldn-t-be-discoveries/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [At one time or another the more fortunate among us make three startling discoveries. Discovery number one: Each one of us has, in varying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-huxley/at-one-time-or-another-the-more-fortunate-among-us-make-three/) [Laura Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-huxley/) > [“Never underestimate the power of thought; it is the greatest path to discovery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/never-underestimate-the-power-of-thought-it-is-the-greatest-path-to/) [Idowu Koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) [Browse all 268 Discoveries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me and I thought, 'well they are the people who are going to make the great discoveries.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon Singh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just-see-people-who-were-a-bit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discoveries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just-see-people-who-were-a-bit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/simon-singh-12419_discoveries_when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just_513476.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me…” — Simon Singh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Simon Singh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was finishing my PhD,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just-see-people-who-were-a-bit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just-see-people-who-were-a-bit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```