I know it's a rare privilege, but if one can really tackle something in adult life that means that much to you, then it's more rewarding than anything I can imagine.
Interpretation
Pursuing your passions in adulthood can lead to profound fulfillment and rewards.
This quote by Andrew Wiles emphasizes the rarity and significance of finding something in adult life that you are truly passionate about. He suggests that dedicating oneself to such a pursuit can result in a sense of fulfillment and achievement that surpasses any other experiences in life, highlighting the importance of passion and commitment in achieving personal success.
In practice
During a motivational speech at a conference, you could use this quote to inspire attendees to find and pursue their true passions.
Perhaps I could best describe my experience of doing mathematics in terms of entering a dark mansion. You go into the first room and it's dark, completely dark. You stumble around, bumping into the furniture. Gradually, you learn where each piece of furniture is. And finally, after six months or so, you find the light switch and turn it on. Suddenly, it's all illuminated and you can see exactly where you were. Then you enter the next dark room.
Always try the problem that matters most to you.
The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather than the problem itself.
Losing feels worse than winning feels good.
Knowledge will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical plans of action, to the definite end of accumulation of money.
I always thought I wanted to play professionally, and I always knew that to do that I'd have to make a lot of sacrifices. I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream.
We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It's the other way around. Effort can trump ability-relentl ess effort is in fact something rarer than the ability to engage in some finely tuned act of motor coordination.
In our business, things look like a failure until they're not. It's pretty binary transitions.
Success is always temporary. When all is said and one, the only thing you'll have left is your character.
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