Lex Fridman: Advice for young people
Summary
TLDRThe speaker addresses a 27-year-old's anxiety about pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, acknowledging his delayed graduation and the five-year commitment it entails. Drawing from personal experience, the speaker encourages embracing anxiety and pursuing passion, sharing his own non-traditional educational path and extracurricular explorations. He advises focusing on what one loves, even if it's unconventional, and recommends reading Kipling's 'If—' for guidance on perseverance and character. The message is one of encouragement to chase dreams with dedication and to strive for personal growth.
Takeaways
- 🎓 The individual is 27, recently graduated with a bachelor's degree, and is considering pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering, despite the anxiety about the age he would be when completing it.
- 🔬 He has a strong internal drive to be a scientist, which is a crucial aspect of his identity and passion.
- 🏫 The speaker shares a personal story of taking a non-traditional path in education, including engaging in various activities outside of their academic field.
- 🤸♂️ The speaker pursued interests like martial arts, writing, and music, which were not directly related to their academic or career goals.
- 📚 They took courses and conducted research out of pure curiosity and the joy of learning, even if it didn't contribute directly to their formal education.
- 💼 The speaker faced external pressures to hurry up and focus on a more traditional career path due to financial constraints and societal expectations.
- 😟 Despite the pressures and anxieties, the speaker suggests embracing the anxiety and using it as motivation to pursue one's passions.
- 🌟 The advice given is to pursue the desire to be a scientist wholeheartedly, find a good graduate school, and work with a good advisor to achieve great things.
- 📖 The speaker recommends reading 'If' by Rudyard Kipling for guidance on maintaining personal integrity and perseverance in the face of adversity.
- 💪 The message concludes with encouragement to strive for excellence in one's pursuits and to maintain a strong moral compass, regardless of external circumstances.
Q & A
What is the main concern expressed by the 27-year-old gentleman in the audio message?
-The main concern is his anxiety about the future, particularly regarding the decision to pursue a graduate degree in biomedical engineering and the age he would be by the time he completes his PhD.
How old will the gentleman be when he finishes his PhD if he decides to pursue it?
-He would be 32 years old by the time he finishes his PhD.
What does the narrator suggest is the most important part of the gentleman's message?
-The narrator suggests that the most important part is the gentleman's inner feeling that he is a scientist.
What was the narrator's educational journey like, as mentioned in the script?
-The narrator attended Drex University for his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees, and he took a non-standard path, including training in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, writing, and taking courses in literature and philosophy.
What advice does the narrator give to the gentleman regarding his anxiety?
-The narrator advises the gentleman not to run away from his anxiety but to lean into it and channel it into pursuing his passion for being a scientist.
What personal experiences does the narrator share to relate to the gentleman's situation?
-The narrator shares his own experiences of taking a long, non-traditional path in education and life, including pursuing hobbies and interests that were not directly related to his career.
What poem does the narrator recommend to the gentleman for guidance?
-The narrator recommends reading 'If' by Rudyard Kipling for guidance when feeling lost.
What is the overall message the narrator conveys to the gentleman about pursuing his dreams?
-The overall message is to pursue his dreams with unwavering dedication, to be a good person, and to embrace the unexpected chapters in life.
How does the narrator describe his own feelings of anxiety?
-The narrator admits to still feeling anxiety to this day, suggesting it is a common and ongoing part of life that should not deter one from pursuing their goals.
What is the significance of the poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling in the context of the script?
-The poem 'If' is significant as it provides a set of virtues and behaviors that can guide one in times of uncertainty and when striving to be a better person, which aligns with the narrator's advice to the gentleman.
Outlines
🎓 Pursuing Passion Amidst Anxiety
The speaker addresses a 27-year-old's anxiety about pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering after a delayed bachelor's degree completion. The individual is 32 by the time of graduation, which raises concerns about the investment. The speaker empathizes with the anxiety, sharing their own non-traditional educational path involving extracurricular activities and a diverse set of interests. They encourage the individual to embrace their passion for science, suggesting that following one's heart and pursuing a Ph.D. with dedication will lead to personal fulfillment, despite potential challenges. The speaker also recommends reading 'If' by Rudyard Kipling for guidance on perseverance and maintaining integrity.
🌍 Embracing Life's Fullness
In the concluding paragraph, the speaker summarizes the advice given, emphasizing the importance of pursuing one's dreams and goals with unwavering dedication. They suggest that life may take unexpected turns, but as long as one is committed to their aspirations, positive outcomes will follow. The speaker also stresses the importance of being a good person, hinting at the timeless wisdom found in Kipling's poem 'If,' which serves as a guide for personal conduct and resilience. The paragraph ends with a note of gratitude for the listener's attention and an anticipation for the next encounter.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Anxiety
💡Grad School
💡Biomedical Engineering
💡Investment
💡Passion
💡Non-Standard Path
💡Curiosity
💡Dedication
💡Unexpected Chapters
💡Being a Good Person
💡If by Roger Kipling
Highlights
A 27-year-old man expresses anxiety about pursuing a graduate degree in biomedical engineering.
He mentions graduating late and the potential age of 32 upon completing a Ph.D.
Despite anxiety, he feels a strong inner calling to be a scientist.
The host shares a personal story of a non-traditional educational path.
Engaging in various activities like Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and writing poetry.
Taking non-required courses in literature, philosophy, and theoretical computer science.
The host's pursuit of curiosity and joy in exploring various fields.
Anxiety and the pressure to conform to a 'reasonable career' path.
Advice to lean into anxiety and channel it towards one's passions.
Encouragement to pursue a graduate degree and find a good adviser.
The possibility of life having unexpected chapters when following one's dreams.
The importance of being a good person in addition to professional pursuits.
Recommendation to read 'If' by Rudyard Kipling for guidance.
Quoting 'If' to illustrate the qualities of resilience and virtue.
The poem 'If' as a source of inspiration for maintaining integrity and perseverance.
Closing thoughts on the value of holding on and maintaining willpower.
A parting message of gratitude and a promise to continue the conversation next time.
Transcripts
all right next up I got a very nice
audio message and question from a
gentleman who is 27 and feeling a lot of
anxiety about the future just recently
he graduated with a bachelor's degree
and he's thinking about going to grad
school for biomedical engineering but
there is a lot of anxiety he mentioned
anxiety many times in the message it
took him an extra while to get his
degree so he mentioned he would be 32 by
the time he's done with his p D so it's
a big investment but he said in his
heart he feels like he's a scientist I
think that's the most important part of
his message of your message by the way
I'll figure out how to best include
audio and video messages in future
episodes now on to the question so thank
you for telling me your story and for
submitting the question my own life
story is similar to yours I went to Drex
University for my bachelor's Master's
and Doctorate Degrees and
I took a while just as you're doing I
did a lot of non-standard things that uh
weren't any good for some hypothetical
career I'm supposed to have I trained
and competed in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu for
my entire 20s got a uh black belt from
it I wrote a lot including a lot of
really crappy poetry I read a large
amount of non-technical books history
philosophy and literature I took courses
on literature and philosophy that
weren't at all required for my computer
science and electrical engineering
degrees like a course on uh James Joyce
I played guitar in bars around town I
took a lot of technical classes many for
example on theoretical computer science
that uh were way more than were needed
for the degree I did a lot of research
and I coded up a bunch of projects that
didn't directly contribute to my
dissertation it was pure curiosity and
the joy of exploring so like you I took
uh the long way home as they say and I
regret none of it throughout that people
around me and even people who love me
wanted uh me to hurry up and to focus
especially because I had very little
money and so I had a sense like time was
running out for me to uh take the needed
steps towards a reasonable career and
just like you I was filled with anxiety
and I still am filled with anxiety to
this day but I I think the right thing
to do is not to run away from the
anxiety but to lean into it and uh
Channel it into pursuing with everything
you got the things you're passionate
about as you said very importantly in
your heart you know you're a scientist
so that's it you know exactly what to do
pursue the desire to be a scientist with
everything you got get to a good grad
school find a good adviser and uh do
epic with them them and it may turn
out in the end that your life will have
unexpected chapters but as long as
you're chasing dreams and goals with
absolute unwavering dedication good
stuff will come of it and also try your
best to be a good
person this might be a good place to
read The Words If by Roger Kipling that
I often return to when I feel lost and
I'm looking for guidance on how to be a
better
man if you can keep your head when all
about you are losing theirs and blaming
it on you if you can trust yourself when
all men doubt you but make allowance for
their doubting too if you can wait and
not be tired by waiting or being lied
about don't deal in lies or being hated
don't give way to hating and yet don't
look too good nor talk too wise if you
can dream and not make dreams your
master if you can think and not make
thoughts your aim if you can meet with
Triumph and disaster and treat those
Impostors just the same if you can bear
to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted
by naves to make a trap for fools or
watch the things you gave your life to
broken and stoop and build them up with
worn out tools if you can make one heap
of all your winnings and risk it on one
turn of pitch and toss and lose and
start again at your beginnings and never
breathe a word about your loss
if you can force your heart and nerve
and Sen you to serve your turn long
after they're gone and so hold on when
there's nothing in you except the will
which says to them hold on if you can
talk with crowds and keep your virtue or
walk with Kings nor lose the common
touch if neither foes nor loving friends
can hurt you if all men count with you
but none too
much if you can fill the unforgiving
minute with 60 seconds worth of distance
run yours is the Earth and everything
that's in it and which is more you'll be
a man my
son thank you for listening and see you
next time
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