Wisdom from Richard P. Feynman

“I’d rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.”

Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” That’s where true learning begins.

“What I cannot create, I do not understand.”

Engage with ideas actively — build, experiment, draw, teach — that’s how you internalize knowledge.

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”

Be honest about what you know. Intellectual humility is key to growth.

“The joy of finding things out is the greatest reward.”

Curiosity is fuel. Don’t let grades or pressure kill the thrill of discovery.

“Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.”

Don’t accept something just because an expert said it. Think for yourself and question everything.

“Keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind…”

Great learners circle around big questions and ideas over time — learning builds layer by layer.

“Study hard what interests you in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible.”

Follow your curiosity, not just the curriculum. Learning is not a checklist — it’s a dance.

“I’m smart enough to know that I’m dumb.”

Pretending to understand or showing off only blocks growth. Stay humble, stay curious.

“You have to keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind…”

Even if you don’t solve them today, returning to the same ideas again and again deepens your insight.

Feynman often mocked “intellectual showmanship” and jargon-filled explanations.

True understanding shines in clarity, not in complexity or big words.

He believed children are natural scientists: constantly experimenting, asking “Why?”

Keeping that mindset as an adult is what leads to lifelong learning.

“You must develop an independent way of thinking.”

Don’t outsource your thinking to textbooks or teachers. Learn to form and challenge your own ideas.

Feynman pursued topics that fascinated him — from biology to art to Mayan hieroglyphs — not for utility, but for joy.

Lesson: Let curiosity wander — surprising connections often emerge.

He turned down honorary degrees and elite societies.

Why? Because he cared more about the work than the recognition.

Feynman played the bongos, dabbled in art, and fixed radios as a kid.

Lesson: Learning from other fields makes you sharper in your own.