Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

To kick off my series, I’ve chosen “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman,” a biographical account of scientist Richard Feynman’s life, compiled from his recorded conversations. The reason for selecting this book is simple — it offers the perfect blend of entertainment and inspiration.

The Joy of Curiosity in Life:

We often categorise activities as either fun or boring. However, there’s a trick to finding enjoyment in everything, even seemingly mundane tasks. Feynman, for instance, derived pleasure from learning how to break locks (or the ant lifestyle, just by observing their activities). Curiosity is the key, and if you’re curious, everything feels fun!

Experiencing Mindfulness through Work:

If you’re truly immersed in something, you can experience mindfulness, where everything else disappears, and only the task at hand remains. There’s a fun anecdote of how Feynman was once scared when he had to deliver a lecture in the presence of Einstein, Neumann, and the likes. But once he started, he was so much in the moment, that even those biggies (and his fear) disappeared.

The Importance of Adding Variability:

In a highly specialised world, it’s crucial to add variability to your knowledge. Best-case scenario, it could lead to breakthroughs through interdisciplinary knowledge transfer. Worst-case scenario, you will still experience something new in life. Oh, and yeah — if Feynman of all people had time to take a sabbatical and learn biology, maybe we shouldn’t fret much about losing precious time for learning something new.

Not taking yourself seriously:

There’s a story on how Feynman (of all people) was deemed mentally unfit by some test. Except, Feynman wasn’t the type to care about others perception of him. Not taking himself seriously allowed him to live life on his terms, exploring different aspects with a carefree spirit. Like the anecdotes about Feynman hitting random bars to see the other side of life, or visiting the strip clubs and fooling around with girls. (Yes, Feynman was a Casanova!)

Learning from Anyone and Anywhere:

Feynman spent significant time learning from various sources, be it from gamblers on how to bet, Brazilian musicians on how to play, or random individuals on how to woo girls. His curiosity knew no bounds, emphasising that learning can come from anyone, regardless of their background.

Embracing Honesty and Authenticity:

Feynman always stressed the significance of maintaining scientific integrity in research and practiced authenticity in most of his activities. His story of trying to do everything like a Japanese would do in Japan (or delivering his lecture in Portuguese in Brazil despite his difficulty) is a lesson for us all, on embracing new experiences in life and making our life more diverse and richer.

Final words:

There’s a difference between knowing and understanding, and curiosity is the key to the latter. If someone like Feynman could balance diverse interests and still achieve Nobel Prize-worthy accomplishments, maybe there is no limit to what one can achieve with a curious and open mind. Forget societal expectations, free up your mind, and enjoy the journey.