Life, like a complex number, has both real and imaginary parts. The imaginary part reflects our broader human experience — how we relate to others, define purpose, and navigate society. The real part is the grounded, day-to-day layer — earning a living, solving practical problems, or pursuing creativity and craft.
For the imaginary part, I draw inspiration from Stephen Hawking, whose motto — “No matter how difficult life is, there is always a way” — reminds me that solutions exist, even when hidden. Similarly, Einstein said: “There are two ways of living: One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.” I choose the latter — to treat life as a continuous unfolding of wonder, beauty, and growth.
For the real part of life, I’m grounded by the logic of George Pólya: “If you can't solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it.” This approach helps me break complex tasks into smaller, solvable steps. And to keep learning alive, I turn to Feynman’s favorite quote from a Buddhist temple: “If anyone has done that, any fool can do this.” It fuels my belief that mastery is not mystery — it’s repetition, curiosity, and honesty with one’s ignorance.
Work ethics, then, is not a rigid rulebook but a rhythm between imagination and execution — the balance between Hawking’s hope and Pólya’s practicality. To stay ethical in one’s work means to stay truthful to this rhythm: to dream, but also to deliver.
Three habits I try to keep
- Reduce to the soluble: If a problem feels impossible, I haven’t made it small enough.
- Bias for action: Progress beats perfection — ship, learn, iterate.
- Respect reality & people: Data first, empathy always.