What I Took from Hamming’s “You and Your Research”

Richard Hamming’s talk asks why some capable people do great work and others don’t. Here are my ten takeaways.

1. Work on important problems. A problem isn’t important just because its consequences are big. It’s important because you have a reasonable way to attack it. Time travel would change everything, but with no way in, it isn’t an important problem.

2. Be ready for luck. Keep 10 to 20 important problems in the back of your mind, so you can drop other work when a relevant idea shows up. Luck favors the prepared mind. It also helps to set aside time for big questions, as Hamming did with his Friday lunches.

3. Let effort compound. Knowledge works like compound interest, so working 10% more can more than double your output over time. The effort still has to point at the right thing.

4. Care deeply. When you’re truly committed to a problem, your subconscious keeps working on it. Keep your mind on the central problem and away from distractions.

5. Get comfortable with ambiguity. Believe an idea enough to keep going, and doubt it enough to see what’s wrong with it. Darwin wrote down evidence against his beliefs so he wouldn’t forget it.

6. Turn defects into assets. When Bell Labs wouldn’t give Hamming a team of programmers, he pursued automatic programming instead. Most obstacles can be reframed, and alibis don’t get you anywhere.

7. Keep your door open. A closed door gets more done today, but you can lose track of which problems matter. Talk often with people who push your thinking, not people who just agree.

8. Solve the class, not the instance. A general solution is often simpler than a specific one, and others can build on it.

9. Sell your work. Good work that nobody reads or hears about doesn’t go far. Hamming puts presentation at no less than half of your time. Learn to write well and to give both formal and informal talks.

10. Don’t let success stop you. After a big win, it’s tempting to attempt only big problems and stop planting the small ideas that grow into them. Hamming suggests a real shift in your field about every seven years to keep your ideas fresh.