In March 1951 a student in California, uncertain whether to pursue astronomy despite not being strong in mathematics, wrote to Einstein for advice. Einstein replied briefly, and his answer avoided the question of talent altogether.

Science, he wrote, is a wonderful pursuit provided one does not depend on it for an income. A person should earn a living through work they are confident they can do, and keep scientific enquiry separate from that necessity. His reasoning was that joy in scientific work depends on not having to answer to anyone for it.

The advice echoed his own early career: Einstein produced his 1905 papers while employed as an examiner at the patent office in Bern, a post he held for seven years.