I’ve always liked Albert Einstein’s quote, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” I believe it captures the essence of a well-lived life. Wanting to understand the backstory behind the quote I set out to uncover where and to whom Einstein had said this. It led me to a short and inspiring piece, Death of a Genius, in the May 2, 1955 issue of LIFE Magazine.

A few months before publication (and just before Einstein’s death on April 18, 1955) LIFE editor William Miller, had traveled unannounced to Einstein’s home in Princeton, NJ with his son Pat, a Harvard freshman, and William Hermanns, a poet, scholar and long-time friend of Einstein’s. Miller’s son, a science student, was struggling with the meaning of life. Knowing that Einstein was one of Pat’s lifelong heroes, Miller hoped Einstein might be able to impart some wisdom to Pat. (The idea of popping into Einstein’s house unannounced to discuss the meaning of life is surreal to think about.) As an old friend, Hermanns was there to help them gain admittance. Plus Hermanns had a few philosophical questions of his own for Einstein.

Long story short, they get in and have a fascinating back-and-forth about the nature of knowledge, religion, and the soul. The conversation turns to the idea of finding truth and Einstein shares his philosophy, “There comes a point in everyone’s life where only intuition can make the leap ahead, without knowing precisely how.” Great thought.

Then Miller shares his son’s creeping nihilism, “…he can find no reason why he should strive to achieve.” This prompts the following exchange between Einstein and Pat from which the opening quote comes:

Einstein looked at Pat and simply asked, “Does not the question of the undulation of light arouse your curiosity?” (The nicest thing about the question was his simple assumption that the boy would understand it.) “Yes, very much,” said the boy, his interest brightening.

“Is not this enough to occupy your whole curiosity for a lifetime?”

“Why, yes,” said Pat, smiling rather sheepishly. “I guess it is.”

“Then do not stop to think,” said Einstein, “about the reasons for what you are doing, about why you are questioning. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. Never lose a holy curiosity. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. He is considered successful in our day who gets more out of life than he puts in. But a man of value will give more than he receives.”

A brilliant and refreshing impromptu conversation. In our increasingly style-over-substance, me-first, find-the-shortest-path-to-success, self-promote-at-all-costs world, I think Einstein’s perspective is more important now than ever.

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