八句忠告

王善勇

我们这个领域前国际岩石力学主席Hudson教授曾经给青年学子写过八句忠告：

Qualities required of a young rock mechanics/rock engineers in order to develop into a famous person:

1.    Work hard, especially try working very hard over short periods.

2.    Understand the basic principles: one principle is worth a million details.

3.    Look at all rocks and try to understand them-why do they look the way they do. There is a reason for everything.

4.    Travel as much as you can and talk to as many rock mechanics people as you can.

5.    Write as much as you can on the subject. Teach if you can –the teacher learns the most.

6.    Find a good wife. You will lead a happy life if you can work together with your wife.

7.    Think independently. New ideas are new ideas-by definition. Eventually you will find that your sub-conditions will do the work by itself.

8.    Follow your heart, no necessarily the money.

J.A.Hudson, 20 Oct. 2002.

话说当时听老先生讲这八句忠告，我还在读研究生，有些话并不是理解地很透彻。岁月荏苒，每隔一段时间，我都要反复咀嚼这几句话，每次都有新的领悟。

1.    Work hard, especially try working very hard over short periods.

第一条，努力工作，特别是注意短时间段内努力工作，打攻坚战，我是深有体会的。一个人的精力有限，不可能一年365天都能高效率地工作，但我们如果能保证哪怕是一个月，一个星期盯着一件事，心无旁骛，效果一定会事半功倍。学习如此，备课如此，做实验，写论文亦如此。

2.    Understand the basic principles: one principle is worth a million details.

第二条，理解基本的理论。前两天我跟我的学生讨论，学生的工作进展不错，但跟他的讨论过程中我明显发觉他对岩石力学，土力学的不少基本概念还不是很清楚，在论文上的表述就是含混不清，就想着蒙混过关。这是不应该的。所以，我建议我的学生，在你大量读文献paper的时候，要经常回头学习理解教科书上的基本概念，理论。这样才不会只见树木，不见森林。

3.    Look at all rocks and try to understand them-why do they look the way they do. There is a reason for everything.

第三条，其实讲的是观察的重要性。任何研究都始于大自然的现象。发现问题的本领比解决问题更难得。

4.    Travel as much as you can and talk to as many rock mechanics people as you can.

第四条，讲的是要多交流。要做一个open的人。最近参加一个学术会议群。群主是欧洲某大学著名教授。他也说过类似的观点：要想科研做得好，就要跟高手过招，全世界的高手。

5.    Write as much as you can on the subject. Teach if you can –the teacher learns the most.

第五条，讲的是要勤动笔。要养成做笔记的好习惯。我跟我的学生讲，看文献必须要记笔记，不做笔记等于白看。另外，这里的勤动笔，还包括要能写，能发表论文。能写论文，会写论文，永远是个优点，这一点要理直气壮。另外，这里老先生还强调了教学的重要性。这一点我也是深有体会。认真教学，受益无穷。当然这里的teach可能还包括愿意分享自己观点的意思。不要以为告诉别人自己的观点，想法，甚至知识，自己会吃亏。其实恰恰相反，你得到的会更多。

6.    Find a good wife. You will lead a happy life if you can work together with your wife.

第六条，这里讲的其实是如何处理好工作和家庭的关系。聪明的人一定会尽量两者兼顾。生活不只科研和工作。

7.    Think independently. New ideas are new ideas-by definition. Eventually you will find that your sub-conditions will do the work by itself.

第七条，独立思考。人的潜意识对发现新的ideas起很重要的作用。张益唐在后院发现小鹿的故事就是一个例子。这听起来有点悬。其实任何ideas或灵感都是长期艰苦思考的结果。张益唐的小鹿或牛顿的苹果只是一个触动抑或一个噱头罢了。

8.    Follow your heart, no necessarily the money.

最后一条，体现的是一种精神或情怀。钱这个东西，没有不行，太执着于它会让人的内心颓废，失去锋芒。不忘初心，方得始终。