Letters to a Young PhD Student

Rainer Maria Rilke gave in “Letters to a Young Poet” some advice to a young poet on how a poet should feel, love, and seek truth in poetry :

“Nobody can advise you and help you. Nobody. There is only one way—Go into yourself.”

I can recommend to young PhD students, only two things:

• Do always more than your advisor ask you
• Focus on an important research question

I can suggest one book to be more effective in research and in life:

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey