"don't talk about legacy. I have a job to do, and I'm doing it. And I'm not expecting a legacy and I'm not expecting to get pride from some legacy, I'm doing a job that I believe needs to be done. I am willing to do it for the time, and I am not looking for some kind of an accolade or whatever. I don't consider myself anything special. I work hard."

Previous Quote

Outside observers often assume that the more complicted a piece of mathematics is, the more mathematicians admire it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mathematicians admire elegance and simplicity above all else, and the ultimate goal in solving a problem is to find the method that does the job in the most efficient manner. Though the major accolades are given to the individual who solves a particular problem first, credit (and gratitude) always goes to those who subsequently find a simpler solution.

— Keith Devlin