In an interview for Nautilus, "twin prime hero" Yitang "Tom" Zhang gives insight into his personality and process, and offers advice to students tackling tough problems.
Some excerpts:
How long did you work on your conjecture?
I worked on my conjecture for four years. I worked on it seven days a week. I didn’t take any breaks almost. If we count the time I spent thinking about the problem, then it was more than 10 hours a day. If you count sitting in front of a desk or using a computer, then it was five or six hours a day. I was also teaching two classes per semester at the time.
Did you experience any emotions when you realized you’d solved the problem?
Not so much. I am a very quiet person.
What would you say to a young student who wants to solve a problem?
Keep going. Do not easily give up.
Where do you suggest they find the motivation?
The most important motivation is to really love mathematics.
Read the full interview.