What does it mean to succeed? For many, success is measured in wealth, awards, and recognition. But the story of Grigori Perelman, one of the most remarkable mathematicians of our age, challenges us to think differently.
At the turn of the millennium, the Clay Mathematics Institute identified seven of the greatest unsolved problems in mathematics. They called them the Millennium Prize Problems, and to signal their importance, they attached a reward of $1 million to each. Solving any one of these problems would be a historic achievement, guaranteeing worldwide recognition and financial reward.
Among them was the Poincaré Conjecture, a deep question about the shape of the universe first posed in 1904. For nearly a century, mathematicians struggled in vain to prove it.
Then, in the early 2000s, Grigori Perelman quietly uploaded a few dense research papers to the internet. Hidden within them was the long-sought solution. After years of careful checking, the mathematical community confirmed in 2006 that Perelman had solved the conjecture. He had done what generations before him could not.
What followed was even more astonishing.
Perelman was offered the Fields Medal, the highest honour in mathematics, and later the $1 million Millennium Prize. He rejected them both.
Asked why he would turn down such prizes, his response was simple yet profound
“If the proof is correct, no other recognition is necessary.”
To him, the reward was in the discovery itself. The joy of finding truth outweighed the lure of wealth or fame. Prizes, medals, and applause were irrelevant compared to the quiet satisfaction of having achieved something deeply meaningful.
Afterwards, Perelman stepped away from public life entirely. He declined interviews, refused academic positions, and chose to live a reclusive life in Russia. To outsiders, it seemed strange and they asked themselves how could anyone walk away from glory and fortune? Yet Perelman’s choices remind us of a powerful truth that external rewards cannot fill inner emptiness. Real fulfilment comes from within.
At Rugby School Japan, we hope our pupils take inspiration from Perelman’s story. Success is not always about being seen or celebrated. It is often about the invisible victories. Persisting when learning feels hard, showing kindness when no one is watching, or discovering joy in curiosity for its own sake.
The Millennium Prize Problems were designed to challenge the brightest minds in the world. But perhaps the greater challenge is to measure success not by the medals we collect, but by the strength of character and self-achievement we build along the way.
This term, we are proud that the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is growing and really taking shape. Just like Perelman’s journey, the Award is not about trophies or applause, but about personal growth, resilience, and discovery.
As our pupils commit to service, skill-building, physical activity, and prepare for their expedition in the beautiful Japanese countryside this October, they will be challenged to push beyond comfort zones and discover strengths they didn’t know they had. The lessons learned will not be measured in certificates alone, but in confidence, teamwork, and a sense of achievement that will last long after the journey ends.
