What Does It Mean to Excel at Math?

“In mathematics you don’t understand things. You just get used to them.”
— John von Neumann

John von Neumann was a mathematician so brilliant that he left his mark on everything from quantum mechanics to the foundations of computing. If anyone had a claim to truly understanding mathematics, it was he.

And yet, here he was saying the exact opposite.

At first, that sounds like a humble, maybe even flippant, remark. But there’s real wisdom in it — and for parents, teachers, and learners, it offers a liberating truth:

Math isn’t about being a genius. It’s about getting used to thinking a certain way.

And anyone — anyone — can learn to do that.

Math is a language, not a score

When we think of math, we often picture worksheets, calculators, or standardized tests. But real mathematics — the kind practiced by scientists and thinkers — isn’t about memorizing formulas or crunching numbers.

It’s a language. A way of describing ideas.

In science, math is the medium we use to express the structure of the universe. It’s how we define, relate, and reason about ideas that can’t always be seen or touched.