Afamous professor told 1,000 Hong Kong students about his meeting with the greatest scientist of all time - Albert Einstein.
Professor John Nash, whose mathematical genius led to him being the subject of the Oscar-winning Hollywood movie A Beautiful Mind, told the audience at Hong Kong Polytechnic University that Einstein taught him the importance of doing in-depth research.
'When I met Einstein, he was the age of my grandfather,' said 80-year-old Professor Nash, who won a Nobel Prize for economics in 1994.
'I remember talking to him about theories in physics. He was not at all impressed by my words and just told me that, whatever topic I am working on, I have to do in-depth research in order to be successful.
'This is the correct attitude towards finding out the truth, which I think is beneficial to all.'
At an event called 'Open Dialogue with Nobel Laureate Professor John Nash, Jr', the American academic answered questions from the audience about his legendary life. He encouraged students to pursue careers in which they are interested instead of so-called respectable jobs.