If you aren’t familiar with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, then you’re missing out on one of the most charismatic, philosophically succinct scientists of our era. He has single-handedly revived public interest in space exploration and science as a whole. Moreover, the guy has knack for putting things in perspective while demonstrating his vast knowledge.

But this exchange has to be one my favorites. A little girl decided to ask Neil a question about what someone her age could do to help the earth. Neil, a dad himself gave an answer that is, while somewhat frustrating, pure awesome.

“Did your parents stop you? Tell them to not stop you. Because you’re just being a kid, and you like to explore things. And your parents don’t like it because it gets the pans dirty, and it’s noisy. But for you it’s fun and you’re actually doing experiments… These are experiments. Just tell your parents that they’re experiments and you want to become a scientist. Then, they won’t stop you from doing anything you want.”

It’s hard to be interrupted. Adults don’t like it. But an interruption of creativity, by my estimation, is better than the interruption of exploration and learning. Of course, we’ll draw the line. Perhaps we can push the line a couple more feet forward, every now and then. For science.

We are all scientists and architects of our own lives. We can test and solve for a better existence. And it starts with the courage to try new things, weather some failures and the will to make some noise.