What did Israel Gelfand mean by “You have to be fast only to catch fleas,” in the context of mathematical research? I'm confused about a statement by Israel Gelfand
given in the book TOPSY TURVY: A Book for All in One  Page  No:155
Why did  Israel Gelfand  say “You have to be fast only to catch fleas,”
and how does this phrase apply to researchers?
To me, at least, the metaphor seems clear. Anyone can pick up pennies off the street, but it takes hard work and time to amass a fortune. Hmmm. Another metaphor.
If you want to make a reputation publishing trivial (or small) results, then you have to be fast, since they are available to most mathematicians in a subfield. But if you want to do great things (catch bears, for example), it will take time and effort. It will, necessarily be slower and that is ok as the results are more profound.
The word &quot;only&quot; in the quote is very important. Yes, you need to be fast to catch small, fleeting, things, but only for that. Without that word, the meaning would be entirely different.
Gelfand, of course, is known for some pretty profound work. They didn't result from 3 week research projects.
And, this is only my speculation, since he can't be asked directly.