In 3/2024, Jensen Huang, CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, delivered an unusual message to Stanford University students: "I wish upon you ample doses of pain and suffering." He clarified that greatness does not stem from intelligence, but from character forged through challenges.
According to Huang, prestigious university degrees are not a guaranteed ticket to success. The head of one of the world's largest technology companies consistently seeks resilience, perseverance, and determination in candidates. He advises recruiters to assess candidates' motivation and growth mindset, rather than just their university's reputation.
Huang believes that "those with high expectations often have low resilience." Resilience, he emphasized, plays a significant role in success. "I don't know how to teach you that except to hope you experience suffering," the Nvidia CEO told the students. At Nvidia, Huang often uses the phrase "pain and suffering" to build his employees' character. In 2011, he shared a similar view at Stanford, stating that an unwillingness to accept failure stifles innovation.
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Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO, speaks on stage at the Computex 2024 Exhibition in Taiwan, in 6/2024. Photo: Khuong Nha |
Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO, speaks on stage at the Computex 2024 Exhibition in Taiwan, in 6/2024. Photo: Khuong Nha
This perspective stems from Jensen Huang's challenging career path. Born in 1963 in Taiwan, he moved to Thailand before arriving in the US at age 9. His family's search for new opportunities in a completely new environment led him into many uncertain situations.
The billionaire's teenage years were marked by physical and mental challenges. While attending public school in Kentucky, he had to walk across an unsafe suspension bridge daily to get to class. He recounted in The New Yorker facing racism, physical threats, and even being pushed off the bridge by classmates. His first job was washing dishes and cleaning at a Denny's restaurant. He always worked with strict discipline, consistently striving to perform at the highest level, whether as a dishwasher or later as a CEO.
It was also at Denny's that he, along with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, conceived the idea of founding Nvidia – a technology company with a market capitalization of trillions of USD today. The stark contrast between his current success and his difficult past forms the basis of his advice.
The Nvidia CEO's emphasis on resilience aligns with the famous "PHD" (Poor, Hungry and Driven) recruitment motto on Wall Street. Both philosophies value the drive to succeed more than academic achievements. Candidates who have overcome adversity often possess a fighting spirit and high endurance in a fierce business environment.
Challenges help individuals increase empathy, build emotional intelligence, and understand others. From this, they develop a multidimensional mindset, learn to prioritize, and make decisions in ambiguous circumstances.
Jensen Huang's perspective contradicts the expectations of elite educational systems, which often shield students with networks and stability. He argues that for young people who grow up in comfort, the greatest risk is not a lack of talent, but a lack of experience in handling prolonged crises. Lowering expectations and experiencing hardship early plays a crucial role, helping young people build resilience when reality does not align with initial plans.
Minh Phuong (According to Forbes, Indiatimes)
