Nvidia Corp. founder and CEO Jensen Huang had a word of caution for Stanford graduates, who he says "naturally" have high expectations and low resilience.
He wants these Stanford graduates to undergo pain and suffering, and there's a good reason why.
In a recent interview at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Huang shared insights into his journey, highlighting his willingness to take on any task, no matter how menial, due to his own experience as a dishwasher and janitor.
He also emphasized the importance of resilience and character in achieving success.
At another Stanford event, Huang made intriguing remarks about expectations, pain, and suffering. He noted that while Stanford graduates often have high expectations, this mindset can lead to low resilience, a crucial factor in success.
Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
"I think one of my advantages is I have very low expectations. Most of the Stanford graduates have very high expectations."
But that's the problem, according to Huang.
"People with very high expectations have very low resilience. Unfortunately, resilience matters in success."
He expressed uncertainty about how to teach this resilience, suggesting that it may be something students need to experience firsthand.
"I don't know how to teach it to you except hope suffering happens to you."
Despite growing up in a success-oriented environment, Huang also faced numerous challenges. He believes that character, not intelligence, is the key to true greatness in individuals, and character is shaped by experiences of adversity.
He says he uses the phrase "pain and suffering" with "great glee" even now at Nvidia.
Why It Matters: Huang’s insights into the importance of resilience and character in achieving success are particularly poignant given his own journey.
Despite facing initial setbacks, including a disastrous pitch to his former boss in 1993, Huang’s belief in the potential of GPU technology ultimately led to the creation of Nvidia. His story serves as a powerful example of the value of perseverance and character in the face of adversity.
Check out more of Benzinga’s Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Nvidia Corp on Flickr
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
