Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, with a net worth of around $196 billion, recently emphasized the importance of perseverance in achieving remarkable deeds. According to a report by Fortune on Thursday, Huang reflected on Nvidia’s 33-year entrepreneurial journey during a discussion with The Korea Society at the end of September, sharing insights on success and setbacks.
Huang stated, “No one can endure hardship better than me. To achieve great things, one must endure hardship. It’s not an easy task. If it were that simple, anyone could do it.”
Founded in 1993 with an initial concept brainstormed at a Denny’s restaurant in the United States, Nvidia has evolved to become the world’s most valuable company today. However, Huang noted that challenges have persistently arisen over the past 33 years, each phase presenting different obstacles.
In the early stages of entrepreneurship, he lacked experience and faced uncertainties on how to proceed. As the company grew, fresh challenges emerged, including external skepticism about the company’s prospects. Huang pointed out that along the development journey, some may doubt the company’s future or even the founder himself. The market may not favor you, and customers may not believe in you.
For Huang, enduring hardship alone is not enough. Overcoming these difficulties also requires resilience, determination, and tenacity. “You need resilience to continue believing in yourself,” he said.
In 2024, while speaking with students at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Huang discussed the relationship between perseverance and success, encouraging young minds not to fear the difficulties and setbacks in their careers. “High expectations often lack resilience. Unfortunately, resilience is crucial for success,” Huang remarked. “One of my advantages is having very low expectations.”
He even confessed to the students present, “I don’t know how to teach you this, but I hope you go through some hardships as well.”
Despite his current net worth of around $196 billion, Huang continues to work seven days a week, including holidays. He has admitted to publicly expressing concerns about Nvidia’s potential failure.
Last year, during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Huang revealed that for the past 33 years, he has been saying Nvidia could collapse within 30 days. “But that feeling has never changed. That sense of fragility, uncertainty, and insecurity lingers,” Huang shared.
Nvidia declined to comment on Huang’s recent statements when approached by Fortune for feedback.
Huang’s perspectives align with principles suggested by Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates. Dalio proposed a formula: “Pain + Reflection = Progress.”
In his blog, Dalio wrote that pursuing lofty goals often involves unavoidable pain. When faced with setbacks, the crucial step is not evasion but thoughtful reflection on the issue and seeking solutions. He believed that cultivating a habit of actively reflecting in times of pain can accelerate learning and growth.