Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, world's 12th richest, shares his greatest life lesson he learnt from a gardener

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, recently shared his biggest life lesson with students. Delivered the keynote address at California Institute of Technology, the founder of world's most valuable company said that he learnt it from an unexpected source - a gardener in Japan he met while abroad. During the commencement speech, Huang recounted an experience from one of his international summer work trips. While spending a summer in Japan with his family, he visited the Silver Temple in Kyoto. There, he observed a gardener meticulously working in a large moss garden despite the oppressive heat.

Huang approached the gardener, curious about his painstaking work with a bamboo tweezer. When asked what he was doing, the gardener explained that he was picking dead moss and tending to his garden. Despite the garden’s vast size, the gardener seemed unbothered by the daunting task, stating that he had been caring for the garden for 25 years and had plenty of time to do his work.

This brief interaction left a lasting impression on Huang, the Nvidia chief told students. The gardener’s dedication and patience in tending to his craft taught Huang a profound lesson about time and commitment. It underscored the importance of dedicating oneself to one’s work and maintaining a steady, patient approach. Huang realized that by prioritizing tasks and focusing on what truly matters, one can find ample time to accomplish significant goals.

Jensen Huang's personal networth has been pegged at $119 billion, making him 12th richest person in the world, according to Bloomberg Billionaire Index.

Jensen Huang's daily routine

Huang said applies this lesson to his daily routine, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing tasks to maximize productivity. He starts each day by tackling his highest priority work first, ensuring that his most important tasks are completed before he even arrives at the office. This approach allows him to dedicate the rest of his day to supporting and developing his employees. When interruptions occur, he assures people that he has plenty of time, embodying the lesson he learned from the gardener.

The rise of Nvidia

Since founding the company in 1993, Huang has served as its president, CEO, and a board member. Under his leadership, Nvidia has become a pioneer in accelerated computing. The invention of the GPU in 1999 by Nvidia revolutionized the PC gaming market, redefined computer graphics, and catalyzed the era of modern artificial intelligence (AI). Today, Nvidia is at the forefront of driving advancements in accelerated computing and generative AI, transforming major industries and significantly impacting society.

Nvidia’s growth and innovation have not gone unnoticed by investors. The company’s shares have soared, making Nvidia the world’s most valuable companies. Recently, Nvidia’s market value reached approximately $3.34 trillion, surpassing tech giants like Microsoft and Apple. This surge has been fueled by the high demand for Nvidia’s AI chips, which are considered the gold standard in the industry. The company’s shares have increased by over 170% this year and have risen about 1,100% since their low in October 2022.

The rapid rise in Nvidia’s market value reflects the broader investor enthusiasm for AI. For instance, it took Nvidia only 96 days to go from a $2 trillion to a $3 trillion market value, a feat that took Microsoft 945 days and Apple 1,044 days.

He concluded his speech by urging students to "prioritize" their life so that they have plenty of time for other things in life.