Imagine a world-renowned CEO telling a room full of Stanford graduates that he wishes them pain and suffering.
That’s precisely what Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia, did. Refer to this link to Huang’s Keynote Speech recently at the Stanford Institute of Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).
Huang believes the ability to endure setbacks and suffering is crucial for success. However, he’s unsure how to teach this resilience to students effectively; it may be something they need to experience firsthand.
For Huang, true greatness in individuals comes from character, not intelligence, and character is shaped by experiences of adversity.
“And so if I could wish upon you — I don’t know how to do it — but for all of you Stanford students, I’d wish upon you ample doses of pain and suffering,” he said.
The big takeaway from this keynote? Overcoming challenges builds resilience, a crucial ingredient for success. Put simply: no pain, no gain.
So next time you face a setback, remember it might be just the push you need to grow.