Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shared a significant career lesson during his commencement speech at the California Institute of Technology, derived from an interaction with a gardener in Japan. Huang, who spent summers working internationally, recalled meeting a gardener at the Silver Temple in Kyoto. Despite the sweltering heat, the gardener diligently tended to his vast garden using a bamboo tweezer.
“When our kids were in their teens, we spent a summer in Japan. [One] weekend, we visited Kyoto and the Silver Temple,” Huang, 61, recounted. “The day was suffocatingly hot, humid and sticky, but the man diligently tended to the moss despite the sweltering heat. He used only a bamboo tweezer to sift through the foliage, which initially puzzled Huang. “I walked up to him and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ He said, ‘I’m picking dead moss. I’m taking care of my garden.’ And I said, ‘But your garden is so big.’ And he responded, ‘I have cared for my garden for 25 years. I have plenty of time.’”
This lesson in dedication and time management profoundly impacted Huang, shaping his approach to leadership and priorities. “It really taught me something. This gardener has dedicated himself to his craft and doing his life’s work. And when you do that, you have plenty of time,” Huang said.
He emphasized the importance of focusing on high-priority tasks first thing in the morning, allowing him to dedicate the rest of his day to helping others. “I [spend] every single morning exactly the same way,” Huang said. “I begin each morning by doing my highest priority work first. Before I even get to work, my day is already a success. I’ve already completed my most important work and can dedicate my day to helping others. When people apologize for interrupting me, I always say, ‘I have plenty of time.’ And I do.”
Huang advised graduates to find a craft they are passionate about and to prioritize their lives to perfect their skills. “I hope you do find a craft that you want to dedicate your lifetime to perfecting, to home in the skills of your life’s work,” he said, adding: “Prioritize your life. There are so many things going on, there are so many things to do but prioritize your life. You will have time.”
Under Huang’s leadership, Nvidia has grown into a tech giant with a market cap surpassing $3 trillion. His speech highlighted the value of commitment and time management in achieving long-term success and personal satisfaction.
