Understanding the CEOs Three Life Lessons for Graduates through the Schedule

The Three Life Lessons Huang Renxun Gives to Graduates
During a speech on the 16th, NVIDIA founder and CEO Huang Renxun shared one of the most profound lessons he has learned in his life, which came from consulting with a gardener in a traditional Japanese-style garden in Kyoto, Japan. He encouraged graduates to find a craft they are willing to dedicate their lives to and prioritize their life accordingly.
Huang Renxun pointed out that he was deeply inspired by this experience and later arranged his most important work tasks to be completed in the morning, so that he could use the rest of his day to assist others in their work. He proudly stated, “Before I even start working, my day is already a success!”
Robots Named as the Next Wave of AI
During his speech at the graduation ceremony at the California Institute of Technology on the 16th, Huang Renxun urged the graduates to pursue their profession with dedication and resilience, and to view setbacks as new opportunities.
He emphasized, “I hope that on the basis of careful consideration, you will strive to achieve things that have not been explored before. You may find your GPU, your CUDA, your generative AI, your NVIDIA.”
Regarding the future development of the industry, Huang Renxun stated that the next wave of AI will be in the field of robotics, and he emphasized that “this is the result of a series of setbacks that NVIDIA has experienced.”
Huang Renxun said that NVIDIA always pursues “zero-billion-dollar markets” because although the company develops new products every year, they are “kicked out” of those markets after one year. When there are no more markets to turn to, they decide to create something that is certain to have no customers, “because without customers, there are no competitors.”
Huang Renxun stated that robots are the new market. NVIDIA has developed the first robotics computer, which operates through deep learning. This transformation will create the opportunity for the next wave of AI for the company, more than a decade later.


Huang Renxun stated in his speech that robots are the next wave of AI.
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Photography by Cai Renyi
Inspired by the Japanese Gardener
Huang Renxun also shared a story to inspire the graduates about his own way of working. He said that in the past, he used to work at an international site for one month every summer, “and when our children were in their teens, we spent a summer in Japan.” During a visit to the Ginkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto one weekend, Huang Renxun encountered an elderly gardener.
Huang Renxun recalled that it was a hot summer afternoon, but despite the unbearable heat, the gardener was diligently taking care of the moss with a pair of bamboo tweezers, which puzzled Huang Renxun. Unable to resist, he approached the gardener and asked, “What are you doing?”
The gardener replied, “I am picking up dead moss. I am taking care of my garden.” Huang Renxun then remarked, “But your garden is too big.” To this, the gardener replied, “I have been taking care of my garden for 25 years. I have enough time.”
Three Lessons in Life: Define Your Profession, Deepen Your Skills, Help Others
Huang said that their interaction was brief, but the gardener’s words became “one of the most profound lessons in his life.” Huang also explained that by wisely managing his time, he can focus on the most important things for him: “helping employees grow and develop.”
He said, “I start every morning in the same way. I do my most important work first, so my day is already a success before I even start working.” And because he has completed his most important work, he can use the rest of his time to help others. So, when people apologize for disturbing him, he always says, “I have enough time.”
Huang Renxun concluded by saying, “I hope you can find a craft that you can perfect with your life and integrate your work skills into it.” He also reminded them of the importance of life: “There are many things happening, many things to do, but prioritize your life.”
Reference: CNBC, NVIDIA
Further Reading:
Learn Huang Renxun’s “Less Than 6 Lines” Efficient Communication Technique! Harvard Proven: Which Type of Letter is Easier to Grasp at a Glance
This article was initially generated by AI and edited by Li Xiantai.