Nvidia’s cofounder and CEO, Jensen Huang, has often reflected on the profound leadership insights he gained not in boardrooms or classrooms, but at home, through an unexpectedly powerful source: his mother’s effort to teach him English. During an in-depth conversation with the Cambridge Union, released on Wednesday, Huang shared that one of the most enduring lessons of his professional life originated from that formative experience. As a child, he watched his mother approach an almost impossible task — teaching a language she herself did not know — with unyielding curiosity, perseverance, and faith. This experience, he explained, shaped his entire philosophy on leadership and problem-solving, instilling a mindset he continues to apply in running his global technology company.
Huang recalled that his mother, although she did not speak English, determinedly took on the responsibility of preparing her sons for their new lives in the United States. Born in Taiwan, Huang spent part of his childhood in Thailand before being sent with his older brother to America at the age of nine, in pursuit of a better education. His mother, who spoke Taiwanese Hokkien, recognized the linguistic and cultural challenges awaiting them. Armed with nothing more than a piece of paper, a dictionary, and her unwavering determination, she began to teach them English, even though she could not read or understand it herself. To Huang, this act symbolized a boundless will to learn and overcome. As he put it, “My mom taught me English, and she doesn’t speak English — and that kind of tells you all.” That simple statement captures a philosophy built on courage, resourcefulness, and the conviction that limitations are often self-imposed.
Over time, this early exposure to persistence and creative problem-solving forged the mindset that would later define both Huang himself and Nvidia’s innovative culture. When describing how the lesson continues to influence his leadership, Huang explained that he approaches every challenge with the question: “How hard can it be?” Whether designing groundbreaking chips or navigating unpredictable markets, he views each obstacle as an opportunity for exploration rather than deterrence. This resilience traces back to his mother’s willingness to take on the impossible with humility and grit.
Huang cofounded Nvidia in 1993, leading the company from a modest startup to a transformative force in the global technology landscape. When he took Nvidia public in 1999, few could have anticipated that decades later, propelled by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, the company would surpass a $5 trillion market valuation. His leadership style — characterized by openness, transparency, and direct engagement — reflects the same authenticity he admired in his mother. Reports have noted that Huang personally manages up to 36 direct reports, an uncommon level of involvement for a CEO of a corporation of Nvidia’s magnitude. This hands-on approach mirrors the diligence and accessibility that shaped his early experiences.
Despite his success, Huang remains candid about the inherent difficulties of leadership. He acknowledges that many of the defining moments of his career — such as becoming a CEO for the first time, grappling with funding challenges, and writing a business plan he had never before attempted — were daunting and often overwhelming. Yet his philosophy never wavered. “Staying in the game is in fact most of it,” he said. For him, endurance itself constitutes the greatest secret to achievement. By refusing to give up, lose interest, or succumb to external pressures, Huang believes he discovered what he calls “the magic” — the essential 100% ingredient of sustained success.
This theme of parental influence on leadership mindset is echoed by other notable technology founders. Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has also credited his family background for shaping his dedication to work and discipline. In a reflective post on X (formerly Twitter) marking the 12th anniversary of Telegram, Durov described how observing his father’s tireless efforts on scholarly works and research instilled in him and his brother a profound respect for intellectual rigor and consistent effort. Similarly, Tony Xu, the cofounder and CEO of DoorDash, has often spoken of the sacrifices made by his immigrant parents who relocated from China to the United States. His mother worked multiple jobs — sometimes three per day for over a decade — to support the family and ensure her children’s education. Xu recalled moments spent beside her in a local Chinese restaurant, helping wash dishes, witnessing firsthand what determination and perseverance looked like in everyday life.
Together, these stories illustrate how early examples of resilience, curiosity, and parental encouragement can influence the way innovators approach both business and life. For Huang, his mother’s humble yet extraordinary effort to teach him what she herself did not know became a lifelong metaphor for tackling the unknown. It serves as a reminder that the most profound lessons in leadership often begin far from corporate offices — in the quiet, determined acts of ordinary people who choose to believe that no challenge is insurmountable.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/jensen-huang-shares-mother-leadership-lesson-he-uses-at-nvidia-2025-11
