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Jensen Huang Would Rather Torture You Than Fire You

By Jensen Huang · Leadership · 2 min read

When you fire somebody, you're saying you give up. Jensen used to clean bathrooms — now he's CEO. He's pretty certain you can learn this.

Key Points

I'd rather improve you than give up on you
I used to clean bathrooms and now I'm the CEO — I'm pretty certain you can learn this
I'd rather torture you into greatness because I believe in you

I'd rather torture you into greatness because I believe in you.

I'd Rather Improve You

Huang: I'd rather improve you than give up on you. When you fire somebody, you're kind of saying — well, I give up.

I used to clean bathrooms and now I'm the CEO of a company. I'm pretty certain you can learn this. There are a lot of things in life I believe you can learn. You just have to be given the opportunity.

I used to clean bathrooms. Now I'm the CEO. I'm pretty certain you can learn this.

Torture Them Into Greatness

Huang: It's kind of tongue-in-cheek, but people know that I'd rather torture them into greatness. I'd rather torture you into greatness because I believe in you.

I think coaches that really believe in their team torture them into greatness. Often they're so close — don't give up. They're so close.

I'd rather torture you into greatness because I believe in you.

Don't Give Up Right Before They Get It

Huang: Greatness comes all of a sudden one day. Like — I got it. You know that feeling? You didn't get it yesterday, and all of a sudden one day something clicks.

Could you imagine you gave up just that moment right before you got it? I don't want you to give up on that. So I just keep torturing you.

Could you imagine giving up the moment right before they got it? So I just keep torturing you.