The Nvidia Way

Yesterday I finished reading The Nvidia Way. It’s not overly long, and I found it a fun listen. Yes I know how I used that verb and I regret nothing.

I’ve grown to enjoy founder stories, however biased, and love to hear the tales of taking something from very small to very large.

Reading about Nvidia was no exception. For everyone following tech they’ve blown up in a big way the last few years. They were ready when AI came along and embraced because of a culture of moving fast and being paranoid.

Some takeaways from the book that I’m still processing:

1. Work harder than the competition - Outwork the competition and you’ll win. This, of course, requires getting lucky and being in the right place at the right time, but if you’re not smarter you can work harder.

2. Be open to criticism - Call people out when they do something wrong, and make accountability part of the company.

3. Reward people handsomely - Take care of your people. If they need help move everything to make that happen, and make the company reward their reward.

These and many other points were hammered home in the book.

Some I love, and some I struggled with, and argued against over the last year with my co-host. I don’t believe that, as a whole, long hours lead to a life that’s worthy of fulfillment. It can lead to results, but I don’t know that’s always the right answer.

I enjoy being creative and getting things done, and have put in so many hours over the years. But coming from a significant burnout in the past, I actively look for ways to but barriers around work so that I can make sure I stay healthy mentally and am here for the longhaul.

Being proud of working 60-80 hour weeks, when I have so many other interests in life, is a contradiction I struggle with.

Still, I enjoyed the book and loved heraing the journey of the company, and will be curious to see where things head over the years.