Why Nvidia's Jensen Huang doesn't wear a watch: 'You might be surprised, but I am not...'

Jensen Huang emphasised Nvidia’s unconventional approach, explaining that the company operates without a 'grand plan.'

In a rare glimpse into his personal philosophy, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang explained why he chooses not to wear a watch, highlighting a commitment to the present moment and rejecting traditional long-term business strategies. Speaking at a recent tech event, Huang shared his belief that focusing on “now” leads to superior outcomes. "Now is the most important time," he said, clarifying that he doesn’t strive for more but aims to do better each day.

"Very few people know this, but I don't wear a watch. The reason I don't is that now is the most important time. You might be surprised, but I'm not particularly ambitious. I don't aspire to do more; I want to do better at what I'm currently doing. I'm not striving for more-I wait for the world to come to me," he said.

Huang emphasised Nvidia’s unconventional approach, explaining that the company operates without a “grand plan.” He noted, "Those who know me are aware that Nvidia doesn't have a long-term strategy. We have no grand plan. Our definition of a long-term plan is simply: What are we doing today?"

An Instagram account, @entrepreneursonig, posted a clip of Huang’s talk with the caption: “Doing more is easy; doing less is hard.” The video resonated widely, with many commenting on the insight behind Huang’s philosophy.

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Illustrating his views on patience and focus, Huang recounted a story from his 2023 travels in Japan. He spoke about meeting a gardener at a Kyoto temple who, despite the scale and challenges of maintaining the garden, managed its pristine beauty with patience.

When asked how he achieved such perfection, the gardener responded simply, "I have plenty of time." Reflecting on the encounter, Huang described it as his best career advice. “This is the best career advice I can give: Now is the most important time—just focus on the present. I'm rarely chasing things… I'm focused on now. I’m enjoying my job.”