NVDA is one of the most talked about stocks on Wall Street.
Investing $1,000 in it near the turn of the millennium would be worth approximately $3.7 million today, making it one of the top-performing stocks in the last 25 years.1 It has been—to this point—an astonishing success story.
However, stock performance is not everything in life. Jensen Huang, NVIDIA's CEO, understands that dollars and cents don't define success and greatness. He said:
…resilience matters in success. I don’t know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you…to this day I use the word pain and suffering with great glee. And I mean that in a happy way. Because you want to…refine the character of your company. You want…greatness out of them. And greatness is not intelligence as you know. Greatness comes from character and character isn’t formed out of smart people. It is formed out of people who suffered.2
Huang isn't being sadistic. Rather, he's highlighting how suffering can shape character.
As we begin this new year, consider these questions:
- What does "success" look like?
- What would a "great" year mean for you?
One thing I value about being a financial advisor is that it extends far beyond investment allocations and performance reporting. It's about entering clients' lives, understanding who they are, and helping them align personal goals with financial ones.
Often, it means standing beside them and helping them through their financial challenges or deeply personal suffering like the loss of a loved one. It is a high responsibility and sobering privilege.
For all the talk about pursuing personal goals and crushing the new year, 2025 will likely bring financial or market setbacks and varying degrees of suffering.
The question is: What kind of character might be formed in you—not just as an investor, but as a person?
----
Sources:
- “The 10 Best Performing Stocks in the Last 25 Years” from the YCharts blog on January 6, 2025. Accessed online: https://get.ycharts.com/resources/blog/the-best-performing-stocks/#25y
- Video via @readswithravi on X. Published 8:42am on December 13, 2024. Accessed online: https://x.com/readswithravi/status/1867611034900738217