Low Expectations, Pain, and Success | #56

By Armaan Athwal

Today's Overview:

• Low expectations aren’t what you think

• Resilience = Overcoming Pain and Suffering

• Quote of the day

Surprising Lessons from Jensen Huang

When we picture someone as successful as Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, it’s easy to imagine him as someone with high expectations and an aversion to failure. But in an interview, Jensen offered a refreshing and, frankly, surprising piece of advice.

When asked in an interview, “What advice would you give to improve someone’s chances of success in the real world?” His answer was, “One of my biggest advantages is that I have low expectations.”

Low expectations aren’t what you think.

At first, "low expectations" might sound like a lack of ambition, but that's not what Jensen’s getting at. What he means is that by setting low expectations, he leaves room for resilience and adaptation.

People with overly high expectations often get derailed by setbacks, thrown off course when things don’t go exactly as planned. Jensen’s approach is almost paradoxical. By not setting rigid expectations, he’s able to stay calm, flexible, and fully engaged, even when things get tough.

When we expect everything to go perfectly, the smallest obstacle can feel like a failure. But if we go in with curiosity and openness, we’re more resilient. Low expectations don’t mean low standards, they mean flexibility. And that’s exactly what Jensen’s approach is about.

Why Pain and Suffering Matter

Jensen also says, “I wholeheartedly wish you pain and suffering.” At first glance, it seems intense, maybe even cold. But there’s wisdom here.

Jensen’s point is that without pain, without discomfort, there’s no real growth. It’s those hard moments, the times when we feel frustrated, lost, or even like we’ve failed, that test our character and help us build resilience.

Pain, in Jensen’s view, is a gift. It’s the universe’s way of teaching us endurance, creativity, and grit. After all, it’s during our toughest times that we learn the most, and each obstacle we face ultimately makes us stronger.

Jensen’s approach to success is all about managing expectations and embracing hardship. Instead of expecting things to go perfectly, he advises us to welcome the process—with all its messiness, mistakes, and even suffering. In the real world, things rarely go as planned, and if we can’t handle a few curveballs, we’re unlikely to reach our full potential.

So maybe we don’t need to set the bar impossibly high. Instead, we can focus on the journey, embrace discomfort, and let go of perfection. This way, when challenges come, and they will, we’ll be ready, able to adapt and keep moving forward.

Quote of the Day

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.