A man leading one of the world’s most valuable companies might appear unshakeable, but Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the reality behind the scenes is filled with vulnerability, fear and relentless pressure. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, the tech titan opened up about the emotional cost of running a multi trillion dollar corporation at the heart of the global AI revolution.

Living with the belief of being 30 days from collapse

Despite Nvidia now being valued at more than 4.4 trillion dollars, Huang shared that he still lives with the mindset that the company is close to shutting down. He revealed that he has repeated the phrase “30 days from going out of business” for 33 years. According to Huang, the sense of uncertainty and insecurity never leaves him, shaped by Nvidia’s three brushes with bankruptcy in the 1990s. One pivotal moment involved failing to deliver a contract to Sega, after which Sega’s CEO Shoichiro Irimajiri offered a five million dollar lifeline.

Fear of failure fuels his drive

Huang told Rogan that his motivation does not come from ambition but from the terror of failing. He admitted that he is always in a state of anxiety and that avoiding failure pushes him more than the hope of success. “I just want to stay alive,” he said during the interview.

Contrary to the stereotype of the infallible leader, Huang believes that embracing vulnerability strengthens leadership. He explained that leaders should not pretend to be perfect because doing so makes adapting impossible. He said that accepting mistakes and being open to feedback allows companies to pivot when needed. He added that there is nothing inconsistent about being a leader and being vulnerable.

The Nvidia chief said success is often misunderstood from the outside. He described leadership as involving long periods of loneliness, humiliation and fear. According to him, suffering is part of the journey, and acknowledging it helps others understand what real progress looks like.

Life without breaks and thousands of emails a day

Huang also spoke about his extreme work routine, revealing he works every day of the week and reads thousands of emails daily as part of what he calls maintaining a culture of staying super alert. The work ethic, he said, is shared by his two children, who also work at Nvidia and follow the same demanding schedule.

For the man steering the future of artificial intelligence, achievement and fear appear deeply intertwined. Huang’s candid reflection offers a surprising truth: the engine behind one of the most powerful companies in modern history is not perfection or confidence, but constant vigilance and the refusal to fail.