The Track Record: The Testimonial That Speaks For Us

Good performance ensures a bright future

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

“The thing I learned from that is your past is more important than your ability to pitch, interview, or anything like that. You can’t run away from your past. So have a good past. Try to have a good past.” — Jensen Huang, via billyoppenheimer.com

People judge us, not by what we say or pretend to be, but by what we do or have done. Our past performance, whether good or bad or a mix of both, is a permanent record. Even if it is not officially documented, word spreads around. We can never erase it from people’s minds.

Good effort is conspicuous; people, whether bosses, teachers, coaches, mentors, or the public, never fail to notice it. Unknown to ourselves, we build a good reputation. It always pays to give our best effort, regardless of the nature of the task. People who perform little tasks sincerely will do bigger tasks excellently. Excellence is a mindset, a skill, and a habit.

Our reputation precedes us, wherever we go.

In 1993, Jensen Huang proposed a startup idea to his former boss, Wilf Corrigan, who was not impressed. He, however, asked Jensen to pitch the idea to the venture capitalist Don Valentine.

Corrigan called Valentine and told him Jensen was one of his best employees and requested him to fund the startup. Jensen approached Don and made a terrible pitch. Valentine told him,

“Against my best judgment, I’m going to give you money because Wilf says to give you money. But if you lose my money, I’ll kill you.”

Jensen and his co-founders, Curtis Priem and Chris Malachowsky, started Nvidia, which has now become the world’s most valuable company.

As an employee, Jensen Huang built a reputation for hard work, risk-taking, and creativity. His boss took note and spread the word around. His testimonial made the investor Don Valentine fund Jensen’s startup.

Don Valentine was a tough man to negotiate. He was not impressed with ideas, however brilliant they seemed. He needed proof of the entrepreneur’s performance, a track record of efficient work, before he decided to part with his money.

Jensen Huang advises young people to build a solid body of work, which he calls as a “good past.” A good track record is the key that opens the door to new opportunities. It is their advertisement, an invisible label that hangs around their necks, that others can see.

Merit signals its presence through verifiable performance.

An impressive past attracts a good future.

Thanks for reading!

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