For a lot of kids growing up in Asian households, there’s one sentence that’s almost impossible to escape: “You can do better.” Marks, sports, career choices, even something as small as cleaning your room, there’s always one more suggestion, one more correction, one more way to do it better.For some, it’s exhausting. For others, it quietly becomes the fuel that shapes who they turn into. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang thinks it did exactly that for him. Speaking at a public event, Huang gave a funny but surprisingly thoughtful take on growing up with his parents. He joked that “you need therapy for life” after being raised by Asian parents but he also explained that all that constant feedback growing up is actually a big reason he learned to take criticism well, stay humble, and keep pushing to improve.
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
How do you teach children about money and financial responsibility?
His comments have got people talking online, especially those who instantly recognised the parenting style he was describing. Huang opened with a joke that got the audience laughing. “Once you’ve been raised by Asian parents, you need therapy for life.” He was quick to clarify what he meant. “My parents are classical Asian parents. If there are any Asian parents in the room, you know what I’m talking about.”
“They’re always improving you”
Jensen Huang with his parents.
Instead of celebrating what he’d already achieved, Huang says his parents were always looking for the next thing he could do better. “For Asian parents, they’re constantly improving you. There’s nothing you do that’s good enough,” he said.And even now, despite running one of the most valuable tech companies in the world, not much has changed on that front. Recalling a recent trip with his father, Huang said, “I was coming from a meeting with my dad. The whole time my dad was giving me suggestions.”Then he laughed and added, “I’m 63 years old. I think I worked longer than my dad worked.” And still, the advice kept coming. “They always have ideas for how we can be better.”
Criticism was their way of showing love
Huang doesn’t believe his parents were ever trying to put him down. To him, they were simply expressing care in the only language they knew. “They love us and they want to help us realise our potential. Their way of showing love is to criticize you. That’s their way of saying, ‘I love you. I want you to be better.'” “It looks like you did the best you could, but that’s not good enough,” he added.
A lesson that’s stayed with him for life
Looking back, Huang says this kind of upbringing changed how he handles feedback even today. Rather than getting defensive, he learned to actually be comfortable with criticism. “Because I was raised that way, I have no trouble taking criticism.” He added that this habit shaped a few qualities that later turned out to be essential in his career. “I have no trouble learning new things. I have no trouble being humble,” he said.And according to him, these same traits eventually became part of the leadership culture at Nvidia too. Huang says he runs Nvidia pretty much the way his parents raised him. “I treat Nvidia that way. All the managers, all the executives in the back, they go, ‘I know exactly what he’s talking about.'”“If I care about you, I will dedicate myself to give you good criticism. Very thoughtful, very, very detailed criticism.” He added, “It’s a lot easier to say, ‘Good job.'”
What parents can learn from Jensen Huang ‘s story
File photo
Huang’s experience points to something a lot of parenting experts have said for years that feedback helps kids grow, but how you deliver it matters just as much as the feedback itself.Most Asian parents genuinely want their children to reach their full potential, they push because they care. But if a child keeps hearing only what they did wrong, and rarely what they got right, they can slowly start believing nothing they do is ever good enough. Research backs this up too. Kids tend to do best when parents combine high expectations with emotional support. This encourages discipline and growth while still making sure the child feels accepted and valued.
Practical parenting lessons worth taking away
Huang’s story isn’t really an argument for constant criticism. It’s more a reminder that constructive feedback works best when it comes wrapped in warmth and encouragement. A few simple habits can make criticism land better:
- Acknowledge the effort before pointing out what needs work.
- Criticise the action, not the child.
- Explain the why behind the correction.
- Balance every correction with encouragement, leave room for mistakes.
- Own it when you’re wrong, and show them that learning never really stop.
