Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, has a message for young engineers. Parental advice isn’t always right, but it’s also not always wrong.
Dell, who is worth $115 billion, recently revealed how he pursued his passion for computers despite being encouraged by his parents to go to medical school, a decision that ultimately led to him earning $880. This led to the creation of a billion dollar company.
“Well, parents aren’t always right, but they’re also not always wrong,” Dell said on the “In Good Company” podcast, adding that people’s “mileage may vary from parent to parent.” .
The 59-year-old technology leader encouraged young people to take bold risks and forge their own path. “Experiment, take risks, fail, find hard problems, do something worthwhile, be fearless, and, you know, be bold,” he advised.
Dell emphasized that success is not just about working hard. “I learned a long time ago that there are diminishing returns to the number of hours worked in a day,” he says, stressing the importance of finding the right balance between “work, play and relaxation.” emphasized.
The technology mogul emphasized the importance of workplace culture to sustained success. “If you can’t laugh, joke, or play pranks on people, you’re doing it wrong, right?” Del said. “You have to be able to laugh at yourself.”
Despite his huge success, Del maintains a disciplined lifestyle, going to bed by 9pm and waking up around 4 or 5am to exercise. “You won’t find me in my nightcap,” he said. “I’m about to fall asleep.”
Interestingly, one piece of advice from a parent stuck with me. Del’s mother’s credo to “play well and win” was so influential that it guided his company and became the title of his 2021 book.
