Editor’s note: This article was first published in March 2018, when Pichai was CEO of Google; in December 2019 he also became CEO of its parent company, Alphabet.
Known around the world as the current CEO of Google, one of the companies that is conquering the world, the Indian-born Sundar Pichai is a humble, self-made man. With a particularly balanced mind and an enthusiastic dedication to both his work and his personal life, Pichai has become an inspiration for young people trying to forge an ambitious path to success.
Here we have a clear example of someone who had everything against him. Not only did he get ahead, but he ended up running one of the most important companies in the world.
Sundar Pichai’s secret? His ability to stay away from drama and focus on growing his career.
Google’s CEO’s 10 tips for your career and for entrepreneurs
1. Never forget where you come from
Pichai was born and raised in a modest two-room home in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, in a humble family. He was always very interested in his studies. He was an excellent student. Curious by nature, he was always reading. He was shy and reserved, but also very stubborn.
His effort was soon rewarded: his dedication at school earned him a place at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. Sanat Roy, one of his university professors, said he was the best in his class. He was always meticulous in his work, with an intelligence built on effort that took him far beyond the university syllabus.
His professor acknowledges that he was always well ahead of the rest. He had no competition at university, but even so he was always modest and was always trying to help anyone who needed it.
2. Keep thinking about the next action you are going to take
Sundar Pichai believes that at any moment in life you should focus on the next innovative step towards creating a better future. In fact, this way of thinking should become a habit. He says the habit is easy to acquire: you just have to think deliberately about what the next best step could be to improve your situation or the situation of society. Always think about the best way to add value. Focus on your best action.
See also: 25 habits of successful people
3. Always stay up to date
The world is changing faster and faster. In fact, change has never happened as quickly as in recent years. So to be competent today, you will have to reinvent yourself continuously. Today it is neither the first nor the strongest who survives, but the one who is able to change quickly. You have to stay up to date.
4. Focus more on other people’s success than on your own
Google’s CEO practises what he preaches here. One of his core values as a leader is not to look only at your own success, but to focus on the success of others.
Pichai considers that his job as a leader is to make the people who work with him successful. It is not so much about seeking success yourself as about making sure that the people who work for you succeed at what they do. This mindset is what led him to become CEO of Google.
5. Broaden your perspective and be ambitious
It is important to think big about certain problems and to think big when it comes to finding more ambitious solutions. Being ambitious helps keep your motivation high, and that kind of attitude can help you achieve great success.
In other words, getting up every morning to increase your company’s profits by 1% is not the same as getting up every morning to solve a problem that 100 million people have.
6. Take action to make your dreams come true
A dream that awakens your inner self will lead you to take planned action to make it come true. Just dreaming, without striving to keep improving, will not lead you to achieve your goals in life. Success comes to those who don’t wait, but work hard to earn it.
7. Learn to take risks and keep trying until you succeed
I love this piece of advice from Pichai. When something motivates and excites you, but there are some difficult decisions to make, take the leap if you really believe you are right. Taking risks is worth it even if you fail. Never stop trying. Many of the things the world enjoys today were created after countless failures.
8. Be diplomatic at work
Pichai is known for being extremely diplomatic at work. In fact, thanks to that diplomatic attitude, he was hardly ever caught up in office turmoil, company drama or internal politics at Google. Being diplomatic makes you more approachable and trustworthy.
See also: Google employees reveal some secrets Google won’t be pleased about
9. Use your insecurities positively
In his view, you should never worry about or be ashamed of your insecurities. Feeling insecure means you are working with very talented people, and it is therefore a sign that you can learn from them. If you are doing things that make you feel secure all the time, you are most likely working inside a comfort zone where there is not much innovation.
10. Be creative and master your work through practice
Instead of simply learning how to do things… why not use your creativity to try doing things while you learn, and then become a master through constant practice? This definitely helps give you an edge over others while challenging you to overcome your inhibitions.
See also: 6 tips for your career and business
Featured image: Vis M, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
.jpg){kind=link}
