Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mingquan Zhou. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mingquan, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Optimism doesn’t come naturally or overnight. It’s a product of accumulation, much like confidence, and the two are closely linked.
Unlike the stereotypical Asian family, my parents are well-educated and open-minded. They always encouraged me to explore and pursue healthy interests, without putting any pressure on me to achieve specific goals or attain excellent results. They assured me that they were there to support me, allowing me to make my own decisions and enjoy every moment of my childhood. I truly appreciate the relaxed environment they provided, which is uncommon in Chinese families under the one-child policy. For me, building optimism is akin to cultivating a sapling in a greenhouse, and my family is my greenhouse.
A sapling that never leaves the greenhouse may never grow into a tree. So, I chose to attend college in Beijing, far from my parents. In college, I experienced pressure from my peers for the first time. My classmates were all talented, and I wasn’t the top student in the class. My mom used to tell me to admire the merits of others and be happy for their success, which motivated me to keep moving forward. Thus, I stayed positive, took the lead on a few student projects, learned from others, and pushed myself hard to acquire professional skills and knowledge.
After college, I went to San Francisco for my graduate studies. This was my first time leaving my home country, but my excitement outweighed my anxiety and fear of the new environment and language barriers. I made new friends and classmates from different countries, learned new perspectives from class or books, became more open-minded, and found free online resources like YouTube and Vimeo. Although these may be commonplace for some American friends, I had never experienced them before. Every night, I went to bed eagerly anticipating the next day’s adventures. New experiences always gave me energy to explore more, creating a positive cycle of accumulating optimism.
People often say that it’s easier to be interested and positive when young, and that life changes after entering the workforce. Objectively speaking, that is true. Life becomes more complex after graduation. It’s not just the things we never learned in school, such as investments, 401ks, and taxes, but also, as an international, finding a place that can sponsor a working visa. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to secure my first job in a world-famous visual effects company in Hollywood. But soon, it became apparent that the knowledge I gained in school was insufficient for the job. Meanwhile, the studio went through bankruptcy, sellouts, and reorganizations. Helplessly, I watched my colleagues being laid off, never knowing who would be next. When I entered this industry, I had an innocent dream of working on an Oscar-winning production. However, reality showed me that working with talented people can be a luxury, and things don’t always go as planned. What I could do was to always do my best, learn the most, and make myself stronger. When one day I had to leave one job but I wouldn’t worry about finding the next one, I would be strong enough to live anywhere in the world. That’s how I motivated myself during down times. Optimism doesn’t come out of nowhere; it requires strength, resilience, self-efficacy, and a generally positive attitude, both physically and mentally.
The next few years of my life were like a roller coaster, with ups and downs. I changed jobs a few times and lived in different cities. I was fortunate enough to have worked on several big-budget movies with talented colleagues and leads, resolved my immigration issues, and found a place to settle down. I like to visit museums to find interesting and inspiring things. I still have my study time every day after work to learn new techniques and broaden my horizons. I like astronomy, which helps me find my inner peace and see how small I am from a cosmic perspective.
In the end, I believe that everyone has natural optimism, but compared to acquired cultivation, it is negligible. I think optimism is not just about being positive, it’s also about being proactive and always looking for opportunities to improve oneself. It’s not just a feeling, it’s a mindset, and it’s something that can be developed over time. Through my experiences, I have learned that optimism is not something that comes naturally or easily, but it’s something that can be built up and strengthened over time with the right mindset and attitude. So, I encourage everyone to cultivate their own optimism, and to keep an open mind and a positive attitude, even in the face of challenges and difficulties.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I transitioned from the visual effects and animation industry to join NVIDIA, a world-leading AI computing technology company. At NVIDIA, I’m involved in building up a cutting-edge computing platform called NVIDIA Omniverse. Unlike before, instead of creating virtual contents, my work is to democratize the creation technology, so that more users can easily create their own high-end artwork or build up their own business pipeline. Also, I get more chance to talk and work with engineers and scientists, not only artists anymore.
Although my work may not be seen on the big screen anymore, it has a greater impact than anything I’ve done before. This is the first time I’ve realized that animation technology can be used not just for the entertainment industry, but also for industries like architecture and engineering, manufacturing, biotech, robotics, and any industry that can benefit from the power of AI and simulation techniques.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Having solid professional skills is crucial, regardless of your profession. Doing your best and being professional lays the foundation for achieving success.
Communication skills are essential when working on larger or more complex projects with people who may not have the same professional skills or background as you. It is important to be patient and able to explain your work or ideas to others, just as you would to your parents or children.
The ability to learn new skills is vital in today’s technology-driven world. With constant changes happening in every industry, being open to learning new things will ensure you never fall behind.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I will approach others and communicate with them. There’s no shame in asking for assistance, even in a professional setting. This is precisely why we have a team to handle a project – each member possesses similar skills and specialties that allow us to assist one another. I won’t try to tackle a problem on my own, which may impede and hinder our project’s progress. Additionally, I won’t be narrow-minded and assume someone else will take the credit. Instead, I’m eager to learn from my colleagues and overcome any obstacles together as a team.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mingquan-charles-zhou-14524421/
- Other: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/omniverse/
Image Credits
1. gtc.jpg: NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference, a global AI conference. 2-3. nvidia_hq1-2.jpg: NVIDIA Santa Clara Headquarter. 4-8: omniverse1-5.jpg: NVIDIA Omniverse Platform, a cloud-native computing platform for digital content creation, virtual collaboration, data visualization and real-time physically accurate simulation.
