Doctor with 700 patents shares 'recipe for success' at commencement ceremony

From an ice cream boy in a poor hometown, Dr. Nguyen Thanh My became a businessman who owns 13 technology businesses with revenue of hundreds of millions of dollars and has more than 700 international patents.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My, Chairman of the Board of Directors of My Lan Group, was an inspirational speaker at the opening ceremony of Ho Chi Minh City National University in 2025.

Photo: TT

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My, Chairman of the Board of Directors of My Lan Group, was an inspirational speaker at the opening ceremony of the 2025 academic year of Ho Chi Minh City National University with the theme "Aspiration for innovation for a strong Vietnam", taking place today (October 25).

From ice cream boy to scientist and typical businessman

Dr. Nguyen Thanh My was born in 1955 in Tra Vinh . He graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in 1978, then went to Canada and the United States to study, research and work for more than 25 years. He successfully defended his doctoral thesis in energy and materials science at the INRS Institute (Canada) in 1990, worked as a researcher at IBM Almaden Research Center (USA) and technical manager at Kodak Polychrome Graphics (USA).

In 2004, Mr. My returned to his hometown Tra Vinh to establish Mylan Group - the province's first high-tech company. Since then, he has founded and co-founded 13 high-tech enterprises, of which 6 are operating locally. He is the founder of the Nguyen Thanh My Foundation, which has sponsored more than 62.5 billion VND for scholarship activities, infrastructure construction and community health care.

From an ice cream boy in a poor hometown, Mr. My became a PhD in Canada, founded a technology company with revenue of hundreds of millions of dollars, and owns more than 700 international patents. He chose to return to Tra Vinh to start a business, spreading the spirit of "dare to think - dare to do", the aspiration to contribute to his homeland.

Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai: "Dare to think differently - Dare to fail - Dare to do again"

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University, said that 2025-2026 will be a period of expressing the aspirations of Ho Chi Minh City National University in terms of innovation. On this occasion, the Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University sent to teachers and students 3 phrases: Dare to think differently - Dare to fail - Dare to do again. In particular, for students, Prof. Thanh Mai said that they should dare to think further, learn from inside and outside the school, learn from teachers, friends, learn from experts and even the people of their own country.

" The world is flat and the path to success is only for those who think differently. Be ready to accept all challenges in studying and researching. Every difficulty is an opportunity to learn. The most valuable lesson is to learn from failure. Accept failure and quickly get up, be ready to do it again with a better version and persevere to the end with the values ​​you pursue. Dare to do it again or do it again but in a different way, we have made a new step forward for ourselves", Professor Thanh Mai added.

As a scientist and lecturer, Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai hopes that each teacher will be an example for generations of students to follow, and someone who nurtures the desire for innovation and creativity.

Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University, spoke at the opening ceremony.

Photo: TT

Formula for success: Effort is the most important

In front of hundreds of new students at the opening ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Thanh My shared his journey to success, happiness and fulfillment. He believes that it is a process of comprehensive human development - from the outside to the inside, from the material to the spiritual, from "having" to "being".

In which, success is the feeling of satisfaction and joy when we persistently strive to turn our dreams into reality and achieve the goals we set for ourselves. Happiness is the pure joy of reaching success, leaving a sweet aftertaste in that moment. Fulfillment is when we look back on the life we ​​have lived, smile and realize that there is nothing to regret - because life has been full and complete in every experience.

"This journey is not only about achievement, but also about inner discovery, where we learn to appreciate every moment of existence and understand the true meaning of life," Mr. My believes.

Elements in the formula for success according to Dr. Nguyen Thanh My

Photo: Ha Anh

In particular, the owner of 13 high-tech enterprises shared the formula for success. According to Mr. My, success is made up of 8 main factors: health, right thinking, effort, knowledge, perseverance, opportunity, luck and circumstances. In which, although only accounting for 15%, the first factor in the formula for success is health. The factor that contributes the most to success is effort (accounting for 25%), followed by knowledge (accounting for 20%). Meanwhile, according to this typical scientist and businessman, the factors of initial advantage (circumstances), luck (random support), and opportunity (external factors) although contributing to success, only account for 5% each.

Answering a student's question about the qualities needed to succeed, Dr. My said: "You must strive, be diligent, humble and constantly learn to improve yourself, especially soft skills."

Sharing more views on learning, Dr. Nguyen Thanh My said: "Learning is transforming knowledge into wisdom." Further telling students, he said: "Parents gave birth to us, teachers taught us; but whether our life is successful and happy or not depends on ourselves."

From his own experience, the businessman advised new students of Ho Chi Minh City National University at the opening ceremony: "Never think of yourself as a failure, but think of yourself as not good enough. In your own language dictionary, remove the word 'failure' and replace it with the phrase 'not good enough'."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tien-si-co-700-bang-sang-che-chia-se-cong-thuc-thanh-cong-trong-le-khai-khoa-185251025105001001.htm