What would you give up in exchange for achieving success? The young Bill Gates, the one who co-founded Microsoft and led it to be the most valuable company of the moment and, later, to have several monopoly conflicts, gave a lot. At least, that’s how he recognizes it now, at 68 years old, when he has just published his recent autobiography, Source Code.
That young Gates did not take vacations and “worked tirelessly on weekends while building Microsoft.” However, over time, Gates realized that this intensity was not always appropriate or appropriate for the company.
Bill Gates’ path to work-life balance
When Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft 49 years ago, few imagined the lasting impact it would have on the software and technology industry. Microsoft was built on a relentless and, to some extent, abusive work ethic.
Gates recalled that in his early days at Microsoft, “When I was his age, I didn’t believe in vacations. I didn’t even believe in weekends.” From his window, he watched the parking lot to see who worked the longest hours.
This intensity, however, had its costs. Gates reflected on them in a speech to Northern Arizona University’s 2023 graduates about how this constant pressure wasn’t always the best way to achieve success.
The importance of being understanding and patient with yourself
As time went by and he became a father, Gates realized that maintaining such a high level of demand was not sustainable.
“As I got older, and especially once I became a father, I realized that both in terms of doing your best work and having a great life, that intensity wasn’t always appropriate. Don’t wait as long as I did to learn this lesson,” he advises.
Emphasize the importance of being understanding with yourself and others. “You’re not lazy if you give yourself a break,” Gates stresses, a lesson that took him years to learn.
Three tips from Bill Gates for success
1. Ask yourself questions when solving problems: Gates has always approached problems by starting with two key questions: Who has handled this problem well before? And what can we learn from them?
This approach, although it seems simple, is essential to finding effective solutions and has been a constant in his career from his youth until today.
Gates wrote in a blog post in 2020: “Since I was a teenager, I’ve approached every big new problem the same way: starting with two questions. I used this technique at Microsoft, and I still use it today.”
2. Manage time wisely: Warren Buffett, Gates’ friend and fellow billionaire, taught him a valuable lesson about time management. Unlike Gates, who used to have every minute of his day planned, Buffett showed him that having free time to think is crucial. Gates now understands that it is not a sign of seriousness to fill every minute of the calendar, but that sometimes it is more productive to leave time for reflection.
“I remember Warren showing me her calendar,” Gates said in a 2017 interview with Charlie Rose. “There is nothing in it.” Gates, on the other hand, used to have “every minute filled” on his calendar and “thought that was the only way to get things done.” But Buffett taught him the value of saving time to simply let himself think. “You control your time,” Gates said. “Sitting down and thinking can be a much higher priority than for a normal CEO, where there are all these demands and you feel like you need to go and see all these people.”
3. Be patient and understanding: Gates learned that patience is essential for success. In Microsoft’s early days, its intensity often created a high-pressure environment. However, over time, he understood that being patient and allowing space for rest and reflection not only improves the quality of work, but also the quality of life.
“Patience is a key element of success,” Gates said.
