‘There’s more to life than work’: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates shares five life lessons for new graduates

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist, delivered a commencement address to students at Northern Arizona University recently, outlining the five things he wished he had known upon his graduation. Gates left Harvard University after three semesters to start Microsoft. 

The first lesson he wished he had learned is that life is not a one-act play and that individuals may make a lot of career choices throughout their life. Gates left Microsoft in 2014 to focus on philanthropy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has issued $65.6 billion in grant payments since 2000. “You’re probably facing a lot of pressure right now to make the right decisions about your career. It might feel like those decisions are permanent. They’re not,” Gates said.

The second piece of advice Gates would have given is to not underestimate the power of confusion. Even the co-founder of a multi-trillion-dollar company learns new things daily. “At some point in your career, you will find yourself facing a problem you cannot solve on your own. When that happens, don’t panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from,” he said.

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Gates' third point is to gravitate towards work that solves a problem. Students graduating today are in a unique position to make a living while making a difference. When you spend your days doing something that solves a big problem, it energises you to do your best work.  “You are graduating at a time of immense opportunity to help people,” he said.

His fourth point is not to underestimate the power of friendship. “The people you’ve [socialized] with and sat next to in lectures are not just your classmates. They are your network,” he said.

Finally, Gates advises students not to work so hard that they forget to live their lives. “When I was your age, I didn’t believe in vacations. I didn’t believe in weekends. I didn’t believe the people I worked with should either,” he said. It took becoming a dad for him to realise “there’s more to life than work,” he noted.

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