5 things Bill Gates wishes he knew in his early 20s

Speaking at Northern Arizona University’s commencement ceremony (v, Gates shared five things he wishes he was told on his graduation day. 

Bill Gates started his speech saying “What does a college dropout know about graduation? Not much, personally, to be honest.” 

“As I prepared for today, I spent a lot of time thinking about how you, as new graduates, can have the biggest impact on the world with the education you received here,” the Microsoft co-founder added. “That led me to thinking about … the advice I was never given on a day just like this one.”

For those unaware, Gates did not finish his undergraduate degree. He dropped out of Harvard University after three semesters to start Microsoft.

Coming back to the advice that the billionaire wishes he was told are:

It’s a “good thing” to reevaluate your career decisions

Addressing the students, Gates said “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.” He further added that it is a good thing to reevaluate yourself and your career goals from time to time. 

Bill Gates started Microsoft in 1975 and thought that “I would work there for the rest of my life,” he said. “Today, I still work on software, but philanthropy is my full-time job,” he said, referring to his work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Don’t be afraid to learn new things

“At some point in your career, you will find yourself facing a problem you cannot solve on your own,” he said. “When that happens, don’t panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from.”

Bill Gates said that the first step to learning something new is leaning into what you don’t know, instead of focusing on what you do know.

Help others

Another advice Gates shared with students is to take opportunities to help others. “You are graduating at a time of immense opportunity to help people,” he said. “New industries and companies are emerging every day that will allow you to make a living by making a difference. And advances in science and technology have made it easier than ever to make a big impact.”

He added, “When you spend your days doing something that solves a big problem, it energizes you to do your best work.”

“It forces you to be more creative, and it gives your life a stronger sense of purpose,” he further stated.

Value the connections made throughout college

Reminding students to value their connections, Bill Gates said “The people you’ve [socialized] with and sat next to in lectures are not just your classmates. They are your network.”

“Your future co-founders and colleagues. Your best sources of support, information, and advice. The only thing more valuable than what you walk offstage with today is who you walk onstage with,” he stated.

Cut yourself some slack

Bill Gates told students that there is more to life than work. He said that he learned this lesson late in his life after he became a dad. 

“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.

“Don’t wait as long as I did to learn this lesson,” he added. “Take time to nurture your relationships. To celebrate your successes. And to recover from your losses. Take a break when you need to. Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too.”