Life is more important than work…Don’t take as long as I did to learn this lesson
Bill Gates, 2023 Graduation Ceremony at the University of Northern Arizona
Bill Gates expressed that it wasn’t until he became a father that he realized life shouldn’t be solely about work. He stated, “If you truly understand how to rest, you are not a lazy person.”
Recently, during the graduation season in the United States, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and someone who is passionate about education, attended the graduation ceremony at the University of Northern Arizona to give a speech to the graduates.
However, this speech differed slightly from his previous image of being dedicated to work, as he emphasized the importance of prioritizing life more when young.
A Message to My Younger Self
“When I was young, I didn’t enjoy vacations; I hated weekends, and I even pushed people around me to work overtime.”
Bill Gates mentioned that when he first founded Microsoft, he didn’t understand the importance of work-life balance and would deliberately observe from his office window which employees left early or who liked to work overtime. There have been reports in the past that he would send sternly worded emails to employees in the middle of the night.
However, he stated that it wasn’t until he became a father that he realized “life shouldn’t be only about work” and that “if you truly understand how to rest, you are not a lazy person.” He said, “Don’t take as long as I did to learn this lesson.
Care Your Relationships With Time
Treat your relationships with time, not only celebrating your successes but also giving yourself time to recover from failures. Rest when you feel the need to rest. And when the people around you need to rest, be a bit more understanding towards them.”
“You may currently feel immense pressure due to career-related issues and may believe that the decisions you make now will impact your entire life. But that’s not the case. The work you do tomorrow or in the next ten years may not necessarily define your whole life.”
Bill Gates also advised the graduates to rely more on their networks and actively engage in important issues such as climate change and addressing bias in artificial intelligence. “Every day, new industries and companies emerge, making it easier for you to achieve your ambitions with advancements in science and technology surpassing any previous era.”
Life is more important than work…Don’t take as long as I did to learn this lesson
Bill Gates, 2023 Graduation Ceremony at the University of Northern Arizona