'Embrace what you don't know.' Bill Gates shares 5 things he never got to hear at his college graduation (2024)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, the world’s most famous college dropout, recently reflected on what he would have wanted to hear at the graduation ceremony he never had.

Taking to LinkedIn, the billionaire reminisced on the three commencement speeches he gave during his career - one, at his alma mater, Harvard University, in 2007, the second at Stanford University in 2014, and the third - at Northern Arizona University. The speech was addressed to the engineering and forestry graduates.

The entrepreneur-philanthropist revealed that as he prepared for the speech, he reminisced about the graduation he never had, and what he would have liked to have heard if he did attend one. He also shared some rare pearls of wisdom—various ways new graduates can make the “biggest impact on the world,” with their education.

Life Is Not A One-Act Play
The billionaire warned graduates against putting all their eggs in one basket. The entrepreneur said that although fresh graduates are keen to make all the right decisions regarding their profession and education, they shouldn’t consider such decisions as the be-all or end-all of their career. “What you do tomorrow, or the next ten years, does not have to be what you do, forever.”

The billionaire revealed that he once thought that he would work with Microsoft forever, but he ended up being a full-time philanthropist. “Today, I still love my work on software, but philanthropy is my full-time job. I spend my days working to create innovations that fight climate change and reduce inequalities around the world—including in health and education,” wrote Gates.

It’s Okay To Be Confused
Gates warned graduates of the perils of thinking they know everything. “The first step to learning something new, is embracing what you don’t know, instead of focusing on what you do know.” The entrepreneur said that discovering a skill or knowledge deficit at some point in our careers is inevitable. Instead of being intimidated, one should “find smart people to learn from.” That can be anyone, from a subject matter expert to a friendly co-worker.

He added, that his willingness to learn from others was what enabled him to be innovative. “Just about everything I have accomplished came because I sought out others who knew more. People want to help you. The key is to not be afraid to ask,” he wrote.

Prioritise Problem Solving
Gates advised graduates not to obsess about small details but to focus on the big picture and develop a problem-solving bent of mind. He advised budding programmers to help AI be more accurate and unbiased. “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 strong sense of purpose, “ explained Gates.

Keep Your Friends Close
According to the Microsoft founder, you can accomplish anything, with some help from your friends. Reminiscing about his school days, he wrote how he cultivated a close relationship with fellow tech enthusiast Paul Allen, who would later go on to become the co-founder of Microsoft. It can be very easy for techies to become enclosed in their ivory towers and isolate themselves from the world, but one should not underestimate the power of having a solid network of like-minded people. “Remember that people you’ve sat next to in lectures, skied Snowbowl with, and competed against on Wingo night are not just your classmates. They are your network. Your future co-founders and colleagues. A great future source of support, information, and advice,” said the entrepreneur.

Cut Yourself Some Slack
Referring to the ‘work first’ attitude of young developers, Gates said that it's absolutely okay to set aside some ‘me-time’ for yourself. The philanthropist said that he used to be a workaholic, and had a very demanding work ethic from his co-workers at Microsoft. He said that he didn’t believe in weekends and vacations and used to note who came late and left early.

However, once he became a father, all of that changed and he realised there was more to life than work. “Take a break when you need to. Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too,” he advised.

Taking time off to recharge yourself, recover from losses/personal tragedies, and reconnect with loved ones is a necessity for growth.