Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gateshas attributed his company’s success to a sole dedication to software development during his early years, as he revealed in a recent interview with CNBC.
Gates, who dropped out of college to co-found Microsoft with Paul Allen, said his initial goal was to create quality software to bring computers into every home, an idea considered revolutionary at the time.
“Our phrase was ‘a personal computer on every desk and in every home,’ which sounds boring today, but back then [era] “It’s crazy,” the entrepreneur said, highlighting the ambition of his project at a time when the technology was not yet accessible to the general public.
The tech mogul admitted that during his years at Microsoft he was not seeking financial success, but rather focused on developing good code and showing the potential of computers. “It was all Microsoft, all the time during my 20s… my vision of success was very Microsoft-centric”he said.
Gates acknowledged that this intense dedication sacrificed other aspects of his personal life. “In my 20s, I didn’t believe in weekends and vacations. So, that was a little bit out of control, how I pushed myself,” he said, now advising young college students to find a balance between work and rest.
Since leaving Microsoft, the entrepreneur has diversified his interests, moving away from the world of technology to addressing issues such as climate change, physics and biology. He has also pledged to donate a large part of his fortune to social causes through his foundation.