The Surprising Habit Bill Gates Overcame to Achieve Success
In the tech world, Bill Gates stands as a towering figure, co-founding Microsoft and amassing a fortune valued at $175 billion. Yet, there was a time when Gates had to battle a potentially career-derailing bad habit: procrastination.
The Early Struggles at Harvard
As a Harvard student, Gates developed quite a reputation—one not for diligence, but for delaying his studies until the last moment. He openly flaunted his habit, enjoying the quirky label from peers as the student who never did any work until needed. “I liked to show people that I didn’t do any work,” Gates admitted during a 2005 session with Warren Buffett.
From A ‘Cool’ Habit to a Career Threat
Procrastination was a trait Gates had to confront seriously when he transitioned into the business world. He realized that while the habit might have garnered laughter and acceptance in college, it was a looming threat in the fast-paced world of business, where immediacy and preparedness were keys to success.
Dropping Out to Step Up
Gates’ decision to leave Harvard after his sophomore year marked a turning point. In entrepreneurship, he saw the immediate need to break free from the shackles of procrastination. Gates dedicated himself to overcoming this habit by mimicking those committed students who always had their tasks completed punctually.
Gates’ Ongoing Battle
In the business arena, last-minute efforts went unappreciated, serving as a sobering wake-up call for Gates. “Nobody praised me because I would do things at the last minute,” he confessed. Yet, even as a billionaire, Gates reveals a humanizing vulnerability: “I’m still working on it.”
A Lesson for All
Gates’ story offers a powerful lesson: the importance of discipline and the willingness to adapt. As we strive for success in our own lives, Gates reminds us that identifying and adjusting our own “very bad habits” is crucial.
Embracing change and fostering improvement remains a core message from one of the world’s most successful tech entrepreneurs. According to Benzinga, Gates’ journey serves as an inspiring example of how modifying behavior can lead to great successes.
