Bill Gates reveals 14 secrets to a happier life
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has shared his advice to a happier life. Photo: Getty
Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates may be the best life coach you never knew you needed.
The world’s richest man has handed out free life advice with a university graduation-esque speech in the form of a series of tweets, in an effort to teach people to dream bigger and to love the world they live in.
Here are his 14 points to a happier life.
Like any great speech, Mr Gates began with a personal reflection, and a joke.
In his first point he admitted his biggest regret – that it took him decades to learn of the world’s worst inequalities, and that he no longer believed in a one-dimensional measure of intelligence.
1/ New college grads often ask me for career advice. At the risk of sounding like this guy…https://t.co/C68mjJ5g44
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
3/ Looking back on when I left college, there are some things I wish I had known.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
4. “E.g. Intelligence takes many different forms. It is not one-dimensional. And not as important as I used to think.”
With the benefit of hindsight, he also observed that young people today were better off than he was at their age, in terms of fighting inequality.
6/ You know more than I did when I was your age. You can start fighting inequity, whether down the street or around the world, sooner.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
Mr Gates also played the role of career councillor, revealing the fields young graduates should pursue to “make a huge impact”.
“[Artificial Intelligence] AI, energy and biosciences are promising fields where you can make a huge impact. It’s what I would do if starting out today,” he wrote.
According to Mr Gates, family and friends are your biggest allies in life to be the best version of yourself.
He thanked his wife Melinda for helping him become the person he is today.
7/ Meanwhile, surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and push you to be your best self. As @MelindaGates does for me.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
8/ Like @WarrenBuffett I measure my happiness by whether people close to me are happy and love me, & by the difference I make for others.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
But for those who need a little bit more inspiration, Mr Gates recommended Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature as a must-read.
9. “If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this – the most inspiring book I’ve ever read.”
10. “@SAPinker shows how the world is getting better. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. This is the most peaceful time in human history.”
11. “That matters because if you think the world is getting better, you want to spread the progress to more people and places.”
In closing, Mr Gates said he hopes his life lessons would get you through tough times, and teach you to love your work, as it does for him.
12/ It doesn’t mean you ignore the serious problems we face. It just means you believe they can be solved.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
14/ This is an amazing time to be alive. I hope you make the most of it.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 15, 2017
New graduates or otherwise, people appear to be listening to Mr Gates’ advice.
In light of his recommendation, sales of Better Angels have risen 6000 per cent in 24 hours on Amazon in the US, The Washington Post reported.