Words of Wisdom from a Tech Icon
Bill Gates is one of the most successful business leaders in the world. Gates dropped out of Harvard to pursue his interest in software and programming, founding Microsoft in 1976 with business partner Paul Allen.
Gates was frequently ranked in the past as the wealthiest person in the world. He devotes most of his time these days to philanthropy via the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which donates large sums of money to humanitarian efforts across the globe.
Along with Steve Jobs, Bill Gates is one of the best-known faces of the personal computer revolution that changed the world at the end of the 20th century. We’ve collected some of his most famous and insightful quotes about business, leadership, and achieving success.
On the Value of Business Thinking
“Of my mental cycles, I devote maybe ten percent to business thinking. Business isn’t that complicated. I wouldn’t want to put it on my business card.”–Playboy magazine interview, 1994
On What It Means to Be ‘Smart’
“[Intelligence is] an elusive concept. There’s a certain sharpness, an ability to absorb new facts. To walk into a situation, have something explained to you and immediately say, “Well, what about this?” To ask an insightful question. To absorb it in real-time. A capacity to remember. To relate to domains that may not seem connected at first. A certain creativity that allows people to be effective.”
—Playboy magazine interview, 1994
On the Negative Side of Success
“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.–The Road Ahead, Viking Penguin, 1995
On Being Ready for Change
“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.”
—The Road Ahead, Viking Penguin, 1995
On Making Business Decisions
“Don’t make the same decision twice. Spend time and thought to make a solid decision the first time so that you don’t revisit the issue unnecessarily. If you’re too willing to reopen issues, it interferes not only with your execution but also with your motivation to make a decision in the first place. After all, why bother deciding an issue if it isn’t really decided?”
—Bill Gates Speaks: Insight from the World’s Greatest Entrepreneur, John Wiley and Sons, 1998
On the Value of Customer Criticism
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
—Business @ the Speed of Thought, Grand Central Publishing, 1999
On Business in the 21st
Century Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don’t think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other.”–Business @ the Speed of Thought, Grand Central Publishing, 1999
On What He’s Most Proud Of
“If I had to say what is the thing that I feel best about, it’s being involved in this whole software revolution and what comes out of that, because you can go all over the world and go into schools and see these computers being used and go into hospitals and see them being used, and see how they’re tools for sharing information that hopefully leads to more peaceful conditions and just the great research advances that come out of that.”
–Stanford University speech, April 2002
On Solving Big Problems
“If you show people the problems and you show people the solutions, they will be moved to act.”
—Live 8 concert, July 2005
On Realizing His Business Vision
“When Paul Allen and I started Microsoft over 30 years ago, we had big dreams about software. We had dreams about the impact it could have. We talked about a computer on every desk and in every home. It’s been amazing to see so much of that dream become a reality and touch so many lives. I never imagined what an incredible and important company would spring from those original ideas.”
–Microsoft news conference, June 2006
On the Potential for Business to Change the World
“We are living in a phenomenal age. If we can spend the early decades of the 21st century finding approaches that meet the needs of the poor in ways that generate profits and recognition for business, we will have found a sustainable way to reduce poverty in the world.”
–Address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 2008
On the Death of Longtime Rival Steve Jobs
“The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.”
–Released statement, October 2011
Don’t miss The 15 Best Business Quotes from Steve Jobs for words of wisdom from Apple’s founding father.
Source: Allbusiness.com
