'This ability to turn...': Bill Gates reveals his childhood practice that played crucial role in his success

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world’s richest individuals, believes growing up in today’s smartphone-driven world might have hindered his path to becoming a billionaire. Reflecting on his childhood, Gates credits much of his success to the time he spent reading, exploring, and thinking deeply without distractions.

In a recent blog post, Gates described how his childhood revolved around playing outdoors with friends and retreating to his room for hours of uninterrupted reading or contemplation. These activities, he believes, helped shape his ability to focus, think creatively, and turn idle time into learning opportunities. “This ability to turn idle time into deep thinking and learning became a fundamental part of who I am,” Gates wrote. He further noted that this habit was crucial to his later success in building Microsoft, now valued at USD 3.26 trillion.

In his post, Gates recommended the book The Anxious Generation by NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The book explores how smartphones and social media have significantly impacted children’s mental health, leading to rising levels of loneliness, depression, and reduced attention spans. Gates supported the book’s findings, emphasizing that constant digital distractions hinder the development of deep focus, which is necessary for creativity and innovation.

Gates contrasted his “play-based childhood” with today’s “phone-based childhood,” explaining that the latter often leaves children unable to build the mental resilience needed for uninterrupted concentration. Drawing from his own experience, Gates shared that during his career at Microsoft, he would take annual "Think Weeks" where he secluded himself in a remote cabin with only books and technical papers, avoiding all distractions, including emails. These weeks of intense focus led to groundbreaking ideas, such as the development of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.

Gates warned that without the ability to deeply focus, society risks losing out on critical innovations. He encouraged finding ways to limit distractions and foster deep thinking, especially in a world dominated by technology that demands constant attention.

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