Bill Gates: This 1 trait sets me apart
This is a snippet from the weekly CNBC Make It Work newsletter, written by Ashton Jackson.
Billionaire Bill Gates believes one trait sets him apart from most other people and helped him become so massively successful, he says: his rampant sense of curiosity.
“I put a lot of energy into trying to learn things,” Gates tells CNBC Make It. That’s perhaps an understatement: From a young age, Gates spent hours at a time reading deeply about a wide variety of topics, from computer science to history and climate change, he writes in his new memoir, “Source Code.”
At age 9, for example, Gates read the entirety of his family’s World Book Encyclopedia collection. The attempt was a bit “silly,” he now says: “You’re reading all of the B’s, and the C’s, and then the D’s and all that. Who knows how much of that I retained?”
Gates has sought “a broad set of knowledge” throughout his life and career, and his open-mindedness has been a crucial ingredient in his success, he says. Rather than only focusing on math and computer science classes during his three semesters as a Harvard University undergraduate, Gates loaded up on other subjects that interested him too, like criminal justice and British history.
“I got to use almost all of the knowledge that I acquired, and I was glad that I had the curiosity to take all of those different courses,” says Gates. “So I’m always encouraging people to learn a broad set of things.”
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5moMr. Bill Gates please !!!!!Help Me Graduate My name is Yenny Gonzales, and I am on the verge of achieving a lifelong dream: graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Keiser University this August 2025. Despite working as a substitute teacher and applying for scholarships, I face financial challenges that may prevent me from completing my studies. How You Can Help: Direct Donation to Keiser University: University Name: Keiser Universityes.wikipedia.org+1 es.wikipedia.org+1 Campus: Fort Lauderdale, FL Address: 1500 Northwest 49th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Phone Number: (954) 776-4456 Student ID Number: 10121778 Please contact the university directly for instructions on how to make a donation in my name. Donation via Zelle: Phone Number: 973-914-4779 With humility, I seek your support to complete my education and contribute positively to society through the field of justice. Any assistance you can provide would be deeply appreciated.
Operational Excellence / C-Suite Advisor / HR Expert / Sustainability & Business Strategies / Freelance
6moEinstein once said, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Many leaders and innovators, including Mr. Gates, echo this sentiment, attributing their uniqueness to an insatiable curiosity. While most people are curious and generate ideas, the right environment is essential to nurture and develop them. Yet, success often hinges on luck, as outcomes are never entirely within our control. If results were guaranteed, everyone would achieve success.