Bill Gates is one of the most well-liked billionaires in the world. He dedicated the early part of his life to changing the face of software, earning a fortune and becoming of the most famous business people in the world. In his more recent years, he has become an incredible philanthropist, dedicating huge amounts to those in need. It often sounds like Gates doesn’t take a break, but he must, so, what does Gates do with his free time?
In his 20s it actually appears he never took a break. Gates says he never had a day off because that was what was required to succeed. He believes that the 20s and 30s are for making your impression on the world. In the development of Microsoft, in particular, he says he could not stop until he had succeeded. The beginning of Microsoft was all about one lucrative contract and many wanted it. The winning of that contract was basically a race to the finish line, with the winners taking the contract and the losers getting nothing. He had to win.
He continued with this worth ethic until he was 31 years old. At this point, he had amassed a huge fortune and found his wife. She showed him how it was enjoyable to take weekends off work and even go on vacation. Since then Gates has learned to embrace the fun side of life.
Gates is an avid book reader and will read for hours on end if he finds a book that captures his attention. He is always seeking to learn more and regularly visits interesting places around the world or takes online courses to continue learning. He likes to play cards too and enjoys both Poker and in later years, Bridge. In his younger years, he also liked both water and snow skiing. In an effort to improve his ski skills, he would practice jumping in his office and was known to be able to jump over his office chair from a standing position.
Yet the majority of time is still spent on his charity work. When he married his wife, his mother wrote them a letter and notably said: “From those to whom much is given, much is expected”. Gates and his wife have taken this message seriously and continue to spend countless hours helping those who need it most.
