Even after becoming extremely wealthy, Bill Gates disclosed that he used to write code for Microsoft for 80 hours a week.
The 69-year-old billionaire acknowledged in an interview with CNBC Make It that it took him over ten years to feel fully successful.
Bill Gates Worked 80 Hours a Week Even After Becoming a Millionaire
Although Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975, it wasn’t until 1998, eleven years after the company’s IPO, that he began to feel confident in its success.
According to Forbes, he was already known as the youngest billionaire in history at that point.
“I wouldn’t say that I felt comfortable that we were successful until about 1998 or so,” Gates stated.
Reflecting on that period, he added, “That’s the first time I look back and say, ‘Okay, we are in a pretty good position here, and I understand why my competitors are so jealous that they think they need the Justice Department to help them out.’”
In the late 1990s, Microsoft was accused of monopolistic practices by rivals and the US government, which led to antitrust lawsuits against the company.
Gates Acknowledges Pressure Felt Before 1998
Gates acknowledged the intense pressure he felt before 1998, saying, “Not until the late ’90s did I feel like, ‘Wow, we can even make a few mistakes and still be okay.’”
“I thought I was one mistake away from death until then. That was just my mentality.” he continued. That was simply my mindset.
Since then, Microsoft has grown to be a $3 trillion business, greatly increasing its power in the tech sector.
According to Bloomberg, Gates’ personal net worth has increased to about $165 billion.
Gates is still very active in philanthropy even though he has left Microsoft’s day-to-day operations.
Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he focuses his charitable endeavors on education, climate change, and global health.
