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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Power of Habit <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
by Charles Duhigg<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u23f1 14 minutes reading time<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udfa7 Audio version available<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bill Gates incorporates reading into his everyday routine. Even his father has commented about this, saying that a young Bill Gates was an obsessive bookworm, saying, \u201cJust about every kind of book interested him — encyclopedias, science fiction, you name it.\u201d This escalated to the point that the Gates family had to create a no books at the dinner table rule!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This habit and love for books grew with Gates. Every year now, he publishes a list of his favorite books of that year. He aims to read around 50 books a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The billionaire always makes time to sit down with a good book, setting aside at least<\/em> one hour every day to read and learn something new. The proof lies in his Xanadu 2.0 home, where he has a massive library, packed with books– enough to put the Beauty and the Beast\u2019s library to shame. This library is reportedly 2,100 square feet and features two secret bookcases with one that reveals a hidden bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And here\u2019s a fun fact! If you look up at the beautiful dome roof, you\u2019ll find a quote from \u201cThe Great Gatsby\u201d that reads, “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This massive library is several stories high and it features anything from Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari to Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Codex Leicester, which he purchased at an auction for over a whopping $30 million! That\u2019s shows how willing he is to splurge on his love for books!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if he didn\u2019t have a chance to pick up a good journal or book that day, he always has his morning exercise to count on, which– believe it or not, involves learning. More on this later!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you think about billionaires, the first word to come to mind may not be \u201cmoney conservative,\u201d but Bill Gates has a unique policy when it comes to money and spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even back in 1998, he told an interviewer, <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wanted to have enough money in the bank to pay a year’s worth of payroll, even if we didn’t get any payments coming in, and I’m true to that almost the whole time.\u201d He also added, \u201cWe have almost $10 billion now, which is pretty much enough for the next year.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n If you skip ahead to 2019, he still maintained a firm belief in being careful with money as apposed to spending it lavishly. This also applies to his three children. Gates has spoken about how it\u2019s not the best idea \u201cfor your kids to give them a whole ton of money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, where does Bill Gates believe money is best spent? Other than charity, which he\u2019s poured billions into and will continue to do so, he believes investing in education is one of the most lucrative things that will come back positively to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Something that is often missing in the cutthroat world of business is giving credit where credit is due– but you\u2019ll find Bill Gates at the forefront of those who believe that it\u2019s okay to not hog the limelight. He also believes relationships<\/a> are incredibly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This– being mindful of the company he keeps– is something he\u2019s always maintained. He met his fellow Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, back in the seventh grade. He credits Paul with his world-changing ideas. He shared in a blog post, <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPaul foresaw that computers would change the world. Even in high school, before any of us knew what a personal computer was, he was predicting that computer chips would get super-powerful and would eventually give rise to a whole new industry. That insight of his was the cornerstone of everything we did together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Another relationship habit that led to his success is carefully choosing who he keeps around as company, especially as employees. He says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving someone who you totally trust, who\u2019s totally committed, who shares your vision and has a little bit different set of skills and also acts as a check on you\u2026 The benefit of sparking off someone who\u2019s got that kind of brilliance has not only made it fun but it\u2019s really led to a lot of the success.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n And when it comes to friends, he once told Warren Buffett<\/a> that friends challenge you in everything you do. He added that \u201cthat level of intimacy is great.\u201d He went on to speak about his wife, Melinda, and how\u201c it\u2019s really worth the investment to have those people, as you\u2019re always there to help them and vice versa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHe\u2019s Always Learning and Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s Careful With Money<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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He Gives Credit Where It\u2019s Due<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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