The enduring friendship between two of the world's most influential billionaires, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, is built on more than just shared success. It's a bond where profound life lessons have been exchanged, with one piece of advice from Buffett fundamentally altering Gates's approach to work and life. The Microsoft co-founder recently highlighted this transformative tip, urging others not to wait as long as he did to learn it.
The Day a Legendary Friendship Began
The foundation of this powerful alliance was laid on a specific date: July 5, 1991. The first meeting took place at Bill Gates's home for a gathering hosted by his mother, Mary Gates. Contrary to Gates's initial reluctance, the two hit it off immediately, sparking a connection that has now spanned over three decades. Since that day, the American business icons have frequently spoken about their mutual respect and camaraderie in public forums and private gatherings.
The Priceless Advice: "You Control Your Time"
In May 2024, Bill Gates took to Meta's Threads to muse about Buffett's influence, sharing a pivotal lesson. He referenced an article from The Atlantic titled "How to Be Less Busy and More Happy." Gates wrote, "It took far too long for me to realize that you don’t have to fill every second of your schedule to be successful." He added that he could have learned this sooner by observing Warren Buffett's intentionally light calendar.
This wasn't the first time Gates credited Buffett for this insight. In a notable 2017 interview with Charlie Rose, Gates recounted his earlier mindset. As Microsoft's CEO for 25 years, he confessed to having "every minute packed" and even monitoring which employees left early or worked late. His perspective shifted when Buffett showed him his own sparse schedule. "I remember Warren showing me his calendar ... he [still] has days that there’s nothing on it," Gates said. The lesson was clear: "You control your time ... It’s not a proxy of your seriousness that you fill every minute in your schedule." Buffett underscored the point by stating, "I can buy anything I want, basically, but I can’t buy time."
Passing the Wisdom to the Next Generation
Bill Gates has actively shared this hard-earned wisdom with younger audiences. During the commencement ceremony at Northern Arizona University in May 2023, he offered candid advice to graduates. "When I was your age, I didn’t believe in vacations. I didn’t believe in weekends. I didn’t believe the people I worked with should either," he admitted.
He then urged them to adopt a healthier balance much earlier in life. "Don’t wait as long as I did to learn this lesson," Gates advised. "Take time to nurture your relationships. To celebrate your successes. And to recover from your losses. Take a break when you need to. Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too." This message, born from a billionaire friendship, transcends wealth, focusing instead on the universal and non-renewable resource of time.
The story of Gates and Buffett is more than a tale of financial titans; it's a testament to how meaningful friendships can yield personal growth. The advice to embrace a lighter calendar, coming from two of the most successful individuals on the planet, serves as a powerful reminder that true productivity isn't measured by a packed diary, but by the space we create for thought, connection, and well-being.
