--- title: "Bill Gates Says His Life Has Been Filled With Deep Regret" description: "Among other things, billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wants you to know that it's okay to take a break sometimes." date: "2023-05-21" modified: "2023-05-21" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/bill-gates-regret" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "Bill Gates" - "billionaires" - "the digest" - "the gates foundation" --- # Bill Gates Says His Life Has Been Filled With Deep Regret ![Among other things, billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wants you to know that it's okay to take a break sometimes.]() *\Image: Alex Wong via Getty / Futurism\* ## Wistful Bill Among [other things](), billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wants you to know that he's made mistakes — and no, not [those mistakes](), or [those other mistakes](), but different ones entirely! "You are not a slacker if you cut yourself some slack," a wistful Gates told the forestry and engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University (NAU) over the weekend in a commencement speech, [which he later published to his personal blog](), *Gates Notes*. "When I was your age, I didn't believe in vacations. I didn't believe in weekends. I pushed everyone around me to work very long hours." "In the early days of Microsoft, my office overlooked the parking lot — and I would keep track of who was leaving early and staying late." Intense! But as Gates admitted shortly thereafter, his eyes-on-the-parking-lot level of intensity may not have been entirely healthy — not for him, and definitely not for the people around him. "But as I got older — and especially once I became a father — I realized there is more to life than work," Gates added. "Don't wait as long as I did to learn this lesson. Take time to nurture your relationships, to celebrate your successes, and to recover from your losses." "Take a break when you need to," the billionaire continued. "Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too." ## Vacation Bill It's good advice from a man who made billions from, apparently, keeping notes on who was overworking themselves and who wasn't, while failing to nurture his interpersonal relationships. You heard the man: don't be like him. You might make a massive amount of money, but you'll ultimately stand up before a graduating class and speak longingly about the vacations you regret not taking. Of course, Gates isn't the only billionaire known for an arguably-too-intense work ethic. Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter CEO Elon Musk — who has watched his [wealth plummet]() lately for reasons unrelated to taking holidays — is notorious for [sleeping on Tesla factory floors]() or [not getting very much sleep at all](), while Silicon Valley across the board is known for its collective fascination with "[biohacking]()" as a means of boosting productivity. But according to an older Gates, that degree of workaholism is simply not the way. Take that vacation, kids. Maybe go to the ocean and have a glass of [fecal sludge water]() on the beach. If not for you, for Bill. **More on Bill Gates:** [*Bill Gates Says AI Will Be Teaching Kids to Read in 18 Months*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()