In an interview with Quartz in 2017, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates shared his reading habits and strategies that enable him to read around 50 books in a year.
What Happened: Gates disclosed the four key habits he uses to optimize his reading efficiency: Take notes, don’t start a book if you can’t finish, paper books over e-books, and block an hour at least.
He spoke about the significance of concentration while reading, particularly for non-fiction books. “When you’re reading you have to be careful that you are concentrating particularly if it’s a non-fiction book,” he stated.
Gates also pointed out that note-taking aids him in critical thinking about the content and in linking new information with his existing knowledge.
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The Microsoft co-founder also confessed his struggle with long and complex books, using “Infinite Jest” as an example. Despite his interest in the author, David Foster Wallace, he shared his reluctance to start the book due to its length and complexity.
“If I disagree with the book, sometimes it takes a long time to read … It’s actually kind of frustrating ‘oh please say something I agree with so I can get through to the end of this book.’”
He also expressed his preference for reading in longer, uninterrupted sessions, rather than short intervals. “If you’re reading books like these, you’d want to be sitting down for an hour at a time.”
He added that shorter content like magazine articles or YouTube videos fit into smaller time slots.
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Why It Matters: Gates’ reading habits provide insight into the mindset of a man who has dominated the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest individuals for 18 out of 23 years from 1995 to 2017.
His ability to accumulate, maintain, and grow wealth over an extended period, despite market fluctuations and economic challenges, is well-documented.
Previously, it was reported that Gates’ financial success could have been even greater if he had held onto his Microsoft shares. The tech mogul would be sitting on $1.47 trillion today, potentially making him the world’s first trillionaire.
At the time of writing, Gates’s total net worth was $159 billion, making him the eighth person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
