Episode: 771

Episode Title: Your Life Isn’t a One-Act Play

What advice did Bill Gates offer to those graduating college and entering the workforce? Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 771 show:

Welcome back to The Perna Syndicate! I’m your host Mark Perna, thanks for tuning in. Earlier this year, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates gave the commencement address to the class of 2023 at Northern Arizona University.

Although Gates called himself “a college dropout” in the speech, he shared a wealth of wisdom gained by experience. This week we are covering the five things that Gates wished he was told at the graduation he never had. 

His first piece of advice was that your life is not a one-act play. Gates said, “You’re probably facing a lot of pressure right now to make the right decisions about your career. It might feel like those decisions are permanent. They’re not, what you do tomorrow—or for the next ten years—does not have to be what you do forever.”

Gates went on to share that when he left college after three semesters, he was convinced he would work at Microsoft for the rest of his life. And while he still works on software, philanthropy is his full-time calling.

“Not only is it okay to change your mind, reinvent yourself, or have a second career, it can be a good thing,” Gates said. And I agree with all of this! 

You don’t have to do only one thing for the rest of your life. Make changes, find new things you’re passionate about, and build the life that you want for yourself.

Thank you for tuning in to The Perna Syndicate today. Come back tomorrow to hear Gates’ second piece of advice that he wishes he had heard at graduation. See you then!