'See The Rest Of Your Life As An Education,' Among Five Advice Bill Gates Shared With Fresh Graduates

MICROSOFT co-founder Bill Gates while giving a commencement address at Northern Arizona University, shared "five things" with students he wished he knew at the time of graduation. For background on Gates's education, he left Harvard University to dedicate hours to Microsoft after the third semester. 

The age of 20s packs a lot for a student their life. While full of rigour and energy, the right advice at the right time plays an important role at this stage of life. And the Microsoft CEO has five things to share with fresh graduates and students.

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However, he started by saying, "What does a college dropout know about graduation? Not much, personally, CNBC reported. Back to the snippets from what he shared:

Your career judgements are not sacrosanct:

"You're probably facing a lot of pressure right now to make the right decisions about your career," the billionaire said. "It might feel like those decisions are permanent. They're not." While Gates thought he would dedicate the rest of his life to Microsoft, he is now into full-time philanthropy. Remapping goals is a "good thing," and it's fine if they do not incline to the soul of the initial version.

Stay open to learning new things:

Once out of college, the co-founder believed he was a jack of all trades. But he advises students to sail out of this thought and focus on things they don't know. Many times in life, you will encounter things you lack knowledge about. "When that happens, don't panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from," Bill notes.

Even after school, "see the rest of your life as an education," Bill notes in his Blog.

Focus on solving larger problems:

Graduates should focus on pressing problems like climate change, harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence and more. "When you spend your days doing something that solves a big problem, it energizes you to do your best work," he adds. "It forces you to be more creative, and it gives your life a strong sense of purpose."

Friendship has great potential:

Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation advised students to value the connections they make in college.

"Remember that people you've sat next to in lectures, skied Snowbowl with, and competed against on Wingo night are not just your classmates. They are your network," he said. For context, Bill started Microsoft with his friend Paul Allen.

Beyond work, there is more to life:

During the initial days of Microsoft, Bill kept a close watch on the working hours of employees. "But as I got older—and especially once I became a father—I realized there is more to life than work," he said.

He advises them to dedicate time to nurture relationships and celebrate milestones. Plus, "take a break" whenever necessary.