Bill Gates recently shared his advice for young people who want to change the world for the better. The answer is simple: read a lot of books.
During last month's 'Ask Me Anything' forum on Reddit, the Microsoft co-founder was asked what advice he could give young people who want to make a positive impact on the world.
Gates, who frequently shares lists of his favorite books, adds that reading is an important hobby for discovering potential interests and skills, which can then be used to change the world.
"The ideal thing is to read a lot and hopefully find a skill that you enjoy that can have a positive impact," Gates said, as quoted by CNBC, Monday (6/6/2022).
"For some it means being good at science or engineering. For some it means being a great communicator or politician. For some it means being a nurse or a doctor. The opportunity to learn is better now than ever," he continued.
It's no surprise that Gates suggests reading as a way to change the world. The former richest man in the world used to read 50 books a year and often carried a bag full of books as his vacation companion.
When reading books, Gates says he often writes notes in the margins of his books to help him remember and understand what he reads.
In an interview with Time in 2017, Gates claimed that he always reads through all the books, even though he doesn't like the content. Melinda French's ex-husband also admitted that his reading habit was one of the keys to his success.
After not busy with Microsoft, Gates focuses on addressing global issues such as poverty, climate change, and health through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He also spends his time writing books on global health and climate change.
In the Reddit AMA, Bill Gates also shares tips for the general public who want to fight climate change. Some examples are buying environmentally friendly products that may be slightly more expensive than the conventional version, with the hope that the more people buy, the cheaper the price.
"When eco-friendly products come along like electric cars or synthetic meat or pumps to heat/cool homes, they're going to be a bit more expensive," Gates said.
"By buying these products you will encourage improvements which will lead to lower prices so that the 'green premium' can be lowered," he concluded.