6 Way to Invest Your Time and Maximize Your Life

Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and also been one of the most richest men in the world:has helped revolutionize the world by putting a computer on every desk with his good reason.   Gates worth $81.5 billion today as evaluated by Forbes.  Here’s his insight about money.   1) Invest in your education     2014 Reddit in “Ask Me Anything” session, someone asked, “What is your best personal financial advice for people who make under $100,000 a year?” His answer: “Invest in your education.”People who are 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree earn an estimated 59.6 percent more than those with only a high school diploma, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, you could get more than higher wages with a college education.   Gates been a drop out student of Harvard University was at the commencement speech in 2007,reflected on his time as a student at the school as has these to say-: “What I remember above all about Harvard was being in the midst of so much energy and intelligence. It could be exhilarating, intimidating, sometimes even discouraging, but always challenging. It was an amazing privilege and though I left early, I was transformed by my years at Harvard, the friendships I made, and the ideas I worked on.”   2) Embrace your critics   In his 1999 book, “Business @ the Speed of Thought,” Gates wrote about the importance of negative feedback by saying that it is important to embrace criticism to not only learn but find solutions for emerging problems. He further said that “Listen to your customers and take their bad news as an opportunity to turn your failures into the concrete improvements they want". Therefore, You should examine customer complaints much more than company financials regularly .            A willingness to meet consumer needs has helped Microsoft grow and increase in this fast-paced sector of technology. Years down the memory lane,the company has strive to stay ahead or at least maintain one of the top of  trends thereby allowing  Microsoft to invest in technologies like its HoloLens, to become a dominating force in gaming and break into the cell phone industry.   3) Learn to say ‘No’ No matter how ambitious you are, there are still only 24 hours in a day. And often, the difference between the successful and unsuccessful is how those hours are invested -time management.   No one knows that better than the richest man in the world, at a sit-down with Harvard students, echoed the words his friend Warren Buffet said to him years ago: “You have to be good at saying no.” Gates said that was among the best pieces of advice he had ever received.   He further  explained that by saying no allows you to concentrate on the things that really make a difference. This way of thinking however  overlaps with Dr. Stephen Covey’s concept of “big rocks,” which is a time management strategy that helps you identity and prioritize the most important parts of your day.   4) Be optimistic “Optimism is often dismissed as false hope,”-as quoted by Gates during 2014 commencement address at Stanford University. “But there is also false hopelessness,” he added. Although he with  his wife, Melinda, who were speaking on poverty and disease, which can be applied to your life too. In his  speech, Bill spoke about his faith in optimism and the important role it plays in solving problems by saying Optimism and by extension, happiness can have a positive impact in your workplace.   According to a study in 2014 from University of Warwick, it was discovered that happiness can make people about 12 percent more productive. Also Shawn Achor, a leading expert on happiness and success, at a Ted Talk said that happiness inspires people to be more productive. So rather than let work stresses weigh on you, invest in things that make you happy which could make life more easier.   5) Think Critically About Your Success    Gates in 1995 wrote in his book "The Road Ahead" that failure often teaches you more about succeeding than success. However, success can be dangerous, if you let it get to your head.   “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose,” he emphasized. “What seems the perfect business plan or latest technology today can soon be as out-of-date as the 8-track tape player, the vacuum tube television or the mainframe computer - I’ve watched it happen.” So, take chances to innovate, gamble on less-than-guaranteed investments and more.   6) Measure your progress An annual letter for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2013, he wrote about a book he was reading, “The Most Powerful Idea in the World",which was about invention of the steam engine, but Gates drew an important lesson from it.He wrote, “… in the past year I have been struck again and again by how important measurement is to improving the human condition. You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal with finding a measure that will drive progress toward that goal …”   It might sound like basic advice, he said but was amazed at how barely it was followed and how hard it was to get right. If you own a business or just want to improve yourself, look to programs that help you set and track goals. Even a simple list on paper can help you get started toward reaching goals.