Bill Gates' Billionaire Success Was Fueled By A 'Crucial' Childhood Habit That's Nearly Extinct Today–Here's Why That's A Problem

Bill Gates, one of the richest and most influential people in the world, says his success comes from a childhood habit that's hard to find in kids today – the ability to focus deeply without interruptions. When he was young, Gates spent hours in his room reading books and thinking about ideas. This helped him learn how to solve problems and develop creative ideas – skills that helped him create Microsoft and become a billionaire. 

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But in today's world, where smartphones and social media dominate, this habit of deep focus is under threat. Gates himself wonders in his latest blog post if he would've developed the same abilities if he'd grown up with today's technology – a constant stream of distractions just a tap away. His reflections are inspired by Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation, which explores how smartphones and social media have rewired childhood and adolescence since the early 2010s.

According to Haidt's research, this “rewiring” is causing significant problems for today's youth. These days, the typical teen uses screens for six to eight hours per day to scroll through social media, watch movies or play games. This takes up valuable time they could have spent learning or doing anything productive. According to Haidt, these hours come at a cost as they have “less (and worse) sleep, less reading, less in-person socializing, less time outside and less independence.”

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Gates says attention spans are like muscles. If you don't use them, they don't grow. Constant interruptions from technology make it hard for kids to learn how to focus – a skill that's important for coming up with new ideas and solving tough problems.

It's not just attention spans that are suffering. Haidt's book highlights alarming mental health trends among teenagers. Anxiety, depression and even self-harm have skyrocketed since smartphones and social media became a constant presence. While young women seem to be facing more mental health struggles, young men are falling behind academically and socially, missing out on the resilience that comes from real-world experiences and risk-taking.

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Haidt and Gates also point out a parenting issue, as many parents shield their children from dangers and difficulties because they are too protective. However, they aren’t strict enough about social media and screen time limits, which keeps children stuck in the alluring world of social media and unprepared for the challenges of real life.

Can We Fix This?

Haidt's proposed solutions include delaying smartphone access for kids, implementing stricter age verification for social media and creating phone-free zones in schools. Gates also points out the need to bring back the kinds of environments that encourage risk-taking, independence and in-person interaction.

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