Bill Gates on Wealth Quotes

"I was very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that’s a kind of belief system."

"I believe in the power of the market, but the market doesn't always go where the need is greatest."

"I’m a big believer that as much as possible, you want to be giving it away while you’re alive."

"Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana."

"In the long run, your human capital is your most valuable asset."

"You need to have a certain amount of wealth to feel secure, but after that, it's about impact."

"I definitely don’t think that giving kids a lot of money is good for them. It distorts anything they might do in creating their own path."

"The market does not naturally prioritize the needs of the poor. It’s a tool for the wealthy, and we must use philanthropy to bridge that gap."

"I didn't start Microsoft to get rich. I started it because I thought software was the most interesting thing in the world."

"Wealth doesn't change your personality; it just amplifies who you already are."

"The world’s poorest people are the ones who suffer most from our lack of innovation."

"The most important thing I do is spend time with people who are doing the work on the ground."

"Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organization and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world."

"If you are born poor it’s not your mistake, but if you die poor it’s your mistake."

"If you want to change the world, you have to be willing to invest in things that might not pay off for decades."

"To whom much is given, much is expected."

"Measuring results is crucial for philanthropy. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it."

"The Giving Pledge is about setting a new standard for what it means to be wealthy."

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."

"It’s not just about the money; it’s about the time and energy you put into solving problems."

"The general idea of the rich giving their money away to help others is a great thing."

"I was lucky to be born in a place where I could get a good education and have the opportunity to work hard."

"I don't think I'm that much smarter than other people, but I was willing to work harder at a young age."

"Wealth is a responsibility to give back to society. It's about ensuring that those who have the least get the most help."

"Our foundation’s money is a drop in the bucket compared to what governments can do, but we can take the risks they can't."

"We have to be careful not to create a system where the wealthy just get wealthier and the poor get left behind."

"Capitalism is a remarkable system, but it doesn't solve every problem. We need to augment it with creative philanthropy."

"Legacy is not about the money you leave behind, but the lives you improved with it."

"Philanthropy should be taking much bigger risks than business does."

"Is the rich person’s money more important than the poor person’s life? No. We have to work to make that true in the real world."

"I’ve been very lucky with my investments, but the best investment I ever made was in global health."

"One of the great things about being wealthy is that you can afford to fail on big ideas."

"I can understand wanting to have millions of dollars, there’s a certain freedom, meaningful freedom, that comes with that. But once you get much beyond that, I have to tell you, it’s the same hamburger."