Bill Gates says he’s giving away most of his fortune. That’s 200 billion dollars over the next 20 years. And by 2045, the Gates Foundation will close.
I don’t know what to think about Bill Gates anymore. Some folks call him a genius. Others call him a puppet master. Most of us land somewhere in the middle. We just think about Microsoft and Windows, and groan.
But this move? It’s something. Not just because of the money, but because of the mindset. Gates wrote: People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I’m determined that “he died rich” will not be one of them.
That line stopped me. We live in a country where most people won’t have enough to retire, let alone give anything away. But here’s a man who once topped the wealth charts saying it out loud. He doesn’t want to keep it. He wants to spend his time and his billions on things he believes in.
Now, some folks will say it’s a tax play. And no doubt, it is. But even if it’s part strategy and part legacy, I think it still matters. You don’t pledge 200 billion dollars by accident. That takes intention. It takes letting go when most people hold on tighter.
It also makes me wonder: If Gates plans to spend the next two decades giving it all away, what are the rest of us doing with whatever time or money we have left?
What do you think? Should more billionaires do this? And what would you do if you were in his shoes?
Let me know in the comments and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.
On that note, I’m James Brown, and as always, be well.
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