Bill Gates Advice

[Janet]

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice.

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one

[Mandy]

These are all so true! Thanks for sharing this Janet, great thread!!

[Tink]

The man didn't get where he's at by being stupid!

[highlans]

Am printing that out for my son.

[Janet]

I don't think there is one line that isn't true...so I had to pass this on. I too, printed it out for my son to hang on his bulletin board.

[rivermom]

I agree with these "rules". Will have to print it out and share it w/ my children.

My oldest son cleans and maintain's Bill Gates pool every Wednesday. He enjoys being there and I love hearing different stories from my son about different things that go on at Bill Gates home.

[Janet]

Wow how exciting for your son! This is about as close to a 'celebrity' I've ever been, I mean someone with his stature.

LOL I kinda know someone whose son knows someone.....LOL

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by Janet

Wow how exciting for your son! This is about as close to a 'celebrity' I've ever been, I mean someone with his stature.

LOL I kinda know someone whose son knows someone.....LOL

That's funny Janet

[Gina]

Wow Sherly! How cool is that... I hope he pays your son well, they say people with money are cheap. From what I read Bill Gates is not one to spoil his kids and he can afford to.. I am sure he is a down to earth person.

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by Gina

Wow Sherly! How cool is that... I hope he pays your son well, they say people with money are cheap. From what I read Bill Gates is not one to spoil his kids and he can afford to.. I am sure he is a down to earth person.

My son works for a company so does not get paid directly from Bill Gates himself.
Bill Gates is however a down to earth person as you mentioned Gina.