Every now and then I like to pick up a copy of Time magazine and read every article from beginning to end, not just the articles that interest me most. That way you can be certain to learn something you didn't know previously. Learning is an essential ingredient of any successful business. As soon as you close your mind to the possibility of another reality, you are closing yourself off to other greater opportunities that lie waiting for you. In this business, by the time you realize you're in trouble, it's too late to save yourself. Unless you're running scared all the time, you're gone.

The ability to be open to change and to continue to try and improve oneself and one's business is crucial to success, according to Gates. People always fear change. People feared electricity when it was invented, there will always be ignorance, and ignorance leads to fear. If you ignore your surroundings and stop asking questions about how to improve, you will be destined to failure.

One should never stop asking questions; never stop learning. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a doctor or a software developer, it is only by increasing your understanding of the world around you that you will be able to have a significant impact. If you never stop learning, you will never stop seeing the possibilities.