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In my family there was no faster way to win favor than to be good at games, especially card games.

In my family there was no faster way to win favor than to be good at games, especially card games. Family tradition. Bill Gates's maternal grandmother, Adelle Thompson ("Gami"), instilled in him a love for card games, which became a central part of his family culture. Gami's card-playing prowess was legendary, and young Bill was initiated into this world early, learning Go Fish at age five. Learning from the best. Gami's mastery of cards fascinated Bill, who sought to understand how she achieved such skill. He realized that her success wasn't just luck or talent, but the result of training her brain and developing strategies. This realization sparked Bill's own interest in learning and improving his card-playing abilities. Transferable skills. Through card games, Bill learned valuable skills such as tracking opponents' hands, calculating probabilities, and making strategic decisions. These skills would later prove invaluable in his career in computer programming and business.

A life well-lived meant living simply, giving your time and money to others, and, most of all, using your brain—staying engaged with the world. Principled upbringing. Gami instilled in Bill a strong personal code of fairness, justice, and integrity. She emphasized the importance of living simply, giving back to others, and using one's intellect to stay engaged with the world. Civic duty. Bill's parents, particularly his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, were deeply involved in community nonprofits and civic organizations. They instilled in him a sense of responsibility to contribute to the betterment of society. Striving for success. Bill's parents expected their children to excel in school, sports, and social activities. They communicated these expectations through their actions and conversations, creating a culture of achievement and ambition within the family.

Technology was progress and, in the right hands, it would bring peace. Post-war confidence. Bill's childhood in View Ridge, Seattle, was marked by a sense of optimism and confidence in America's future. The country was booming, and technology was seen as a force for progress and peace. World's Fair influence. The 1962 Seattle World's Fair, with its focus on science, technology, and space exploration, had a profound impact on Bill. It instilled in him a belief in the power of technology to solve problems and improve lives. Limitless potential. The climate of limitless potential in the 1960s shaped Bill's early life and ambitions. He grew up believing that anything was possible with hard work and ingenuity.

On the surface, the difference between hiking and programming couldn’t have been greater. But they each felt like an adventure. Early access to computers. Lakeside School provided Bill and his friends with rare…