In his new memoir, 'Source Code', Bill Gates reveals that despite co-founding Microsoft in 1975 and becoming a billionaire, he spent years fearing that a single misstep could ruin the company. It wasn’t until 1998—more than two decades into Microsoft’s journey—that he finally felt the company was strong enough to survive mistakes.

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“I thought I was one mistake away from failure,” Gates told CNBC Make It, recalling the pressure of leading Microsoft through its rapid rise.

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Long hours and constant pressure  

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Gates describes working 80-hour weeks, writing code, and pushing the company to stay ahead in the competitive tech industry. Even as Microsoft became the most valuable public company, he remained consumed by the fear of losing everything.

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By the late 90s, Microsoft was worth over $250 billion and Gates had a personal fortune of $58 billion. He said, “Not until the late 90s did I feel like, ‘Wow, we can even make a few mistakes and still be okay.'” He added, "I thought I was one mistake away from death until then. That was just my mentality."

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Legal battles

Microsoft’s dominance in the personal computing industry also made it a target. In the late 90s, the company faced antitrust lawsuits as competitors and regulators accused it of monopolistic practices. 

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Reflecting on that period, Gates noted, “I understand why my competitors are so jealous that they think they need the Justice Department to help them out.”

(With inputs from agencies)