Melinda French Gates on the Warren Buffett Advice That Keeps Her Focused in Tough Times
By Melino Maka, Tonga Independent News
Political and economic commentator
When Melinda French Gates finds herself overwhelmed by the scale of global problems or questioning her own progress, she turns to a few simple words of advice — one in particular, from Warren Buffett, has anchored her thinking for decades.
In an interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine, French Gates shared her habit of collecting and revisiting quotes that help guide her through difficult moments. One of the most enduring came from Buffett, her longtime friend and fellow philanthropist: “You’re working on the problems society left behind, and they left them behind for a reason. They are hard, right? So don’t be so tough on yourself.”
French Gates says that message has been crucial to her work at Pivotal Ventures, her philanthropic investment company focused on gender equality and social progress. When she feels pressure to see immediate results or wrestles with self-criticism, Buffett’s words remind her that meaningful change takes time — especially when addressing entrenched societal challenges.
Hard Problems, Realistic Expectations
Buffett’s insight carries weight because it acknowledges a difficult truth: the hardest problems are often left unresolved for generations — poverty, inequality, gender discrimination — not because they’re ignored, but because they are deeply complex. This wisdom helps French Gates maintain both perspective and perseverance.
Psychologists agree with this approach. Dr. Ethan Kross, an organizational psychologist at the University of Michigan, notes that while holding yourself accountable is important, harsh self-talk can quickly become counterproductive. “It’s not about telling yourself, ‘You’re amazing, everything is fine,’” he says. “It’s more like a good coach saying, ‘Get your act together — you’ve got this.’”
According to Kross, the key is to develop an inner voice that’s both honest and supportive. Replaying failure or being overly self-critical can stall growth. But having a realistic, forward-looking mindset — exactly the kind of advice Buffett shared — enables people to move on and perform better under pressure.
A Shared Legacy of Giving
French Gates and Buffett’s friendship spans more than three decades. The two first met in 1991, and their bond deepened over years of collaborative philanthropy. Buffett served as a trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from 2006 to 2021 and contributed over $36 billion to its causes.
In 2010, Buffett joined French Gates and Bill Gates to launch The Giving Pledge, a campaign urging the world’s wealthiest individuals to commit to giving away the majority of their fortunes during their lifetimes. It was a bold challenge to a generation of billionaires — and a statement about how wealth can be used as a force for good.
Buffett’s influence on French Gates didn’t stop at funding or formal partnerships. His strategic clarity and calm outlook left a deep impression. “Warren once said to us: ‘Find your bullseye and let the other things fall away,’” she recalled in a March 2024 LinkedIn News interview. “You’ll feel better if you keep your talents focused on that bullseye and stop worrying about trying to do everything.”
That principle — focus, not perfection — has become core to how she leads her organization and evaluates progress.
Playing the Long Game
Since launching Pivotal Ventures, French Gates has committed over $1 billion to projects that aim to dismantle barriers for women and girls by 2026. But she admits it’s not always easy to measure success in the short term.
“We can track things like maternal mortality. Does that get better over five years? That’s measurable,” she told WSJ Magazine. “But some things, like achieving gender equality, are much longer plays. A true societal shift can take 20 years. So check back with me when I’m 80.”
Such long timelines require not only patience but emotional resilience. In many ways, Buffett’s message — to not be so tough on yourself, to accept the difficulty of the mission — is more relevant than ever for leaders in philanthropy and social change.
For French Gates, it’s not about chasing perfection or instant results. It’s about remaining focused on the long-term goal, staying true to one’s values, and having compassion for yourself along the way.
