Bill Gates spends a lot of his time and money trying to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems — from climate change to poverty. One major problem has even him stumped.

“Misinformation is the one where I, a little bit, had to punt and say, ‘OK, we’ve handed this problem to the younger generation,'” Gates tells CNBC Make It.

Misinformation is becoming more common, as technological advances like artificial general intelligence chatbots make it easier to generate and spread falsehoods quickly. AI-generated misinformation was named as the top global risk of the next two years in a World Economic Forum survey in January. Fifty-five percent of Americans said the U.S. government and tech companies should act to restrict false information online, in a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center.

Gates, the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, is likely more familiar with misinformation than he’d care to be. But a conversation with his daughter Phoebe further opened his eyes on the issue’s severity, he says.

“Hearing my daughter talk about how she’d been harassed online, and how her friends experienced that quite a bit, brought that into focus in a way that I hadn’t thought about before,” says Gates.

Last year, Phoebe Gates spoke out about what she called “the misconceptions and conspiracy theories” about her family and her own relationships in an interview with The Information, including racist online commentary about one of her ex-boyfriends, who is Black.

Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder, is set to tackle the topic in an upcoming five-part Netflix docuseries called “What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates,” due to premiere on September 18. In an advance screening of the series provided to Make It, Gates tells his daughter he feels bad for not having a handy solution to slow the spread of misinformation.

Other issues, like eradicating diseases or promoting cleaner energy, still aren’t easy to solve — but they have clearer paths to solutions, he tells Make It.

When Gates started Microsoft, he thought most people would want to use home computers — and later the internet — for purely productive and responsible purposes, he says. When he began working on the docuseries, he still harbored some of “my naivete that when we made information available, that people would want correct information,” he adds.

Instead, speaking with misinformation experts while filming helped Gates realize: He too shares the human impulse to seek out information that confirms previously held beliefs.

“Even I will wallow,” he says. “Let’s say there’s a politician I don’t like, and there’s some article online criticizing him a little bit. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s such a good critique [and] I enjoyed reading it, even if it was exaggerated.'”

Gates says he isn’t entirely sure how to stop the spread of misinformation. He’s sensitive to the counter-argument that restricting any type of information online could harm the right of free speech, yet agrees that some kinds of rules need to be established, he says. By whom, he’s not totally sure, he adds.

Common tactics to tamp down misinformation and disinformation include internet literacy programs and content moderation by social media platforms. Some tech companies have pulled back on those costly efforts, which only scratch the surface of the problem, according to researchers who study disinformation.

Google executive Beth Goldberg told Make It last year that technology could help, with researchers developing AI tools to identify misinformation and toxic speech online. But the nature of a technology arms race — someone creates a solution, someone else figures out how to get around it — means “it won’t be a perfect success,” Gates wrote in a blog post last year.

The problem isn’t going away, either: It’s already far too easy for false information to spread to the billions of people actively using the internet, says Gates.

“And, if you catch it a day later, the harm is done,” he says.

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The idea of financial freedom can feel like a far-fetched dream — something only a few get to experience after a lucky break, or during retirement after working for decades, but Shao Chun says otherwise.

Over the course of eight years working at Google, Chun lived below his means and consistently set aside up to 50% of his paycheck for investments. That allowed him to build a substantial portfolio worth $2 million, according to documents seen by CNBC Make It.

“You can actually achieve financial freedom while working nine to five,” Chun said.

But when he was laid off in February, Chun realized he no longer had to rely on a paycheck to sustain himself.

Using the 4% rule as a guideline, Chun saw that he could comfortably and safely live off of his investments by withdrawing 4% of his portfolio in the first year and that same amount, adjusted for inflation, in each subsequent year. In theory, this amount would likely be small enough for his portfolio to support him for at least 30 years.

“When you are financially free … you can then have that flexibility or that air space to actually do what you want,” he said.

DON’T MISS: How to master your money and grow your wealth

Besides the amount withdrawn from his portfolio, Chun also makes money by teaching as a part-time professor at the National University of Singapore, creating educational content for his YouTube channel “9 to 5 Millionaire Mindset” and through his career-coaching business.

Here are the four key principles he lives by that have allowed him to achieve financial freedom:

The first step to becoming financially free is to be intentional about pursuing that freedom.

“What we used to value is stability, [but] given where the economy is going right now, stability is no longer a perk that… companies can provide us,” he said. “The current generation [feels] stuck, [like] they need to dedicate themselves to one particular path, but… your objective is to be free. Your objective isn’t to be loyal.”

“The beautiful thing about our lives right now is that… while jobs no longer provide security… we have so [many] resources that are available online as well,” he said: From learning how to invest to opening your own brokerage account, the internet offers free information on how to build your wealth.

So, you want to be financially free. How do you get there? “Short story… is to get rich,” said Chun.

“You must find ways to increase your active income,” said Chun. One way is to know when to job hop when “you’re not learning or earning,” says Chun.

“The other way is to be over employed,” he said. “So you have people working multiple jobs, having side hustles or even working two remote jobs. That’s one way, but the burnout is high.”

When it comes to side hustles, Chun suggests picking something that is a “low lift” or something that complements your skill sets. Ideally, the side hustle will bring in passive income so you don’t have to trade your time for money, he suggests.

Managing your “burn rate,” or how much you spend, is just as important as increasing your income, said Chun.

“If you want freedom, you actually need to be disciplined,” he said. “It’s actually a very popular concept that is advocated by the U.S. Navy SEALs: ‘discipline equals freedom.’”

Although many people want financial freedom, oftentimes our actions do not align with that goal. Behaviors such as seeking instant gratification, living beyond our means and “keeping up with the Joneses” can get in the way of our goal of being free.

Because inflation erodes the value of money over time, it is crucial to learn how to properly invest so that your nest egg can keep up with, or ideally beat the market.

“The [last] pillar of achieving financial freedom is to… not trade time for money, and that’s when you need to start investing,” said Chun.

Respect the “time value of money,” he said, pointing to a basic rule in economics that states the value of a dollar today is worth more than the value of a dollar in the future due to interest, inflation and its earnings potential.

Since 1957, the S&P 500 has provided an average return on investment of 10.26% each year, according to Investopedia. If you invested $1,000 in the S&P 500 in 2013, by April of 2023, your investment would have tripled to about $3,217, according to reporting by CNBC.

“Invest for the long term, not the short term,” said Chun, advising people to avoid the “shiny thing syndrome” and try to invest in your circle of competency, or what you understand. “If you can’t explain the investment to a 6-year-old, that investment might not be for you.”

Want to master your money this fall? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course. We’ll teach you practical strategies to hack your budget, reduce your debt, and grow your wealth. Start today to feel more confident and successful. Use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off, now extended through September 30, 2024, for the back-to-school season.

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“Eric” is a program manager at a fast-scaling tech company. He’s hungry for career growth and perfectly positioned to take on more responsibility. He’s eager for exposure to senior management and hopeful he’ll eventually advance to a director-level position. 

Yet despite his ambition and potential, Eric finds himself constantly repeating two toxic words: I’ll wait. 

• “I’ll wait until I’ve finished this major project rollout,” he tells himself when a new leadership opportunity opens up. 
• “I’ll wait until after my quarterly review to bring this up,” he decides when considering whether to pitch an idea to his boss. 
• “I’ll wait until the new year to be firmer about my work hours,” is how he rationalizes answering emails at 11 p.m. yet again.
• “I’ll wait until things are calmer before I ask for a raise,” is what he tells himself, but things never slow down. 

Now, Eric is more of a hypothetical — an amalgamation of real clients I’ve had rather than any one client in particular. But as an executive coach for over a decade, I’ve seen this pattern repeat itself countless times. 

Saying “I’ll wait” may seem reasonable on the surface, but these two little words will just hold you back. 

What I’ve learned from working with thousands of deep-thinking, high-achieving professionals is that “I’ll wait” is usually a form of perfectionism in disguise — a sneaky way of keeping yourself safe from potential failure or criticism. 

You believe you’re being prudent and preparing. You convince yourself that a magical day will arrive when you finally feel ready to take that leap. But in reality, you may just be avoiding discomfort.

These two little words allow you to justify your struggles and keep yourself trapped in people-pleasing and overthinking.  

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If you’re like Eric, you might sacrifice work-life balance as you watch colleagues get promoted ahead of you and feel increasingly frustrated and undervalued. With each “I’ll wait,” you reinforce the false belief that you’re not quite ready, not quite good enough.

These words create a vicious cycle: the longer you wait, the less confident you feel, and the more you stall.

If you keep waiting for the “perfect time,” you’ll be waiting forever. Your situation won’t magically improve “someday” without brave, deliberate action. In fact, your fears might intensify, pushing you further from the confidence, compensation, and recognition you deserve.

Waiting only guarantees more of the same: stress, self-doubt, and dissatisfaction. 

So how do you stop the cycle? 

When you catch yourself saying “I’ll wait,” pause and dig deeper. Ask yourself questions to discern if your hesitation is based on concrete observations or fear-driven feelings and vague notions that might never materialize. Try:

• Is my reason for waiting based on external facts or internal feelings? When you say something like, “I’ll wait to apply for the promotion until the new budget is approved next month, because that’ll determine if the role is funded,” you’re basing your decision on facts. But if you think, “I’ll hold off on applying until I feel more confident in my leadership skills,” emotion could be clouding your approach. 

• What’s the worst that could happen if I act now? Is that outcome truly likely? You might worry, “If I pitch my idea, my boss could reject it and think less of me.” In reality, your manager will probably appreciate your proactivity and creative thinking, even if they don’t implement your idea immediately. 

• Am I waiting for something specific to change or for a vague sense of “readiness”? Compare these two thoughts: “I’ll wait to volunteer for the cross-functional project after I’ve completed my current assignment,” versus “I’ll volunteer when I’ve built enough trust with the engineering team.” The first statement has a clear, time-bound condition, while the second relies on an ambiguous sense of experience that could keep you on pause indefinitely.

Set realistic benchmarks for taking action that don’t demand perfection. For instance, maybe you decide to present in larger meetings after you’ve received positive feedback on three lower-stakes presentations. 

Likewise, break your steps down into smaller, manageable parts. This operates on the psychology of the progress principle, which suggests that hitting milestones can give you the confidence to tackle bigger, more daunting goals. 

Let’s say you’re thinking, “I’ll wait until we have new leadership in place to suggest changes to how we work.” Instead of putting it off, you could start keeping track of what is and isn’t working in your current processes.

You could also chat informally with colleagues to collect different perspectives and ideas. That way, when the new leadership steps in, you’re ready to present a well-rounded case. 

When you expand your ability to sit with tough emotions — like fear of failure or the unknown — you show yourself it’s safe to act despite not having all the answers or any guarantees. You’re less likely to get stuck in procrastination and overthinking because you’re better at navigating through discomfort rather than avoiding it.

Over time, you’ll be less deterred by the potential for setbacks or criticism, which are often the hidden reasons behind “I’ll wait.”

Try out a “now or never” rule for minor decisions. Give yourself just 30 seconds to make a call on everyday choices that don’t require much debate. Whether it’s deciding to share an idea in a meeting, sending a quick reply to an email, or even choosing where to grab lunch, practice making these decisions quickly without getting bogged down by analysis paralysis.

Make it a habit to put yourself in the path of discomfort on a regular basis, too. It doesn’t have to be a big leap — maybe try out new software that’s always seemed intimidating or help on a project that’s a little outside your usual scope. Even something as simple as initiating conversations with coworkers you don’t often speak to can count. 

As you get used to handling these micro-decisions and mini-challenges, you’ll find it much easier to banish “I’ll wait” and step up when opportunities come your way.

Melody Wilding, LMSW is an executive coach and author of “Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work.” Get a free copy of Chapter One here. 

Want to master your money this fall? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course. We’ll teach you practical strategies to hack your budget, reduce your debt, and grow your wealth. Start today to feel more confident and successful. Use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off, now extended through September 30, 2024, for the back-to-school season.

The fastest-growing suburb in the U.S. isn’t near a major city like New York, Miami, or Los Angeles. In fact, it’s in North Carolina, according to a new GOBankingRates report.

In August, GOBankingRates looked at the population change from 2020 and 2022 and focused on cities with a 9% or greater change in the same years. The suburbs had to have a July 2024 home value below $500,000.

The South reigned supreme, with six regions in the top 10—Mooresville, North Carolina took the No, 1 spot on the list. States like Florida and Arizona both had two cities in the top 10, according to GOBankingRates.

In July 2024, Mooresville had a home value of $480,430 and a 29.94% change in total population over the 2020-2022 period.

The town — part of the Charlotte metro area — is known is known as “Race City USA” because it is home to many NASCAR and IndyCar racing teams and the NASCAR Technical Institute. Mooresville also counts Lowe’s Corporate as a major employer in the area.

1. Mooresville, N.C.
2. Hamtramck, Mich.
3. Buckeye, Ariz.
4. Union City, Ga.
5. Canyon Lake, Texas
6. Olive Branch, Miss.
7. Maricopa, Ariz.
8. Clermont, Fla.
9. Leesburg, Fla.
10. Goodyear, Ariz.

The No. 2 fastest-growing U.S. suburb is Hamtramck, Michigan.

The July 2024 home value was $167,930 and the change in population from 2020 to 2022 was 28.28%, according to the report.

Hamtramck is located roughly five miles north of downtown Detroit. The proximity to the major city makes it a great location for those who want to work in Detroit and then head back out to a bit of a quieter life in the burbs. According to the 2020 Census, Hamtramck’s population is 28,433, the median household income is $39,648, and the employment rate is 40.5%.

The city is known as “The World in Two Square Miles” because it is so diverse and home to an array of cultures from around the world.

Want to master your money this fall? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course. We’ll teach you practical strategies to hack your budget, reduce your debt, and grow your wealth. Start today to feel more confident and successful. Use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off, now extended through September 30, 2024, for the back-to-school season.

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