I never took a day off in my twenties. Not one.

The line is typically used to underscore an ethos of extreme commitment during a formative, high-stakes period—suggesting that Gates (and, by extension, ambitious founders) treated early career-building as an all-consuming project. It frames success as the cumulative result of sustained intensity rather than sporadic bursts of effort. At the same time, the quote functions rhetorically: it is a compressed, memorable way to dramatize sacrifice and focus, and it can be read as both inspiration and caution. Taken literally, it normalizes overwork; taken as emphasis, it highlights prioritization and the opportunity costs of building something new.