New Delhi, July 13 -- Success is often seen as the ultimate sign that a person or company is making the right decisions. But Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has long argued the opposite.

In his 1995 book The Road Ahead, Gates wrote one of his most widely quoted observations: "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."

At the time, Microsoft was the world's dominant software company, making the remark all the more striking. Rather than celebrating success as proof of perfect judgement, Gates cautioned that it could create overconfidence and blind people to their own mistakes.

Nearly three decades later, many believe Microsoft's own history illustrates the warning Gates issued while the company wa...