When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.

Thrive Global: How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Mike Gregoire: Average 5, range from 3 to 8. Switch time zones often so it can be a bit inconsistent.

TG: What motivates you to do what you do?
MG: I love working with the combination of people, technology and problems. No better space to be than in tech right now. The level of uncertainty and the compete level required to win is exhilarating.

TG: What book are you currently reading?
MG: Pedro Domingos “The Master Algorythm.” This is a fascinating read on Artificial intelligence. A very comprehensive view of the history and possibilities.

TG: What is your favorite quote?
MG: “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds,” Albert Einstein. I fell in love with this when I was younger and people did not appreciate my desire to change the status quo, now I use it more as a reminder to make sure I am not the mediocre mind getting in the way of other people’s creativity.

Mike Gregoire is Chief Executive Officer of CA Technologies, a $4.5 billion global software company. CA Technologies is helping companies seize the opportunities of the application economy — a world where software is crucial to global business and application development is the engine of innovation.

Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com