The life of a billionaire may be glamorous with fancy cars, grand mansions, and elite gatherings, but it is equally laborious and tiresome than one may ever imagine. A role model for many, Elon Musk is the world’s richest man with multinational corporations, such as Tesla, SpaceX, and OpenAI, under his leadership. From eating and working during meetings to finishing reports and playing with his kids, Musk sets ambitious goals and leaves no stone unturned to achieve them.
“We Slept On The Couch”
There is a lot to learn from Elon Musk’s dedication. Post-college, Musk went on to build his first company, Zip2, with his brother, Kimbal. The company aimed to digitize newspapers, a venture which proved to be extremely successful. In the beginning, Elon and Kimbal weren’t making enough money to pay rent for a house and an office, so they decided to buy a small office where they would live. In a larger sense, the sacrifice of money and comfort for the success of his ambitions is what eventually led to the creation of Tesla and SpaceX- two of the world’s largest and best-selling corporations.
“Work Like Hell”
To the average “9-5 worker”, Elon Musk’s work schedule may seem a little crazy. In mere 3 days, Musk completed the 6-month BASIC course, while simultaneously reading 2-3 books on the latest technology daily. When deciding between which company to invest his life savings in, Musk chose both Tesla and SpaceX. Elon says, “Work like hell. I mean you just have to put in 80 to 100 hours every week. ... If other people are putting in 40-hour workweeks and you're putting in 100-hour workweeks, then even if you're doing the same thing, you know that you will achieve in four months what it takes them a year to achieve.” This simple mantra is what Musk lives and breathes.
“Failure Is An Option Here”
From a young age, children have been brainwashed to believe that being the smartest or most talented is how one ends up being successful. Musk, however, emphasizes the idea that simply loving what you do is the most crucial aspect of any startup. Yet, with that comes the fear of failure which is equally important to accept. As quoted by the man of the hour himself, “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough”. It may be easier said than done today for a man with such great power and position, but a few decades ago, SpaceX’s first 3 rockets were all failures. Despite spending countless weeks and months devoted to their goal, every single rocket blew up. In the end, Elon scraped enough money to do a fourth and final one. This rocket would be the decider for whether the company would succeed or go into bankruptcy. Fortunately, the rocket went into orbit, and it would pave the way for the company’s success down the road. The next time you think that you are consistently failing, approach it through a different lens; after all, even Elon Musk welcomes it.
“Choose To Be Extraordinary”
Everybody has the potential to become the next Elon Musk or multi-billionaire, but it is just a matter of how much effort you put in. As Musk, himself, said, “I think that it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” It is not a matter of how smart you are, but how much you are willing to work for it. Hence, next time you make a decision, choose the path of being extraordinary, just like Elon Musk.