Elon Musk’s projects in the spirit of the colonization of Mars and the tunnel Hyperloop are considered the most daring and large-scale for our time. However, to extol the Musk, it would not be correct, since many of his actions cause a number of contradictions.
So, for example, Mark Zuckerberg recently spoke about the fact that Musk is thinking wrongly about artificial intelligence, and our space scientists reproach him for not telling him early about Mars, since he has only one successful attempt to launch the Falcon missile (and this attempt, by the way, he does not hurry to repeat).
Nevertheless, Musk is among the ten most important and influential businessmen in the world, which influence the further course of history.
1) “The sooner you open your business, the better”
The school, perhaps, was the most difficult period in life Musk. Once, after an aggressive pressure from classmates, he even went to the hospital. However, the difficulties in communicating with classmates led him into the computer world. As a result, at 17 he launched his first online project PayPal.
2) “Do not be afraid to make mistakes”
“The main thing is that you are wrong every time in something new, and do not attack the same rake”, – specifies Musk.
3) “Be persistent”
On the road to success, you will meet a thousand people who will explain that you are doing everything wrong, and it’s time to leave your useless pursuits … The most important thing is not to yield to their persuasion, and to go ahead.
4) “Modesty is not for business, be impertinent”
His business partner, Jim Cantrell recalls his first telephone conversation with Musk. He called and introduced himself as an “Internet billionaire.” Then he began talking about the need to transform humanity into a “multi-planetary species.” It was simply impossible to refuse him!
5) “Thank others, especially customers”
In his Twitter, he often thanks customers for the fact that they bought a Tesla car: “It is extremely important for us that you took a chance and purchased a car from a young company like ours. We will not forget this! “.
6) “Do not be afraid to work”
Elon Musk completely does not understand how you can keep a balance between work, health and personal life, as the work fills all his life. Even at a time when he plays with children, he simultaneously responds to emails. Elon Musk claims that his normal working week is 100 hours. However, after he had a new love – actress Amber Hurd, the entrepreneur tries to work a little less – 80-90 hours a week.
“If the others work forty hours a week, and you are one hundred hours, then even doing the same, you will achieve the result two and a half times faster”, – Musk is sure.
7) “Help Others”
Musk is sure that every person should be useful. It is not necessary to globally change the world – to build spacecraft, you can do something small.
8) “Inspire”
Musk is sure that the leader should be someone more than an expert in his field. He must inspire subordinates to infect with great goals. An employee must go to work for the sake of a great future, and not simply because at the end of the month he needs to pay bills.
9) “Focus on the product, not advertising”
Tesla does not spend money on advertising. “No advertising can sell a bad product.” Musk is sincerely sure that the product should advertise itself.
10) “Work with open people”
In his company, Musk seeks to create an open and trustful atmosphere. Only in this environment, employees are free to criticize: “Criticism hits the leader’s self-esteem, but it is useful for self-improvement.”
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11) “Take the risk”
When the financial crisis broke out in 2008, Tesla, like other automakers, was on the verge of collapse. But if General Motors and Chrysler received billions of grants from the government, then Tesla could not expect help from anyone. Therefore, Elon Musk invested in the company all his money earned in PayPal. As a result, the risk has paid off many times.
12) “To create a good business, you need to learn how to cook”
Create a successful project is how to bake a good pie: it is important to take the right ingredients and mix them in the right proportion.
13) “Work with people who are pleasant to you”
Your colleagues should like you. Otherwise, the work will completely wear you out.
14) “Do not be afraid of cemeteries”
Elona Musk has a whole cemetery of failed projects. “There are freshly buried graves in the cemetery, and I’m doing everything so that there is not another one of my projects there,” jokes Musk.
15) “Earn at least $ 1 million. It’s worth it!”
Everyone who says that money does not change anything says the nonsense.
16) “A good man is better than a professional”
Maybe I’m wrong, but I rely more on the personal characteristics of the employee than on his diploma and professionalism. This is very important when a person has a good heart.
17) “Read good books”
Favorite books of the businessman – “The Lord of the Rings” and “Founding” (a cycle of fantastic novels by Isaac Asimov). The main characters of these works have always performed grandiose feats and saved the planet.
18) “Learn Mars with Me”
At first people will live on Mars under the dome, but then the Musk is going to recreate the Earth’s atmosphere so that they do without any protection.
19) “The main thing is not quantity, but quality”
To solve the unsolvable, it is not necessary to hire a whole department. Two people who do not know what to do – nothing better than one person who does not know exactly.
20) “Invent”
In order to start inventing, you need to stop thinking by analogy.
