Elon Musk : Grand Ambitions
"Work like hell. I mean you just have to put in 80 to 100 hour weeks every week. This actually improves the odds of success. If other people are putting in 40 hour work weeks and you’re putting in 100 hour work weeks, then even if you’re doing the same thing you know that … you will achieve in 4 months what it takes them a year to achieve." ~Musk
Elon Musk dreamt high since his teens, from colonizing Mars to revolutionizing technology. John Bramble talks of some of the distinct personality traits which put him apart from the human civilization. The three key personality traits that defines his success :
An often asked question of Musk - ‘How did he learn so much?’
Since childhood, he has been a tireless self learner. At the age of 10 he resorted to reading Encyclopedia Britannica after devouring every other book at home. From interviews and discussions with Musk, its becomes apparent that he views people as computer systems, being made up of hardware (body) and software (mind). Recognizing that your software is one of the most powerful tools that you possess, Musk works tirelessly on updating his, feeding it with more knowledge and information when he wants to understand a problem.
Aristotle described a first principle as, “the first basis from which a thing is known”.
It means basing conclusions on fundamental truths, not on assumption or analogy. Reasoning from first principles requires mental effort. It means boiling things down to their most basic truths, and reasoning up from those truths. It requires you to actively engage your brain and work ideas through. The alternative to this is reasoning by analogy. Assuming something is true or correct because it's similar to something else that has been done before. Musk is a master of using the scientific method of first principle reasoning, and applying it to problem solving scenarios.
Highly intelligent, fast learning, dynamic problem solving ability and lots of money, they’ve all contributed to the success of Musk’s endeavours. But there’s another key character trait to the man which has been critical to his success - an incredible and highly efficient work ethic.
Elon Musk dreamt high since his teens, from colonizing Mars to revolutionizing technology. John Bramble talks of some of the distinct personality traits which put him apart from the human civilization. The three key personality traits that defines his success :
- Getting brain software updated
An often asked question of Musk - ‘How did he learn so much?’
Since childhood, he has been a tireless self learner. At the age of 10 he resorted to reading Encyclopedia Britannica after devouring every other book at home. From interviews and discussions with Musk, its becomes apparent that he views people as computer systems, being made up of hardware (body) and software (mind). Recognizing that your software is one of the most powerful tools that you possess, Musk works tirelessly on updating his, feeding it with more knowledge and information when he wants to understand a problem.
- First Principle first
Aristotle described a first principle as, “the first basis from which a thing is known”.
It means basing conclusions on fundamental truths, not on assumption or analogy. Reasoning from first principles requires mental effort. It means boiling things down to their most basic truths, and reasoning up from those truths. It requires you to actively engage your brain and work ideas through. The alternative to this is reasoning by analogy. Assuming something is true or correct because it's similar to something else that has been done before. Musk is a master of using the scientific method of first principle reasoning, and applying it to problem solving scenarios.
- Work, hard and then harder
Highly intelligent, fast learning, dynamic problem solving ability and lots of money, they’ve all contributed to the success of Musk’s endeavours. But there’s another key character trait to the man which has been critical to his success - an incredible and highly efficient work ethic.
