This deep dive by Ashlee Vance takes us inside Elon's mind in a way I haven't experienced before. This awesome Wait But Why article series takes us inside his business strategy, but this book is about the man. Ashlee presents Elon as a true generalist who's not afraid to dig in and get his hands dirty either. Elon, despite his flaws, is an inspirational character to me. I came away with great respect for his work ethic, long term focus, and ability to work from first principles.
Key Takeaways
Memorable Quotes
Rating 7.5/10
As a tech-minded person, this book inspired me to do more. It feels strange to read a biography about someone who's still alive though. It feels inconclusive. Since this book debuted, Elon has started two more companies! I hope that a second pass comes out to cover Hyperloop, the Boring Company, and Neuralink.
Key Takeaways
- We should spend more time formulating the right questions to ask.
- Working hard (100+ hrs/wk) comes at the expense of other things.
- The impossible only seems that way until it's not.
- Use naysayers as fuel for your fire.
- Don't be afraid to shoot for something big.
- The right team can do anything.
Memorable Quotes
- What Musk has developed that so many of the entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley lack is a meaningful worldview. He’s the possessed genius on the grandest quest anyone has ever concocted. He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshalling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos, Musk wants to . . . well . . . save the human race from self-imposed or accidental annihilation.
- There is a fundamental problem with regulators. If a regulator agrees to change a rule and something bad happens, they could easily lose their career. Whereas if they change a rule and something good happens, they don’t even get a reward. So, it’s very asymmetric. It’s then very easy to understand why regulators resist changing the rules. It’s because there’s a big punishment on one side and no reward on the other. How would any rational person behave in such a scenario?
- He seems to feel for the human species as a whole without always wanting to consider the wants and needs of individuals.
- I think there are probably too many smart people pursuing Internet stuff, finance, and law,” Musk said on the way. “That is part of the reason why we haven’t seen as much innovation.
- There can be no question that Musk has mastered the art of getting the most out of his employees. Interview three dozen SpaceX engineers and each one of them will have picked up on a managerial nuance that Musk has used to get people to meet his deadlines. One example from Brogan: Where a typical manager may set the deadline for the employee, Musk guides his engineers into taking ownership of their own delivery dates. “He doesn’t say, ‘You have to do this by Friday at two P.M.,’” Brogan said. “He says, ‘I need the impossible done by Friday at two P.M. Can you do it?’ Then, when you say yes, you are not working hard because he told you to. You’re working hard for yourself. It’s a distinction you can feel. You have signed up to do your own work.”
Rating 7.5/10
As a tech-minded person, this book inspired me to do more. It feels strange to read a biography about someone who's still alive though. It feels inconclusive. Since this book debuted, Elon has started two more companies! I hope that a second pass comes out to cover Hyperloop, the Boring Company, and Neuralink.
