I recently asked a group of young people, "What is the first matter that comes to mind when you hear the name 'Elon Musk'?"

Here are some of the responses:

  • Bright
  • Genius
  • Visionary
  • Passionate
  • Mad genius
  • Crazy
  • Thinker
  • Leader
  • Saviour
  • impulsive
  • entrepreneur
  • risk-taker
  • hero
  • idol
  • god
  • rich
  • billionaire

I then asked,Why is Elon Musk successful? The responses were variations of the higher up: "He sees what others do not"; "He is a visionary"; "He is a idea leader" etc.

I appreciate that these questions can only lead to subjective responses and many of the responses (maybe even all of them) are "correct" and describes Musk well. But what is the key differentiator that made him what he is today?

Again an opinion, but based on fact: Elon Musk is hard working. He is extremely hard working. That is what I visualize whenever I hear/see/or read about Musk. And this volume – Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future past Ashlee Vance – is responsible for this image. The volume is an excellent, inspiring read/listen.

He is supposed to have worked 20-22 hours a day during his first venture X.com. Switching from that to automobiles to space exploration and being an expert in each domain cannot happen without hours and hours of reading and research. He could ruthlessly drive his employees to create better and better products merely because he had a clear understanding of what they were doing and what he wants.  Naturally, this led to a lot of friction but he had the personality to push without breaking.

What nosotros see is his money, his success, his flamboyance and his maverick nature but beneath all that is a tenacious difficult worker. You cannot dream without backing it up with hard piece of work.

After learning he was the richest man in the world (as of Jan 7th 2021), Musk tweeted: How foreign, back to piece of work.I have no uncertainty that he meant it while also offering us a small lesson on priorities.

Elon Musk Back to Work Tweet screenshot
Elon Musk Back to Work Tweet screenshot

Sure, he is no saint but has plenty of inspirational qualities. What we come across in a person defines united states, not them.

This reminds me of 2 instances.

(1) Jim Carrey is a versatile histrion, best known for his comic roles. He hails from an extremely poor background. His family lived off a van in Canada, and at age 16, he quit school to become a full-time custodian (a Janitor). Prior to that, he had an 8-60 minutes shift later on school helping his father on the same task. (source, plus many others online)

In the early on 90s, he wrote himself a cheque for x million dollars for acting services rendered and dated it Thanksgiving 1995 ( 2d Mon of October in Canada or 4th Thursday of Nov in the U.s.) 1995 and put information technology in his wallet. Simply before said date, he was paid 10 million dollars for Dumb & Dumber.As Oprah Winfrey so rightly puts it in this interview (youtube),

Jim Carrey visualised himself as rich and visualisation works if yous work difficult

To which Jim replies,

Yes, yous cannot visualise and become eat a sandwich!

When his begetter passed, Carrey placed the check in his male parent's casket because it was "our dream, together". Read more: Want To Get Rich? Write Yourself A I Crore Cheque!

People today want to do "smart work" from day one. I don't meet how this is possible unless luck has something to do with it. Information technology is only with experience we learn how to optimise effort. There is no escape from trial and error.

The aforementioned reasoning applies to investing and wealth building too. No one knows whether our choices are right or wrong. We will accept to take that inevitable hazard. More importantly, information technology is almost what we focus on. Do we expect at guaranteed returns or revenue enhancement benefits or recent high returns? Do we suffer from a fear of missing out or regret?

Are nosotros emotional most market place losses today or are we emotional most fiscal independence subsequently retirement? Or exercise nosotros see ourselves as rich in the long term and set up to face long periods of pain and suffering (poor market returns) while continuing investments? What practice we see when we hear a Burn story? Practise we wait at the person'southward discipline or do nosotros whinge "oh that person went onsite, that is why"

What nosotros choose to worry about decides our fate. There is a good accomplish why Arjuna among all the Pandavas and Kauravas was able to shoot the eye of the bird.

(two) Practice not judge success in terms of success! Never define success in terms of wealth, salary or education or belongings or fifty-fifty success!

Success is nothing more than the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. – Earl Nightingale.

Progressive realization requires continuous toil. Every bit long as you have a goal and are striving towards it, yous are already successful. I am trying to get my 12-year old to appreciate this. He understands the words. The Sooner he understands their truthful meaning, the happier he volition be in life.Read more: I am 17 years old and want to acquire investing, help me get started.

The next time we see Elon Musk or someone as accomplished or every bit rich, let us meet past their current social station and be inspired by their journey.

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Pattabiraman editor freefincalDr M. Pattabiraman (PhD) is the founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal. He is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Engineering science, Madras. He has over nine years of experience publishing news analysis, research and fiscal product development. Connect with him via Twitter or Linkedin or YouTube. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You can exist rich as well with goal-based investing (CNBC TV18) for DIY investors. (2) Gamechanger for immature earners. (iii) Chinchu Gets a Superpower! for kids. He has as well written seven other free e-books on various money management topics. He is a patron and co-founder of " Fee-just India, " an arrangement for promoting unbiased, commission-free investment advice.


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