Life
Self-Promotion: 5 Elon Musk Quotes That Actually Make Sense
Elon Musk: innovator, entrepreneur, visionary, enigma, billionaire, genius… However you choose to describe him, there is no doubt he is one of the most influential people of our lifetime.
As the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, and many others, Musk has revolutionized the electric automobile industry, made huge strides in aerospace, and plans to transform travel with the creation of the Hyperloop. Some people call him the real-life Iron Man and his life is a great story filled with drama, adventure, fun, success, and failure as described in the book “Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future.”
To call the self-made billionaire “unconventional” might be an understatement considering the five Elon Musk quotes we’re going to present here (more on that in a bit).
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Elon Musk Quotes that Prove a Little Self-promotion Can Go a Long Way
From his controversial tweets to his candid conversations on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Musk is certainly no stranger to provocative headlines. Recently, he and partner Claire Elise Boucher (aka Grimes) made quite a few waves when they announced the name of their son was in fact a bunch of symbols “X Æ A-12”. While the child will primarily go by “X” (named for the unknown variable), the couple explained each symbol bared a special meaning. Perhaps the full explanation on how the now infamous baby name truly came to be will get a mention in the next Elon Musk book.
But when it comes to what people (or the world) think about him, Musk seems pretty indifferent, and when you’re on a mission to change the world who has the time to care? Some would even argue it is his unabashed authenticity that makes him so magnetic.
1.“I say something, and then it usually happens. Maybe not on schedule, but it usually happens.”
Have confidence in your abilities and don’t be afraid to speak things into existence. When it comes to new opportunities, you’ll find you often have to sell yourself with your words before you are given a chance to prove your worth. It is in these moments that being able to self-promote with innate confidence is key, knowing your strengths and having a clear vision or goal will help pave the way.
Elon Musk has a plan to send 1 million people to live on Mars by the year 2050. Whether people think it’s just a far-fetched dream or a future reality makes no difference to the SpaceX founder. Regardless, he’s on a mission to make it happen, and given his track record of success, it’s safe to say it likely will.
2. “I always have optimism, but I’m realistic. It was not with the expectation of great success that I started Tesla or SpaceX … It’s just that I thought they were important enough to do anyway.”
So often these days we get caught up in uncertainty, afraid to take risks because of the fear of failure. If you believe something is important or worth pursuing, just go for it. Worst case you fail, but on the flip side, that idea you’re sitting on could be the next Hyperloop.
Elon Musk is known for taking calculated (and sometimes downright impulsive) risks, but without these leaps of faith, it’s likely Tesla and SpaceX would not exist.
3. “Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.”
You are your own personal brand. Everything you do, everything you say, and everything you stand for, highlights the way you present yourself to the world around you.
Your words, your actions, your dreams, and your aspirations are all parts of this abstract element usually referred to as your personal image.
Elon Musk is also a brand. He is the face of each of his companies and is as synonymous with Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company, as the Model S, Falcon 9, and Hyperloop. There are plenty of innovative companies where everyone knows the product, but the creator is not a household name. Because of his incredible success and the way he has marketed himself if Musk is associated with something it almost has instant credibility.
4. “I always invest my own money in the companies that I create. I don’t believe in the whole thing of just using other people’s money. I don’t think that’s right. I’m not going to ask other people to invest in something if I’m not prepared to do so myself.”
If you’re only going to take one page out of the Elon Musk book of self-promotion, this is the one you should print and slap on your fridge. If you want to be successful you have to be willing to put your money where your mouth is, literally or figuratively – no, we’re not saying you need to eat dollar bills.
You can’t expect people to invest in you if you don’t believe in yourself enough to invest as well. This doesn’t have to be a monetary investment; it can be time you invest in your self-development, continued education, etc.
It’s also imperative you take time to develop your personal “elevator pitch”. An elevator pitch (or speech) is a succinct but interesting summary of your background, experience, and goals. If you are an engineer, briefly explain your research and how it can impact the world. If you are a psychologist explain how you understand the complicated human psyche and how you want to use this knowledge to better the human condition. We all have an amazing journey to narrate, but we often miss out on this opportunity.
Remember that success is when preparation meets opportunity.
5.“I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.”
You are in control of your destiny, and it is your responsibility to be your own hype man.
Everyone that is or wants to be associated with you will often be attracted to the same thing: That you are a person who works on something bigger than yourself. That you represent the future, and that future is bright.
Show Up, Work Harder, Rinse, Repeat
Judging by these Elon Musk quotes, it’s safe to say that this man is by no means ordinary. His IQ is estimated to be around 155 (genius-level is around 140), and he’s famously stated that he doesn’t have time to sleep (though we’d have some great sleep tips for him if he did). That said, he chooses to show up each day and surpass what he did the previous day. He has chosen to live every aspect of his life in a way that is truly extraordinary. Love him or hate him, Mr. Musk knows how to promote himself, his work, and unconventional baby names.