Walter Isaacson’s Musk Biography

My Biggest Takeaways From Walter Isaacson’s Musk Biography

He knows that real adventures involve risk.

Remove risk and skin in the game, things don’t accelerate the same way.

Elon’s grandfather died flying a plane and spent his weekends ferrying Elon’s mother around the South African desert in search of a lost city. He was compulsive, selfish, but absolutely 100% full of life.

In our day to day it’s easy to get lost in trying not to bother those we spend our time with. Day to day we defer to an accepted equilibrium and everything becomes ‘just alright’, but once we are gone, and other people look back on what you did, will they remember the ‘alright’?

The top-line achievements is all that’s going to be remembered. If you were a rude, abrasive prick to people that didn’t meet your standards those anecdotes will be condemned to details. But once you’re removed from that moment, people don’t remember.

If you read Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs at face value. It’s impossible to not have the impression that Steve was one of the great c*nts of all time. A truly awful, selfish person.

But just look around at how he’s remembered. He’s an idol.

This is just to make the point that Musk’s intolerance to those around him that don’t meet his stakes is largely the root cause of most of his criticisms. And while in any given moment this is true, history will not remember it.

Musk’s Algorithm

1. Question every requirement - each requirement should come with the person who made it. Question every requirement no matter how smart the person was who made it.

2. Delete any part or process you can. 

3. Simplify and optimise. This can only come after step 2

4. Accelerate cycle time. Every process can be sped up, but only once 2 and 3 are addressed

5. Automate comes last.  

Elon values authenticity above all else. He’s comfortable with conflict. It’s ok to be wrong, just don’t be confident and wrong. First principles thinking drives every interaction this man ever makes.

Finally - a few quotes that stood out to me from the book.

“Camaraderie is dangerous, it makes it hard to challenge other peoples work”

“Never ask you troops something you are not willing to do”

“When hiring, look for attitude, skills can be taught, attitude changes require a brain transplant”

“The only rules are the ones dictated by the laws of physics, everything else is a recommendation” _{(EASILY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE QUOTES OF ALL TIME)}

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