Motivation is key

Motivation…

He didn’t learn all three to get a desk job. Well, OK, one could make the case that PayPal was more a “paying gig” than the rest…

But SpaceX has been his passion from the get-go. He sat down with borrowed rocket science books, and since he has a science background, he plowed through them, learned everything he could, then went seeking experts to help him with the rest. He then founded the company because it’s WHAT HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT, and what he wanted to do more than anything.

Same with Tesla; the idea of a mass-market electric car with all of the high technology that could be brought to bear - as opposed to what the Auto Industry was doing at the time Tesla was founded “let’s just throw some batteries in a car we already make, and it’ll be close enough…”, was revolutionary. And it was what he wanted to do…

He’s driven to do these things because he drives HIMSELF to do them… not because someone is going to give him a paycheck for them.

That’s awfully hard to replicate unless you already have the drive inside you…

Not saying impossible… but I”m not sure I’d work 18 hour days for years on end, for a couple companies that haven’t really made any money yet!

FYI; I’ve got a small investment in Tesla… and if SpaceX ever sells stock, I’ll buy some of that too… I believe in both companies.