The Man Who Followed Elon Musk Everywhere: Here Are 7 Elon Musk Secrets! Walter Isaacson

Added: Nov 30, 2023

Isaacson begins by discussing the common thread among disruptors, noting that many of them have had demons driving them. He highlights Elon Musk's particularly brutal childhood, growing up as a scrawny kid on the autism spectrum in South Africa. Musk faced social challenges, including being bullied and having a psychologically abusive father. Isaacson emphasizes the impact of Musk's upbringing on his intense focus, addiction to drama, and maniacal intensity.

The conversation then shifts to Isaacson's unique access to Musk, which allowed him to observe the entrepreneur's daily life for two years. He describes Musk's intense focus on engineering and manufacturing, spending 80% of his mental energy on designing the machines that make the machines. Isaacson also shares insights into Musk's relationship with his father, highlighting the complex dynamics and the lasting impact on Musk's personality.

Isaacson draws parallels between Musk's childhood trauma and his adult behavior, noting that the trauma response and intense focus are intertwined. He also discusses Musk's first-principle thinking, which involves going back to the basic physics of a problem and disregarding rules and regulations. This approach allows Musk to challenge the status quo and take calculated risks, bypassing the constraints of regulations and people who are risk-averse.

The conversation then turns to Elon Musk's mother, who believed in his genius from a young age. Isaacson highlights Musk's intense focus on engineering and coding, citing his early achievements in coding a video game at the age of 12 or 13. He also discusses Musk's academic performance, noting that while he was a good student, he was not exceptional. However, Musk's intense focus and curiosity set him apart, driving his pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

Isaacson delves into Musk's decision to study physics and business simultaneously, highlighting his desire to understand both the science and business aspects to avoid working for someone who lacked scientific understanding. This decision reflects Musk's first-principle thinking and his determination to have a comprehensive understanding of the industries he operates in.

The conversation then explores Musk's approach to risk-taking and his frustration with excessive regulations and risk-averse attitudes. Isaacson shares anecdotes of Musk confronting individuals who default to telling him why things couldn't happen, emphasizing Musk's determination to challenge conventional thinking and push the boundaries of what is possible.

Isaacson also discusses Steve Jobs' similar mindset of "thinking different" and challenging the status quo. He shares an anecdote about Jobs writing an ad for Apple that celebrated the misfits and rebels who think differently and change the world. This mindset resonates with Musk's approach to innovation and risk-taking.

Isaacson continues by recounting a story about Musk's decisive and intense leadership style. He describes a situation where Musk challenged a team to remove servers from a facility in Sacramento in a much shorter timeframe than initially proposed. Despite initial resistance, Musk took matters into his own hands, personally leading a team to remove the servers in a daring and unconventional manner. This story illustrates Musk's willingness to take risks and his relentless pursuit of his goals.

Isaacson also delves into Musk's acquisition of Twitter, expressing his concerns about the potential distraction it may pose to Musk's other ventures, such as Tesla and SpaceX. He highlights Musk's belief that Twitter needs better engineering and new features, but questions whether this aligns with Musk's strengths and whether it will ultimately benefit his other companies.

The conversation then shifts to Musk's leadership approach and the impact it has on his employees. Isaacson describes Musk's transformation of the corporate culture at Twitter, emphasizing urgency and intensity over psychological safety and collegiality. While some employees thrive in this environment and are willing to go to great lengths for Musk, others struggle and eventually leave the company. Isaacson acknowledges that while disruptive leadership can be effective, it also comes with its own set of challenges and potential drawbacks.

Isaacson also delves into Musk's personal beliefs and motivations, particularly his deep commitment to space exploration and the mission to colonize Mars. He explains that Musk sees spacefaring as a crucial endeavor for humanity, driven by a desire to ensure the survival of human consciousness and to embark on the greatest adventure possible. Isaacson notes that Musk is acutely aware of the limited time he has to achieve his goals, and this urgency fuels his relentless pursuit of space exploration.

The conversation then turns to Musk's approach to health and wellness. Isaacson shares an anecdote about Musk's intermittent fasting diet and his use of weight loss drugs, highlighting Musk's lack of focus on his own health and well-being. Isaacson notes that while Musk is fanatical about many things, taking care of himself through exercise and diet is not one of them.

The conversation then shifts back to the the similarities between Musk and Jobs, particularly their passion for beauty and attention to detail. Both leaders prioritize the product and are willing to take risks and conduct experiments to achieve their goals. Isaacson also delves into the concept of reality distortion, which refers to the ability to will something into existence through intense focus and determination. He notes that while Musk and Jobs share this trait, not all great leaders exhibit the same level of intensity and drive.

The discussion also touches on the importance of knowing oneself and having a clear mission in life. Isaacson emphasizes the value of storytelling as a means of passing on values and inspiring others. He reflects on his own mission as a journalist and biographer, aiming to tell the stories of individuals who have made a significant impact on history.

Lastly, Isaacson provides insights into Musk's personal life, particularly his intense and tumultuous relationships. He notes that Musk values drama and intensity in his personal relationships, which is reflected in his love life. Despite this, Isaacson observes that Musk has a fear of being alone and seeks companionship, often surrounding himself with his children and seeking out intense relationships.