Elon Musk's best life tips and advice for students

If you could travel back in time, what tips would you give your younger self? Here are some of Elon Musk's suggestions.
Christopher McFadden
  • Elon Musk is known for his innovative and visionary approach to business and life.
  • As the founder of SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink, he has revolutionized industries and pushed the boundaries of what's possible.
  • However, beyond his professional achievements, Musk also offers valuable insights into how to succeed in life.

Here we will explore some of the essential life tips from Elon Musk. From the importance of perseverance to taking risks, these tips offer practical advice for anyone looking to succeed and positively impact the world. So, whether you're an entrepreneur, a student, or simply someone seeking to live a more fulfilling life, read on to discover the wisdom of Elon Musk.

Where would you start if you aspire to become the next Elon Musk? As it turns out, Musk is not very secretive about his most empowering habits. 

What is Elon Musk's IQ?

How clever is Elon Musk? While no official figure has been released, to achieve what he has done over the last few decades indicates he is no dummy. 

Elon Musk's best life tips and advice for students
Elon Musk is one of the wealthiest people for a reason.

"Elon Musk IQ is estimated as 155, based primarily on his earlier aptitude tests, his ability to read and apply technical information, and his ability to use numbers to make process changes unique in the history of a complicated industry. Elon Musk is a beast." - iq-test..net

How did Musk make his money?

Elon Musk is one of the world's wealthiest entrepreneurs. But how did he make his money? 

As it turns out, he has had his fair share of successful startups.

"[Musk] founded X.com in 1999 (which later became PayPal), SpaceX in 2002, and Tesla Motors in 2003. Musk became a multimillionaire in his late 20s when he sold his start-up company, Zip2, to a division of Compaq Computers." - biography.com.

What was Elon Musk like as a student?

According to various accounts of his time as a student, it appears none of his peers expected him to become so successful. In Elon Musk's biography by Ashlee Vance, he was described as a mediocre student at school.

Many of his classmates thought he was "likable, quiet, [and an] unspectacular student'. 

One of them explained further, "there were four or five boys that were considered very brightest. Elon was NOT one of them." Yet another former classmate was even more critical of Musk, "honestly, there were just no signs that he was going to be a billionaire. He was never in a leadership position at school. I was rather surprised to see what happened to him."

Other friends and peers recall that he often brought model rockets to school. He would fire them off during his break times. He also had strong opinions about many things, like how he didn't like using fossil fuels. 

He has also been quoted for recollecting that he would "rather play video games, write software, and read books than try and get an A if there's no point in getting an A."

After school, Musk emigrated to Canada to avoid South African mandatory military service. 

Elon Musk's best life tips and advice for students
Source:JD Lasica/Flickr

He later graduated with an undergraduate degree in economics. Musk then stayed on to pursue a bachelor's degree in physics.

Musk later enrolled at Stanford University, California, to pursue a Ph.D. in energy physics but dropped out a few days later to found Zip2 (his first venture). 

The rest, as they say, is history. 

What are some tips for students from Elon Musk?

So, without further ado, here are ten tips from Elon Musk for students. This list is far from exhaustive and is in no particular order.

1. Nothing easy is worth having

Elon Musk is renowned for the number of hours he puts into his work. Rather than the usual 40-hour weeks most employees churn out, he regularly works 80 to 100-hour weeks.

He believes that hard work is essential in combating the high chance of failure for some of his more ambitious projects. This can be applied to many other areas of your life too. 

"If other people are putting in 40-hour workweeks, and you’re putting in 100-hour workweeks, even if you’re doing the same thing… you’ll achieve in four months what it takes them a year to achieve,” he has explained in the past. 

2. Learn to delegate early on

Despite his enormously long work weeks, Musk is a massive advocate for delegation. He has understood that he is just one man and can only do so much.

For this reason, Musk has become a master of delegation. He regularly delegates authority to members of his teams. 

Also, many talented people might be better at something than you. Let them practice their craft and try not to micro-manage them. 

3. Don't be afraid to dream big and embrace failure

Musk has seen some fantastic success in his time. From Paypal to Tesla, it may seem that everything he touches turns to gold.

But that is not to say he has not had his fair share of failures. While SpaceX is making leaps and bounds today, the company has not had its way.

A series of early rocket failures did not put him, or his team, from refining the technology and trying again. Let loss inspire you, not crush your spirit.

4. Learn to prioritize!

Throughout your college life and professional life thereafter, you will have many things that attempt to demand your attention and time. To make headway, you must develop the ability to prioritize -- After all, why obsess over getting an A if you don't need it?

Musk has managed to make this something of an art form.

Emails, for example, will vary widely in their importance to you personally and professionally. Learn to filter the irrelevant from the relevant.

You can use software solutions to help you out, but even so, there will be messages and tasks that can wait. You can also maximize your time by reducing your time on social media or by turning off your phone altogether.

5. Write a damn schedule and stick to it!

Not to beat a dead horse, but people like Musk will be the first to tell you to sort out a schedule for yourself ASAP. Your time is your most valuable possession and must be used as efficiently as possible.

Set goals and then break them into more manageable chunks, if needed. Avoid pointless meetings and conversations, for example. 

Also, stop other activities that consume your time but do not help you progress toward your goals. Social media or television, for example. 

6. Do not rest on your laurels

Musk, like many other high-achievers, is a lifelong learner. Try to develop a habit, and love for reading and learning from a young age.

You don't need to stick to books in your particular discipline. It is encouraged to develop a broad diet of books to read.

By reading outside your field, you will appreciate new ideas, methods, and philosophies that can be applied to your own. It will make you better equipped to deal with the barely contained chaos of the world outside of college. 

7. Learn to be your judge and jury

To become a high-achiever like Musk, you must constantly learn to question yourself. Could I be wrong? What am I not seeing here? Is there a better way of doing this? What mistakes did I make in the past, and what did I learn?

Musk is all about continuous improvement of the self. Study and judge yourself regularly. 

8. Be highly selective of opinions

Opinions. Everybody has them, but few are worth their salt. 

If you dream big, many people will try to persuade you by saying how risky it is or how few ventures are successful. Don't let them discourage you.

If you know what you want, go for it. Ignore the naysayers.

9. "Stay on target!"

And finally, people like Elon Musk know the importance of staying focused. While it is relatively easy to set goals, sometimes staying focused on them can be daunting. Learn to figure out what you want and why. And etch the reasons into your memory, or use myriad aide-mémoires.

Such things will sharpen your focus and help you "stay on target." But you are only human, so give yourself a break occasionally too. Oh, and make sure you get enough sleep

And that is your lot for today.

Elon Musk's life tips offer valuable insights into how to achieve success and live a fulfilling life. From his focus on perseverance and hard work to his willingness to take risks and pursue ambitious goals, Musk's approach to life can inspire and motivate us all.

By applying these tips to our lives, we can work towards our goals more clearly and purposefully. So, whether you're starting a new venture, pursuing a passion, or simply looking to live a more fulfilling life, take a page from Elon Musk's book and embrace his approach to success.

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