50 years ago, a boy was born to an average family in Pretoria, South Africa.
At the time, this boy was just another kid out of millions - nothing special about him. No one cared much about his existence.......and no one knew that 50 years later, this boy would be the richest man in the world.
His name? - Elon Reeve Musk
Even before Musk learnt to tell his left hand from his right, he always possessed a keen curiosity and unusual interest in absorbing as much knowledge as possible about the world around him. While kids his age were obsessed with games and toys, Musk could often be found in the local library, reading up on one thing or the other. In fact, his reality was so detached from those of his peers that those around him thought he was stunted in some way.
When Musk was barely a decade old, his life took its first major turn as his parents divorced. While an event like this usually meant the beginning of a downward spiral into drug usage, teenage pregnancies, petty crime etc for most kids, Musk instead took the discomfort of experiencing a broken home and let it motivate him even into further self development. He developed an interest in computers, acquiring programming skills and just a couple of years after that, he made his first venture into entrepreneurship when he developed and sold his first program for a token to a computer software outlet.
12 year old Musk was beside himself with joy following the sale. He had confirmed for himself that the world out there appreciated value and was willing to pay for it regardless of the age or nationality of the creator. Thrilled as he was though, little Musk didn't let this achievement get to his head. He had bigger goals and plans for himself and knew that he had to keep his eyes on the big picture.
As he matured in age, intelligence and confidence, he started to survey the horizon and consider his options. He was interested in expediting his progress and came to the conclusion that leaving Africa for America would be a step in the right direction. And so against the wishes of his father, he travelled to Canada where he enrolled in Queens University. But Canada wasn't his ultimate destination. It was simply a means to an end - the end being arriving the United States.
And so shortly after, he transferred to the US, enrolling in University of Pennsylvania where he achieved his bachelor degrees in Physics and Economics. But as he pursued his studies, Musk never forgot the thrill of his first experience in the entrepreneurial arena. He continued to be passionate about business, transforming and consolidating the entrepreneurial mindset he had developed from his earlier years.
Elon Musk is of the unshaken belief that anything being done can be done better. This spirit of invention and innovation has led him to venture into practically all spheres of human existence ranging from computing to transportation, philanthropy to neuroscience, health, artificial intelligence, energy, electronics among others. He continues to expand and widen his reach into even deeper fields.
Those who have achieve self success will tell you that wealth usually goes to those who give the most value to the most people and Elon Musk is yet another confirmation of this fundamental law. When one considers the scope and nature of value he's created, it really is no surprise the extraordinary wealth that has come to him.
Those who achieve an unusual level of success will also be the first to tell you that they encountered their own fair share of setbacks and obstacles and Musk is no different. Throughout his journey, he encountered and had to surmount challenges of every form. He got kicked out of a company he founded, he was dragged from one court to another by law suits, he lost his first child and had various failed marriages.
Yet, he always bounced back. He always focused less on the setback and more on the bounce back.
A lot of us are of the victim mentality. We believe that we're limited in what we can achieve as a result of our race, age, background, handicap or what have you. But Elon Musk's story is a powerful lesson in how a few simple principles, applied relentlessly, can yield amazing results regardless of anything.
As far as backgrounds go, there's arguably not much that's worse than being an African from a broken home - and yet, this particular awkward, nerdy boy went on to become the richest man in the world.
A deeper glimpse into this incredible story shows that one of the driving forces behind Musk's success is constant risk taking. Musk was always betting on himself and putting it all on the line. He knows that the only limits are the ones we impose on ourselves and he constantly pushes the boundaries outwards and upwards.......even into space.
And in a world where increasingly more emphasis is placed on the risks than the possible rewards, Musk's approach may just be the secret towards bulldozing your way from obscurity to global success.
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