Elon Musk is the man of the hour. From the recent launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to the plans to create a colony on Mars, Musk is making history and selecting unique projects that have allowed him to increase his fortune and gain international acclaim. Musk has what clearly is a unique mindset, but what are the lessons that other enterpreneurs can take from Musk?
#1 Think outside the box
Musk is nothing if not creative. His projects shine for being original and unexpected. He is bringing back an interest in space and is promoting exciting and original projects that sound like something straight out of science fiction. These projects are unique, especially for an entrepreneur, and they show that Musk has a unique capacity for creativity. However, what his success shows is that it can be very important to try to think outside the box and offer innovative products or services. How can you distinguish yourself from others? Don’t try to be the same as others, instead, find ways to think outside of the box.
#2 Look at the evidence
The second important factor in Musk’s mindset is that Musk is not just an entrepreneur, he is a scientist and he often looks at projects from a scientific perspective. Musk knows what works and what doesn’t and he knows to take a look at the evidence. This is something that a lot of entrepreneurs could learn from. While you don’t need to become a scientist yourself, it can be a good idea to take a critical approach to the decisions you make and look at some evidence, studies, or recommendations. Whatever your field may be, there is always evidence available for best practices, best approaches to management, and a lot of other aspects. Think like a scientist and look at the evidence that you can find to ensure that you’re making the right choices. Doing this also means that you don’t have to invent the bicycle all over again. There is a lot of good material out there for you to use.
#3 Dream big
Musk doesn’t do small. He has projects to colonize Mars in 20 years. While that might not necessarily be your goal too, this shows that he is not afraid to think big. Consider what type of goals you set for yourself. Do you limit your dreams and ambitions? If you do, ask yourself why. Having a mindset that is focused on big goals can help you grow and develop your business without limiting yourself to small objectives. Dreaming big will inspire you to do more and to reach for bigger and better things.
#4 Look towards the future
Musk’s plans and projects feel amazing and inspiring not only because they are innovative but because of their futuristic spirit. A colony on Mars? Manned space travel? All that is the stuff of the future, not the stuff of the past, so it attracts attention and support from many different people. In addition to this, these projects will help us move forward, not backwards. Many people who go into business tend to think in terms of what exists now or what they are used to, but things change and so should they. When you get stuck in a mindset that is focused on the past, you might find it hard to innovate, accept change, and promote positive change as well. Your business doesn’t have to be all about robots or space but it should be oriented towards the future to withstand the passage of time.
#5 Follow your passions and interests
Musk’s projects reflect his own interests. If he did not care about space exploration, he could not make other people care about it. But one of his goals has been to rekindle interest in this area to reflect his own interests and aspirations. So, what are you passionate about? What is that you want to do? What do you want people to know about? When you work on something that inspires you, you have a lot more energy and motivation to do things. It also changes the way you view your enterprise: it’s not just a business, it is also a passion project. So, ask yourself what your passions are and how you can integrate them in your business.
#6 Take risks
Musk is not afraid to take risks. His projects are extravagant and unexpected, but they work. There are others that might not work as well but this doesn’t mean that he is going to play it safe. Some things are safe because you know that they will work, but there are other projects that might be risks because they are new, unexpected, or unusual. However, these projects also have the best opportunity of becoming an unexpected success. Business needs risks. While not all of them will pay off, without them, your enterprise will likely become stagnant and fall behind. You need to take some risks when you are working to improve your organization or start a new business, so integrate this into your mindset.
Overall, Elon Musk does things in his own way. He is focused on what matters to him and he is not afraid to take risks, to innovate, to be creative, to make big plans. This means that when his projects succeed, everyone’s attention is focused on them. This also makes his projects different and appealing. However, Musk is not just throwing extravagant ideas to see what happens; his projects are rooted in science and evidence. These are just six lessons that any entrepreneur can learn from Elon Musk’s mindset and adopt for a better business practice.
