Justine Musk isn’t known for being in the spotlight very often, however, it seems she is rather insightful about her ex-husband’s success. After seeing Elon become the founder of PayPal as well as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Justine has an idea of what it takes to become a billionaire.
Elon Musk’s Net Worth
Currently, Elon Musk is estimated to have a net worth of $12.1 billion. Much of this has obviously stemmed from his business endeavors directly. Although Tesla hasn’t been wildly profitable, the company is still doing extremely well.
Justine was by Elon’s side until 2008 when the couple parted ways, making her privy to the “secrets” of becoming a billionaire. Recently, she responded to a Quora thread asking the following question: Will I become a billiaonaire if I am determined to be one and put in all the necessary work required?
What Does It Take To Be a Billionaire?
Musk’s former wife answered the question fairly simply with “no.” However, she believes the person asking the question is focused on the wrong things. She continued her response by saying.
You’re determined. So what? You haven’t been racing naked through shark-infested waters yet. Will you be just as determined when you wash up on some deserted island, disoriented and bloody and ragged and beaten and staring into the horizon with no sign of rescue?
Shift your focus away from what you want (a billion dollars) and get deeply, intensely curious about what the world wants and needs. Ask yourself what you have the potential to offer that is so unique and compelling and helpful that no computer could replace you, no one could outsource you, no one could steal your product and make it better and then club you into oblivion (not literally). Then develop that potential. Choose one thing and become a master of it. Choose a second thing and become a master of that. When you become a master of two worlds (say, engineering and business), you can bring them together in a way that will a) introduce hot ideas to each other, so they can have idea sex and make idea babies that no one has seen before and b) create a competitive advantage because you can move between worlds, speak both languages, connect the tribes, mash the elements to spark fresh creative insight until you wake up with the epiphany that changes your life.The world doesn’t throw a billion dollars at a person because the person wants it or works so hard they feel they deserve it. (The world does not care what you want or deserve.)
The world gives you money in exchange for something it perceives to be of equal or greater value: something that transforms an aspect of the culture, reworks a familiar story or introduces a new one, alters the way people think about the category and make use of it in daily life. There is no roadmap, no blueprint for this; a lot of people will give you a lot of advice, and most of it will be bad, and a lot of it will be good and sound but you’ll have to figure out how it doesn’t apply to you because you’re coming from an unexpected angle. And you’ll be doing it alone, until you develop the charisma and credibility to attract the talent you need to come with you. Have courage. (You will need it.)
And good luck. (You’ll need that too.)
Closing Word of Advice
Certainly, not everyone will become a billionaire in their lives. What matters is the amount of hard work and passion that you put into it. Quality over quantity and knowing that you live gratefully being able to provide for your family with your paychecks. Remember to keep your pay stubs safe because they are important documents. You can make your own pay stubs with the online paystub maker.
All in all, becoming a billionaire does take some hard work. But no matter how determined you are to have that dollar amount in your bank account, you will need to develop potential and have the courage to reach your goals. Oh, and as Justine pointed out, having a little luck on your side won’t hurt either!
Amanda Blankenship is the Director of Social Media for District Media. In addition to her duties handling everything social media, she frequently writes for a handful of blogs and loves to share her own personal finance story with others. When she isn’t typing away at her desk, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, husband, and dog. During her free time, you’re likely to find her with her nose in a book, hiking, or playing RPG video games.
Wondering how your wealth stacks up to the biggest celebs? Put it to the test with this fun calculator! See if you can outshine Brad Pitt or Jay-Z and find out just who's really rolling in dough. Apples vs oranges never sounded so exciting!
Staying on top of your finances starts with understanding them. Check out our Personal Finance tips to get the know-how you need for financial success!
You can check our Privacy Policy if you want to know how your data is used.
