Elon Musk (1971.06.28~) – CEO of Tesla, CEO of SpaceX, Chairman of SolarCity

Daily Routine and Philosophy on Money

Elon Musk is known as one of the most influential disruptive innovators in the world today, having founded or acquired companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and Twitter (now X). More than just a CEO, he is regarded as “a man who changes the future.” His day begins around 7 a.m., and during weekdays he splits his time across the offices of his different companies. He attends meetings but keeps them short and to the point, quickly moving on. Unlike typical CEOs who spend long hours in meetings, Musk focuses only on matters requiring decisions, handling them swiftly.

His philosophy revolves around “focus” and “speed”, cutting unnecessary distractions and immersing himself in the essentials. Interestingly, Musk has said that “productivity is happiness.” He emphasizes that he does not work simply to earn money, but that capital is necessary to build the future. He has maintained a “company-centered asset structure,” reinvesting rather than cashing out over the long term.

Favorite Foods and Eating Habits

Surprisingly, Musk is far from a gourmet. In his busy schedule, meals are often nothing more than a “means of survival.” There are many days when he eats only one proper meal, and often he skips breakfast entirely. Still, he has simple indulgences: from childhood, he enjoyed chocolate and diet cola, and even today Tesla’s office fridge is always stocked with Coke Zero.

When dining out, Musk sometimes chooses sushi, barbecue, or Mexican food, showing a preference for those flavors. For him, the most important part of a meal is “conversation”. He considers mealtime as an opportunity to share new ideas and strengthen trust with colleagues, often describing it as a time to “feed the mind.”

He has admitted that his eating habits are not perfectly healthy, and has experimented with intermittent fasting and simple clean diets. His approach to food reflects pragmatism and maintaining focus; for him, food is simply a tool to optimize energy efficiency.

(Still, he became widely known for slimming down with weight-loss injections like Wegovy after once being criticized for his stocky figure — and in 2025, Korea is also swept up in a Wegovy craze.)

Philosophy on Love and Relationships

Musk has attracted global attention through multiple marriages and public relationships. He married actress Talulah Riley twice and divorced her twice, and with singer Grimes he has three children but has maintained their unique, unconventional relationship without marriage. Musk sees love as an emotion that “cannot be defined within fixed frameworks.” He is candid in expressing his emotions, and in love he is considered something of a romantic.

His philosophy on human relationships is surprisingly simple: he has a passion to “build the future with talented people”, with trust as the core value. He believes in his team’s abilities and sometimes tests their problem-solving skills, using such challenges to determine who he keeps close. This reflects his belief that shared values and vision are more important than emotional closeness.

This philosophy extends into his parenting as well. Dissatisfied with conventional education, Musk founded an experimental school called Ad Astra, which focuses not on grades but on creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. This reflects his desire to instill critical thinking and pragmatism in his children.

Lessons for Modern People

Elon Musk’s life has consistently broken limits and shocked the world. He has said:
“Failure is an option. What is not acceptable is not trying.”
While most people fear change or failure, Musk embraces failure as part of growth, improving and improving until he reaches success. Instead of waiting for perfect plans or ideal conditions, he has chosen courage to move forward in discomfort, showing us that life proves “the future is not something to wait for, but something to create.”

For those starting something new or hesitating before fear, Musk continues to deliver a powerful message: “Don’t stop thinking. Just start.” In those simple words lies the energy that drives Tesla forward today.