Geniuses who go on to change the world in one way or another almost always have a set of processes they swear by and it seems Tesla's billionaire CEO Elon Musk is no different in that regard. Serial Entrepreneur, Michael Simmons enumerated the three things that make Musk what he is, in a piece for Quartz. He also stated that it is possible for everyone to unlock their own potential by incorporating those things into their own lives.
Versatility and knowledge transfer
Musk is a giant of modern times as he's involved in space exploration with SpaceX and in revolutionizing the automobile industry with Tesla.
On the other hand, he had also made a fortune when Paypal was acquired by eBay. Everything points to a certain versatility that is of rare quality and Simmons believes that, instead of striving to become the best in one particular field, everyone, like Musk, should explore as many different fields as they possibly can. Musk has extensive knowledge of physics, coding, engineering and rocket science, which makes him a unique individual in many ways. In the same way, an individual with wide-ranging knowledge of multiple subjects will definitely have a competitive advantage over his peers.
Knowledge transfer broadly refers to transferring the knowledge acquired from one subject to a completely different field.
For instance, Musk is known to read two books per day on a variety of subjects and he strives to apply the knowledge he acquires to his businesses.
Deconstruction of processes
An entrepreneur who is involved in pursuits that are as challenging as electric cars and space exploration needs to work out his own solutions pretty quickly.
Elon Musk has been remarkably adept at working out his own solutions and he has done so by exploring a range of processes before embarking on one after deconstructing its pros and cons. It is a process that requires a high level of domain expertise and also an eye for detail. However, it is beyond doubt that all the three supposed secrets to Musk's success are interconnected.
As Simmons points out, it is important to look at a variety of possible solutions for a particular problem and then deconstruct them minutely before coming to a decision. This is something that Musk has accomplished admirably over the course of his glittering career as an entrepreneur and continues to do so. However, it is possible for everyone to inculcate these habits into their lives and reap the fruits of such an approach.