How To Learn Anything, Anywhere - Elon Musk

Summary

Elon Musk, despite holding two degrees, attributes his success to self-education and critical thinking rather than formal education. He dropped out of Stanford to co-found Zip2 and later acquired rocket science knowledge through textbooks and experts like Jim Cantrell. Musk emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions and applying knowledge, which he demonstrates through his ventures like SpaceX. He also values reading, having read extensively from a young age, and believes in hiring based on skill rather than formal education.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Elon Musk, despite having two degrees, doesn't attribute his success to his college education.
• 📚 Musk values self-learning and has developed his own techniques for acquiring knowledge.
• 🚀 He left Stanford to co-found Zip2 with his brother Kimball, marking the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey.
• 🤔 Musk is critical of the modern education system, believing it lacks emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving.
• 📚 He educates himself by reading textbooks and consulting with experts in various fields.
• 📖 Musk reached out to Jim Cantrell, an expert in satellite systems, to learn about space travel and rocketry.
• 📘 Cantrell lent Musk books on rocket propulsion and space systems, which Musk studied intensively.
• 🧠 Musk's method of learning involves understanding the fundamental principles before delving into details.
• 🤝 He surrounds himself with top talent, learning from and employing experts to enhance his knowledge and ventures.
• 🗣️ Musk emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions to expand human consciousness and innovation.
• 📚 Reading has been a significant part of Musk's life since childhood, contributing to his success across multiple fields.

Q & A

What are Elon Musk's views on traditional college education?

Elon Musk does not credit his college education for his success. He believes that the modern education system does not facilitate rapid and thorough learning, and lacks emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving.

Why did Elon Musk leave the University of Pennsylvania?

Elon Musk left the University of Pennsylvania after receiving his bachelor's degree in economics and physics to co-found the web software company Zip2 with his brother Kimball.

What was Elon Musk's initial plan after leaving Stanford?

After leaving Stanford, Elon Musk's initial plan was to co-found Zip2, a web software company, instead of pursuing a PhD.

How does Elon Musk approach learning new subjects?

Elon Musk approaches learning by acquiring textbooks and specialized knowledge from experts in the field, focusing on understanding the fundamental principles before delving into details.

Who is Jim Cantrell and how did he help Elon Musk?

Jim Cantrell is a subject matter expert in satellite systems who worked with Elon Musk by lending him textbooks on rocket propulsion and astrodynamics, which Musk used to educate himself about space travel and eventually develop plans for SpaceX rockets.

What was Elon Musk's reaction when he was rejected by the Russians for purchasing rockets?

Elon Musk decided to build rockets himself after being rejected by the Russians due to the high cost of purchasing rockets for his Mars mission.

How does Elon Musk's approach to learning differ from traditional education?

Elon Musk's approach to learning is self-directed and focused on practical application. He emphasizes understanding fundamental principles and connecting knowledge to real-world applications, rather than just memorization.

What is Elon Musk's opinion on the importance of reading?

Elon Musk believes that reading extensively is crucial for self-education and success. He credits his own success to his extensive reading habits, starting from a young age.

What are two principles Elon Musk follows for knowledge acquisition and application?

Elon Musk follows two principles: understanding fundamental principles before details (semantic tree approach) and connecting knowledge to practical application, which he demonstrated by using the knowledge from textbooks to create SpaceX rocket plans.

What does Elon Musk look for in potential candidates for SpaceX?

Elon Musk values practical knowledge and skills over formal education. He is open to hiring applicants without college degrees if they demonstrate expertise and the ability to contribute to SpaceX.

How does Elon Musk's learning philosophy reflect in his approach to hiring at SpaceX?

Elon Musk's hiring philosophy at SpaceX reflects his learning approach by prioritizing practical knowledge and problem-solving abilities over formal educational credentials.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Elon Musk's Unconventional Learning Journey

Elon Musk, despite obtaining two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, does not attribute his success to formal education. Instead, he advocates for self-directed learning techniques. Musk left Stanford to co-found Zip2 and has been critical of the modern education system, believing it lacks emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving. He sought guidance from experts like Jim Cantrell, borrowed specialized textbooks, and applied the knowledge to develop SpaceX's rocket plans. Musk's approach to learning involves understanding fundamental principles deeply and connecting new information to existing knowledge, which he demonstrates by surrounding himself with top experts and applying what he learns.

05:02

📚 The Power of Reading and Knowledge Application

The paragraph highlights the importance of constant reading and knowledge application for success, exemplified by figures like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Mark Cuban. Elon Musk's self-education in rocket science through extensive reading and practical application is emphasized. Musk follows two principles for learning: understanding fundamental principles before delving into details (the semantic tree approach) and connecting new information for better retention and application. His philosophy extends to his hiring practices at SpaceX, where he values practical knowledge over formal education. The summary encourages readers to build knowledge through books and apply it to achieve success.

Keywords

💡Elon Musk

Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, Inc., and is known for his entrepreneurial ventures in various industries, including space exploration and electric vehicles. In the video, Musk is highlighted for his unconventional approach to education and learning, emphasizing self-education and practical application of knowledge over formal education.

💡Self-Education

Self-education refers to the process of learning independently, without the guidance of a formal educational institution. The video discusses Musk's reliance on self-education, particularly in the field of rocket science, where he acquired knowledge through textbooks and consultations with experts.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively. Musk is critical of the modern education system for not emphasizing enough on critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which he believes are essential for success.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving involves finding and implementing solutions to issues or challenges. The video mentions Musk's focus on problem-solving skills, which he honed through his self-education and applied in his various ventures, including SpaceX.

💡Semantic Tree

A semantic tree is a conceptual model used by Musk to organize knowledge hierarchically, starting with fundamental principles and building up to more detailed information. The video explains how Musk uses this method to ensure a deep understanding of complex subjects.

💡Knowledge Acquisition

Knowledge acquisition is the process of gaining new information or understanding. The video highlights Musk's voracious reading habits and his methodical approach to learning, which involves reading extensively and applying the knowledge gained.

💡Rocket Science

Rocket science refers to the scientific discipline of designing and building rockets for space exploration. The video details how Musk taught himself rocket science by studying textbooks and consulting with experts, eventually applying this knowledge to found SpaceX.

💡Jim Cantrell

Jim Cantrell is a subject matter expert in satellite systems who was consulted by Musk during the early stages of SpaceX. Cantrell provided Musk with textbooks and expertise, which Musk used to develop the foundational knowledge for his rocket designs.

💡SpaceX

SpaceX is a private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Musk. The video discusses how Musk's self-education in rocket science led to the creation of SpaceX and its innovative approach to space exploration.

💡Reading Habits

Reading habits refer to the regular practice of reading, which is a key component of self-education. The video emphasizes Musk's extensive reading habits, including reading encyclopedias and science fiction novels, as a significant factor in his success.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide and influence others towards achieving goals. The video mentions that Musk learned about leadership and purpose from reading about other geniuses, which influenced his approach to leading companies like SpaceX and Tesla.

Highlights

Elon Musk does not attribute his success to formal college education.

Musk developed his own techniques for learning and acquiring knowledge.

He received a bachelor's degree in economics and physics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Musk left Stanford to co-found Zip2, a web software company, with his brother.

Musk is critical of the modern education system for not fostering rapid and thorough learning.

He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Musk sought guidance from experts like Jim Cantrell to learn about satellite systems.

Cantrell described Musk as the smartest person he's ever met.

Musk's approach to learning involved reading textbooks and applying the knowledge.

He studied rocket science textbooks to develop plans for SpaceX rockets.

Musk believes in surrounding himself with the best and brightest in various fields.

He values the power of asking the right questions to expand human consciousness.

Musk was raised by books and credits his success to his extensive reading.

He read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica at the age of nine.

Musk recommends books on geniuses like Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

He follows two principles for knowledge acquisition: understanding fundamental principles and connecting information.

Musk looks for practical application of knowledge rather than just theoretical knowledge in candidates.

He does not require a college degree for job applicants at SpaceX.

Transcripts

although elon musk obtained not one but

two degrees he is not someone who

credits his college education to his

success in fact he feels just the

opposite elon has his own way of

learning anything he wants and is simply

because he's honed certain techniques

for learning and if you acquire these

techniques you can become much better

version of yourself that's for sure elon

musk attended the university of

pennsylvania and received his bachelor's

degree in both economics and physics he

intended to obtain his phd from stanford

out in california but left soon after to

co-found the web software company zip2

along with his brother kimball he never

looked back musk has been very vocal

about his criticisms of the modern

education system quite simply he doesn't

believe that students are learning

rapidly and thoroughly with that he

certainly doesn't think that there is

enough emphasis on critical thinking and

problem solving

musk decided to take his education into

his own hands turning instead to text

books and individuals with specialized

knowledge to help guide him

one of the earliest people he reached

out to is a man by the name of jim

cantrell who according to his linkedin

account describes himself as a subject

matter expert in satellite systems

cantrell worked for the french space

agency or cnes from 1990 to 1992 then

came back to the united states where he

began consulting for aerospace agencies

musk got the wind of cantrell and how

valuable a person he would be

so he called him out of the blue in

2001.

cantrell who had never heard of musk

would later describe him as the smartest

guy i've ever met period

musk told him over the phone that the

two of them needed to speak and he

eventually probed cantrell for

information about the possibility of

sending a spacecraft to mars

the future spacex founder had just been

rejected by the russians and was looking

for a little guidance

allegedly musk had gone to the russians

to purchase rockets in his quest to put

one on mars but the prize tag was

enormous

at the time musk was not a billionaire

though had made a few millions so he

could not afford what they were asking

his solution build the rockets himself

that's where cantrell came in

cantrell intrigued by the proposition

allowed musk to borrow some of his

textbooks he lent him titles such as

rocket propulsion elements fundamentals

of astrodynamics and the international

reference guide to space launch systems

just to name a few

musk poured over these textbooks

cantrell would later say that he was

unsure whether or not musk took notes on

the information in the books but what he

does know is that musk appeared to have

memorized close to everything he read

because of this musk was equipped with

the knowledge and the vocabulary to

carry on conversations about rocket

science astrodynamics and other topics

after reading the textbooks musk

developed the very plans for the rocket

that would eventually be used by spacex

cantrell recalls thinking to himself

i'll be damned that's why he's been

borrowing all my books the mechanical

engineer was impressed not only by how

much information musk had absorbed but

how much he had applied in addition to

collecting textbooks another principle

that musk follows in his quest for

self-education is surrounding himself

with the best and the brightest

he would strike up conversations with

people who were the best in their field

acquire their knowledge and expertise

through discussions and then try to

replicate that knowledge when he applied

it to his endeavors

such as with spacex

in fact jim cantrell actually worked

with musk at spacex for a time before

moving on to his own ventures

speaking in dubai at the world

government summit in 2017 musk said this

about the power of asking the right

questions

i came to the conclusion that what

really matters is trying to understand

the right questions to ask and the more

that we can increase the scope and scale

of human consciousness

the better we are able to ask these

questions

it is for this reason that he keeps a

close network of industry experts some

of whom he even employs you might be

asking just how much reading does it

take for someone to become a

self-educated rocket scientist the

answer is quite a lot in a 2017

interview with rolling stone musk

admitted that he was raised by books and

then my parents he credits his time

spent reading to how he became as

successful as he is today and his

reading history is an impressive one as

you might have imagined the famous adage

a jack of all trades is a master of none

is definitely not applicable to elon

because he is a great example of someone

who is very successful across multiple

areas when he was just nine years old he

reportedly read the entire encyclopedia

britannica then moved on to almost

exclusively reading science fiction

novels for about 10 hours per day it

also comes as no surprise that musk

recommends books about other geniuses

who have lived know to believe the book

benjamin franklin an american life by

walter isaacson as well as einstein his

life and universe also by isaacson from

reading all those books musk learnt a

great deal about leadership and purpose

to change the world for better place

although the average person probably

doesn't have 10 hours a day to dedicate

to reading some of the richest and most

talented people will tell you that one

of the secrets to their success is that

they read constantly warren buffett

reportedly reads between five to six

hours daily making his way through a

handful of newspapers and financial

documents other billionaires such as

bill gates oprah winfrey and mark cuban

all attest to the power of reading and

the impact has had on their success and

business acumen if you are interested in

building your knowledge through books

the way musk is done it won't guarantee

that you will be on the level of a

rocket scientist in a short amount of

time

musk can't even call himself a proper

rocket scientist he simply accrued an

impressive amount of information but

what separates musk from people who just

read books is that he applies the

knowledge he acquires

musk has stated that he has two basic

principles for knowledge acquisition and

application the first is that he reviews

knowledge in his words as sort of a

semantic tree he encourages people to

make sure you understand the fundamental

principles i.e the trunk and big

branches before you get into the leaves

or details of the thing is not enough to

just cover material in his opinion you

have to delve into every detail and

sector this is the principle he used in

teaching himself about rocket science

he studied every particularity to ensure

that he understood it completely his

second principle is that it is nearly

impossible to remember what you can't

connect the correct function of our

brains and acquiring knowledge is not

just store random facts in order to

learn the way elon musk has learned we

have to practice putting that

information to use

musk didn't merely memorize what he'd

read about in those early textbooks lent

to him by cantrell he actually used the

material to create the plans for the

rockets that spacex would eventually

send into orbit he follows a building

out philosophy

start with the base add more knowledge

as time goes on and then apply from

there or another way to put it is that

you should tackle the core first before

you get caught up in the more

superficial details the spacex founders

thoughts on education even extended to

what he looks for in potential

candidates he's famously said that if an

applicant doesn't have a college degree

that doesn't preclude them from getting

a job musk is certainly someone who

practices what he preaches in that

regard and that's it for now don't

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