Introduction
Elon Musk is undeniably one of the most ambitious entrepreneurs of our generation. The South-African born Musk has established himself as a major innovator in technology, space exploration and engineering, leading to huge successes for his foundation’s in the form of Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity. Success has been faster and easier for Musk due to his status as a celebrity. This has also caused people to speculate whether he could become the richest man in the world, one day surpassing the current king, Jeff Bezos. In this article, we will explore this question, looking at Musk’s prior successes and analysing the obstacles to him becoming the world’s wealthiest individual.
Musk’s Accomplishments
Elon Musk is easily synonymous with success. Through Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity, Musk has propelled the world forward, making leaps and bounds in both renewable energy and travel engineering. His concept of self-driving cars is also revolutionising urban and international travel, while also integrating artificial intelligence into vehicles with autopilot capabilities. Through these enterprises and subsequently Musk’s continued success, he has become the 38th wealthiest man in the world- having a net worth of $25.3 billion USD according to Forbes.
Musk’s Ambitions
Musk is a big believer in the Digital Age, and has always been an enthusiast of the possibilities of technology and science. After establishing PayPal, a major driving force in internet banking, Musk continued to push society’s boundaries with his vision for space exploration and engineering. Just this last March, he made history by launching the world’s most powerful operational rocket- introducing the Starship, a rocket system that he hopes to use in order to transport passengers to Mars. His ambitions are deeply rooted in the Digital Age, and it is with this passion and belief in technology that Musk continues to strive towards greater pursuits.
What Would Becoming the Richest Man in the World Mean For Musk?
It is often believed that Musk’s wealth isn’t just a reflection of his incredible success, but a pathway to pursue greater dreams. As recently discussed on CNBC, with the right investments, Musk could easily become the wealthiest man in the world. However, for those in the established financial sector, this is unlikely due to the dangers associated with such a risky venture. While an exciting prospect for the entrepreneur, becoming the world’s wealthiest person would come with a lot of responsibility. Namely, Musk would be responsible for making sure that his operations were ethical, and that his businesses had positive impacts on those around the world.
Experts Analysis
To gain further insights into whether Musk stands a chance at becoming the wealthiest individual in the world, we invited worldwide experts to share their opinion on the matter. One anonymous expert put forward that for Musk to even be considered within the same league as Bezos, he would need to make investments and expand his entrepreneurial wing considerably. The expert expressed that Musk’s drive and ambition were key ingredients for success, but that his enterprises were too niche and limited to a single sector to make him a true powerhouse.
Another expert, Professor Alan Braithwaite from Cambridge University expressed his views in a more optimistic light. Elias mentioned that Musk showing no signs of scaling back his operations, he had what it took to become the world’s wealthiest man- especially considering his successes in the past. However, Professor Braithwaite expressed that it wasn’t just a case of betting on stocks. Rather, Musk had to prove his intelligence by diversifying his portfolio and expanding into several industries.
Musk’s Longterm Goals
Evidently, becoming the world’s richest individual is not Elon Musk’s longterm goal. The entrepreneur has expressed multiple times that his ambitions and personality transcend mere wealth. In a 2016 interview, Musk expressed, “My goal is to be able to contribute as much as possible, to make a significant difference”. Therefore, while becoming the world’s richest individual may be a milestone for Musk, it is not likely to be his main aspiration in life- his aim is, firstly and foremostly, to continue to revolutionise the world of technology and engineering for the better.
Objections to Becoming the Richest Person
There are, of course, many objections to Elon Musk becoming the world’s wealthiest man. Firstly, it is widely accepted that wealth and power are easily misused if used in the incorrect hands. Therefore, the responsibility to ensure his wealth is used for good is of paramount importance. Secondly, there is concern over the current state of Musk’s enterprises and whether they are sustainable assets or merely temporary success stories. That is to say, if Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity fail to remain relevant, Musk’s dream may become nothing but an unattainable fantasy.
Musk’s Possibilities
It is without a single doubt that Elon Musk stands in a very fortunate position to possibly- one day- become the world’s richest individual. Providing he makes the right investments and continues down the path of success, there is a strong possibility that Musk will be a major power in defining the advent of the Digital Age. The sky is the limit for such an ambitious and creative entrepreneur, and never has it been truer for Musk.
Tesla’s Future
Tesla, Musk’s base, is an incredible enterprise that is revolutionising the way the world looks at energy and what it can be used for. The company is currently striving towards releasing an electric car with full self-driving capabilities and continues to remain can innovator in the industry. Therefore, it is likely that Tesla’s success will continue to propel Musk forward in his pursuit of becoming the world’s richest individual, provided the entrepreneur tackles potential obstacles in the correct fashion.
Musk’s Motivations
Musk’s success and ambition depend primarily upon his drive and labour. He has proven countless times that he is a hard worker and that setbacks mean very little in light of his overall vision. Therefore, providing Musk continues down the same path, it is likely that the entrepreneur will remain successful and at least strive towards becoming the wealthiest individual in the world.
The Challenges Ahead
There is no denying that becoming the wealthiest individual in the world comes with unparalleled responsibility. Not only does Musk need to prove to himself and to others that he is capable of taking charge such a huge undertaking, but he needs to firstly establish that his enterprises are sustainable and here to stay. Without this, Musk will always remain on the outskirts of becoming the world’s wealthiest individual, providing people with a similar ambition the platform to make a real difference.
The Future of SpaceX
SpaceX, Musk’s vision for space exploration and engineering, is continuing to make huge leaps in the way people view travelling outside of Earth’s atmosphere. With plans to colonise Mars, as well as introduce satnav to the entire universe, SpaceX is an ambitious project that could not just revolutionise space travel, but could potentially have major implications on Musk’s wealth should the enterprise truly take off.
SolarCity
SolarCity remains Musk’s vision for renewable energy. The enterprise is continuing to make advances in solar panel production and technology, with Musk seriously pushing for solar energy to become the world’s major source of energy. Taking into account the current energy woes the world is facing, the success of SolarCity could be one of the major contributors to Musk’s wealth, with the company showing great promise in both its current production and potential future business plans.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
It is clear that becoming the world’s wealthiest individual means more to Beyon Musk than just adding a few extra billions to his name. Of course, with great wealth comes great responsibility, but it is this responsibility that Musk has been willing to take upon himself in order to make a real difference in the world. Ultimately, the entrepreneur has already made a considerable impact in the world, revolutionising the way people view travelling and energy, and it is likely that his success will only continue in the future.
