Can a person be famous, successful, and physically healthy? Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is living proof that it’s a resounding yes. He credits his success to healthy habits and an active lifestyle, claiming that exercise acts as both a daily “mental refresher” and an important pillar in productivity. So, does Elon Musk actually exercise? Let’s take a closer look.
Musk has never been shy about the importance of living an active lifestyle. In 2018, Musk admitted on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast that he is “not really religious about it, but I do make sure I get a few hours of exercise per week. I think it’s very important.” He’s also admitted to subscribing to the “10,000 steps” fitness goal each day. While it may seem as though Musk is simply keeping up with popular fitness trends, the answer is far more complex.
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about exercise is that it must be grueling in order to be effective. But according to many experts, that’s just not true. Margaret Greaney, chief science officer and co-founder of Right Fit Health, emphasizes the importance of consistency over intensity when it comes to exercise: “Musk’s routine could be based on something as simple as taking a few hours a week out of his busy schedule to go for a run, walk, or a bike ride. Anything that gets him away from his desk and moving will benefit his body and mind.”
So, Musk’s 10,000 steps a day may not appear as intense as it sounds. It’s really about taking 5- or 10- minute breaks throughout the day to get up and stretch, take a quick lap around the office, or even take a call while standing up. That’s it. Not only that, but he corroborates his claim with a 2018 tweet responding to a Forbes article story, saying “I average about 10K of walking a day.”
It’s no secret that Musk is a role model in the business world, but he’s a role model in the area of health and wellness, too. He actively promotes work-life balance through his own lifestyle, and even takes it a step further by providing on-site saunas and yoga classes for his staff. Greaney agrees that Musk’s emphasis on maintaining an active lifestyle — and taking breaks from his technology-driven career — is a prime example for successful people everywhere: “Having someone of his influence and stature vocalize the importance of taking care of your physical and mental health is invaluable. People of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and levels of success should be doing what Musk does — moving their body every day, getting five- or 10-minutes away from their desk and just getting out there and being active.”
Fitness Benefits of Exercise
Musk may already be familiar with the physical benefits of exercise, but it’s always worth reiterating how exercise leads to better physical and mental health overall. Regular physical activity not only reduces the risk of medical conditions like heart disease and cancer, but it also increases your metabolism and helps to regulate your serotonin and dopamine levels, which is important for good mental health. Ultimately, exercise helps to give your body and mind an overall boost.
Exercise also plays an important role in reducing the amount of stress that our bodies can experience. This can be especially beneficial for people like Musk, who are constantly under pressure from peers, news outlets, and even employees. According to Bregman, the external stress that people in the public eye experience is actually worse than the internal stress from performance: “The external pressure from what’s going on in the world can be so intense that it’s actually harder to deal with than any internal performance-related stress. Exercise is a great way for people to channel that external energy and turn it back into something positive for their own well-being.”
It’s no surprise that Musk is invested in the physical and mental benefits of exercise. His daily routine of 10,000 steps emphasizes the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and the potential benefits of breaking a sweat while taking a break are almost unquantifiable.
Essential Exercise Gear
Whether he’s taking a 10-minute jog or a 10,000-step walk, Musk clearly recognizes the importance of the gear he wears. Many fitness experts agree that high-quality gear can have a significantly positive effect on your performance. Bregman emphasizes the importance of wearing supportive shoes and clothing: “Musk’s gear is an integral part of his daily routine, but he’s likely wearing the gear he’s comfortable in. By finding gear that is designed to make your workouts more efficient, you’ll get more out of your exercise and ultimately realize a greater amount of benefits.”
In 2019, Musk launched his own “Boring” exercise gear that he designed himself. The line of shirts and shorts were designed to optimize performance and comfort, and even feature the “Boring” logo that Musk used to brand his tunnel-digging business. While the line of clothing was met with mixed reviews, many experts praised Musk for his creativity and ambition to create unique and well-made gear.
It is clear that Musk takes his gear seriously, and his investment in his gear demonstrates his commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. His Boring line of clothing goes to show that even highly successful businesspeople can still prioritize the the importance of high-quality gear when it comes to exercise.
Staying Motivated with Exercise
To Musk, exercise isn’t just about staying in shape. He sees it as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and a way to counterbalance the demands of his job. If you want to stay motivated with exercise, the best way is to make it part of your daily routine. Setting goals and tracking your progress can also help to motivate you and keep you accountable.
Greaney emphasizes the importance of mixing both cardio and resistance training when it comes to building consistency into your fitness routine: “Musk has likely built his fitness routine around a mixture of cardio and resistance training, taking breaks and stretching at regular intervals. This helps to keep a level of consistency in his workouts and ensures he isn’t overstressing his body.”
It’s also important to keep in mind that exercise can actually be fun. Many people dread going to the gym, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Incorporating activities like yoga, rock climbing, or even turbo kickboxing can make exercise more enjoyable, which can further help to motivate you.
Musk’s Diet and Nutrition Habits
To Musk, diet and nutrition are just as important as staying physically active. That’s why Musk has developed his own nutritional practices to help him maintain an overall sense of wellbeing. In 2015, Musk admitted to sticking to a “mostly plant-based” diet, supplemented with occasional servings of fish, chicken, and eggs. This lifestyle is generally accompanied by a strict intake of caffeine and alcohol.
Musk’s nutrition habits demonstrate that you don’t have to eat a strict and experimental diet in order to stay healthy. In 2017, he admitted that he isn’t able to eat as cleanly as he’d like, but that he makes an effort to stay on track. That is, he keeps it simple with healthy fruits, vegetables, and proteins and steers clear from processed foods.
Ultimately, Musk’s dietary habits, combined with his active lifestyle, prove that anyone can make health a priority. By incorporating healthy choices into his daily routine and taking the time to exercise, Musk is setting an example of how to balance work and leisure. His commitment to living a healthy lifestyle is truly inspiring.
Sleep Habits
Sleep is an important part of everyday life, yet many people don’t prioritize it. This is especially true for Elon Musk, who admits to getting very little sleep. In 2019, he admitted to getting only six hours of sleep a night. This may be due to his packed schedule, but poor sleep habits can have serious health consequences.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, getting more sleep can actually make you more productive. Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, forgetfulness, and even cognitive decline over time. This can ultimately impair your judgment, reduce your creativity, and lead to issues with attention and coordination. According to Bregman, Musk’s lack of sleep could be affecting his performance: “Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to take a break and get some rest. If Musk is getting six hours of sleep a night, that is really not enough for him to stay as productive as he needs to be.”
Though Musk may not prioritize sleep, his commitment to exercise is an essential part of his overall health. Exercise helps to keep your body and mind in peak condition, even if you can’t always get the recommended eight hours of sleep. While sleep is a crucial part of staying healthy, Musk’s emphasis on exercise is a prime example of how to stay healthy, no matter what life throws at you.
Changing Priorities
The greatest lesson to be learned from Musk’s commitment to his health is that priorities change over time. From his vegan diet to the 10,000 steps a day, Musk has demonstrated that it’s never too late to start doing something positive for your health. Bregman believes this is the key to Musk’s success: “Musk is clearly dedicated to his health and it shows. By recognizing the importance of taking care of his body, he is able to stay as productive and creative as he needs to be. That’s what sets him apart from other successful people.”
Musk is proof that you can be both successful and physically healthy. His commitment to his health and active lifestyle clearly demonstrate that you don’t need to be a gym rat to stay healthy. By recognizing the importance of physical fitness and investing in his own fitness routine, Musk is leading the way for others to prioritize their health as well.
Self-Discipline and Exercise
Musk’s commitment to staying physically active is a prime example of self-discipline. To stick with the same routine and remain consistent is no easy task. You must be organized and set goals, and then continue to work towards those goals every day, no matter what.
The key to any successful fitness routine is having the self-discipline to stay on track. That means knowing what your goals are and having the discipline to stick with them, even when life gets in the way. By investing in equipment to support his exercise routine, Musk has found a way to stay motivated and encouraged to maintain his daily 10,000 steps.
It’s also important to remember that a lack of discipline can lead to unhealthy habits and an overall lack of progress. That’s why it’s so important to have the self-discipline to stick to a routine, even when it feels like you can’t. Musk proves that this kind of discipline is possible, and it’s a key component to staying healthy.
Summary and Conclusion
Elon Musk’s commitment to living an active lifestyle is not only inspiring, but a valuable example of how to stay healthy. From his emphasis on 10,000 steps a day to his own line of fitness gear, Musk is actively promoting the importance of physical fitness and active lifestyle. His diet, sleep habits, and exercise routine prove that health is an attainable goal for anyone, regardless of their current level of success.
It’s clear that Musk is invested in his health and wellness, and his commitment to living a healthy lifestyle should be a source of motivation for everyone. Musk’s example proves that success and physical health are not mutually exclusive. Instead, it’s possible to integrate a healthy routine into everyday life and come out ahead in the long run.
