“I think it's very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better.”
Elon Musk · Interview, various
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I could either watch it happen or be a part of it.
About this quote
Meaning
This line captures a defining moment of personal decision: the choice between passivity and active participation. Musk is describing the mindset that pulled him toward the early internet, framing it as a fork in the road where standing on the sidelines was simply not an acceptable option. The quote is really about ownership of one's own story and the recognition that significant change creates an invitation, not just a spectacle.
Context
Musk has repeated this sentiment in multiple interviews when discussing his move from South Africa to North America and his early entry into the internet industry during the 1990s. He was referring to the rapid growth of the web as a transformative force that was clearly going to reshape commerce and communication. Rather than observe that transformation from a distance, he chose to throw himself into it, co-founding Zip2 and later X.com, which eventually became part of PayPal.
About the author
Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and business executive known for founding and leading several high-profile technology and engineering companies. His work spans electric vehicles, private spaceflight, and energy, among other fields. He was born in South Africa and moved to North America as a young man, going on to become one of the most widely discussed business figures of the early twenty-first century. His public statements are frequently studied for the philosophy of ambition and risk-taking that runs through them.
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