Elon Musk is a visionary genius to some, unpredictable and dangerous to others. Love him or loathe him, Musks personality looms as large as his net worth. This is consistent with decades of scientific research highlighting a strong connection between personality and entrepreneurial talent.
There is a range of character traits and dispositions that make entrepreneurs different from others, especially when they succeed in their ventures.
Psychologists often describe personality in terms of the Big Five traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and also warn about the Dark Triad of darker traits (Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy).
Musk, unsurprisingly, scores off the charts in some areas and off the rails in others. Hes the poster child for innovative vision (high Openness) and relentless drive (high Achievement Motivation, which is a facet of Conscientiousness). But hes also known for a combative, my-way-or-the-highway streak, suggesting rock-bottom Agreeableness and a solid dose of Narcissism. The latter is particularly noticeable in his reactions to criticism and negative feedback, which are typically unempathetic escalations intended to belittle and denigrate his critics.
The Elon Musk Personality Checklist
Below is a simple checklist to compare your personality against Elon Musks. Tally your Musk-score, and see where you standbrilliance, flaws and all. Scoring high might be both a compliment and a warning, in the sense of predisposing you to both entrepreneurship and being dispositionally unemployable, as he is.
Unbridled Imagination (High Openness to Experience) Do you constantly churn out big, crazy-sounding ideas that just might change the world? Musks visionary imagination is arguably his greatest strength. He dreams up electric cars, reusable rockets, hyperloops, AI interfacesyou name it. High Openness means loving novelty, innovation, and big-picture thinking. Musk exemplifies this trait: Hes curious, inventive, and not afraid to venture into the unknown.If youre the type who has 10 new ideas before breakfast and gets bored with routine, check this box. It means you share Musks creative spirita key ingredient in entrepreneurial success. Just remember: Wild ideas are great, but execution matters most. Musks Openness works because he pairs it with intense drive, including an obsession for building and inspiring high-performing teams: Behind each of his ideas there is a leadership team pushing for successful implementation and execution.
Obsessive Drive (High Conscientiousness and Ambition) Are you relentlessly hard-working, perhaps to the point of being an incurable workaholic, and someone who is perfectly comfortable with the notion of burnout or death-by-overwork? Do you set outrageous goals and refuse to quit until theyre achieved? Musks ambition and work ethic are the stuff of legend. He reportedly works 80 to 100-hour weeks, fueled by a mission.High Conscientiousnessespecially the facets of industriousness, achievement striving, and gritis a hallmark of many successful entrepreneurs. If you find yourself emailing the team at 2 a.m. and optimizing your schedule for maximum productivity, this is you. Flattering implication: You have the stamina and determination to achieve big things. Concerning implication: Work-life balance? Whats that? Remember that burnout is realeven Musk has described running a startup as chewing glass and staring into the abyss. Not something most people want to put up with, especially when they have the skills and talents to be employed by organizations that promote work-life balance.
Fearless Risk-Taking (Boldness vs. Neuroticism)Do you embrace risk and chaos while others run for cover? Elon Musk famously thrives on tackling high-risk, high-reward challenges. Hell pour his last dollar into a venture (he nearly went broke keeping SpaceX and Tesla alive in 2008) and boldly go where no CEO has gone before. This hints at a personality low in anxietyMusk seems unusually calm under extreme pressure (low Neuroticism) and even finds thrill in it.That fearless attitude is a double-edged sword. If you stay cool in crises and take big swings, you share Musks bold resilience. But be careful: Low Neuroticism can veer into impulsivity or reckless optimisma trait related to the psychopathic side of the Dark Triad. In fact, research finds over 1 in 10 corporate leaders show psychopathic traits (like fearlessness and thrill-seeking), far higher than in the general population. It can lead to innovationor disaster. Ask yourself: Are you being brave, or just reckless?
Charismatic Communication (High Assertiveness, Mixed Extraversion, and Attention Seeking)Are you able to rally others to your vision, or at least talk a big game? Musk is an interesting case: By many accounts hes socially awkward and introverted (preferring engineering to small talk), yet hes also a bold public figure when needed. Hell take the stage to unveil new tech, charm audiences on podcasts, and wage war on X daily. This suggests Musk is high in the assertiveness and attention-seeking facets of Extraversion (he will make himself heard) even if he isnt a classic people-person.If youre someone who doesnt shy from the spotlight when its time to promote your ideasor you find yourself dominating discussions because you believe youre rightcheck this trait. Flattering side: You can inspire others and hold court confidently. Caution: You might also steamroll others in conversation. Musks Twitter proclamations, for example, often show zero regard for social niceties. Speaking of which . . . My Way or the Highway (Low Agreeableness) Do people ever tell you that youre, well, a bit harsh or insensitive? Do you find empathy and politeness overrated when it comes to getting things done? If so, you might share Musks notorious low Agreeableness. Musk is highly competitive, blunt, and sometimes abrasivetraits common in many high achievers. He has been known to fire employees (or cut off friends) who dont meet his standards, and hes not exactly the poster boy for tactful communication.Low Agreeableness can manifest as tough-minded leadership: You make hard decisions without losing sleep, and you wont win any Most Pleasant Boss awards. You are so focused on getting ahead that you disregard the importance of getting along. If you checked this, you likely share Musks take-no-prisoners style. Upside: You wont let personal feelings interfere with objective decisionsuseful when tough calls are needed. Downside: You risk alienating others. Musks own successes often come despite his brusque demeanor, not because of it. Teams put up with tough leaders only if they truly deliver a great vision. Tread carefully: A little compassion goes a long way, even for a would-be world changer.Sky-High Self-Confidence (High Narcissism) Do you secretly (or openly) believe youre destined for greatness? Perhaps youre convinced you have the answers when everyone else is wrong. So do most narcissists, and Elon Musks self-confidence borders on classic narcissisma belief in his own exceptionalism. To his credit, at least in his case, there is a clear argument for exceptionalism, but lets not forget that most cases of sky-rocketing comptence are more likely to signal delusional overconfidence and incompetence than brilliant or exceptional talents.He doesnt just dream big; he believes deeply in his ability to bend reality to his will. Indeed, psychologists warn that narcissism is a double-edged sword. Yes, it often helps people emerge as leaders (were oddly drawn to confident, charismatic personalities), but narcissistic leaders tend to underperform in the long run. So if you tick this trait, keep your ego in check. As it turns out, self-belief can be useful for impressing others but self-knowledge is generally more important to improve your actual performance.
Master Strategist or Manipulator? (Machiavellianism)
Do you consider yourself shrewd and strategic, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals? Machiavellianism is the art of being a mastermindfocused on self-interest, sometimes at the expense of others. Elon Musk certainly plays high-stakes chess in business. He outmaneuvers competitors, leverages tweets to sway markets, and isnt above a bit of showmanship or cunning negotiation. For example, his on-again/off-again antics with the Twitter acquisition (now X) showed a flair for strategic posturing.If youre checking this, you might share Musks ends-justify-the-means mindset. Positive spin: You excel at big-picture strategy and dont get bogged down by sentiment when making decisions. Negative spin: You might veer into manipulative or unethical territory if youre not careful. High Machiavellianism can erode trust and morale on your teamno one likes feeling like a pawn. Musks own machinations have earned him as many detractors as admirers. Use your strategic smarts for good, and pair them with a moral compass. As the saying (almost) goes: With great power, comes great responsibilitynot just great manipulation.
Count up your checkshow many Musk-like traits did you tally?
Elon Musks personality is a study in contrastsbrilliantly innovative yet deeply controversial. If our checklist shows you share some traits with him, theres both cause for excitement and caution. Emulate Musks best qualities: his boundless curiosity, tireless work ethic, and courage to defy the odds. But learn from the darker side of Muskiness too: temper your ego, practice empathy, and remember that being a successful leader is not just about being the smartest person in the roomits about bringing out the best in others while chasing audacious goals.
Importantly, even if Musk manages to mitigate the negative impact of his dark side on success, it is important to avoid getting carried away with generalizations that are based on extrapolating from a single individual to the overall population, not least when we have thousands of studies and decades of research suggesting the opposite: namely, more often than not, paying attention to other peoples feelings, caring about them and displaying empathy, and managing your dark side to the point of controlling your antisocial outbursts and making an effort to portray a positive image and prosocial reputation, will more likely help you to advance your career and increase your success levels. If you dont believe this, then youd better have the brilliance of Musk so that you dont need to rely on being employed by othersfor with his personality, you would not last more than one day.
