Entrepreneurs are the way of the future. Our ideas change the world.
We take risks to bring new innovative ideas to the marketplace. We don’t have a cushy salary to fall back on and are used to overcoming challenges. We push forward because we believe in what we’re doing and know it can benefit others. We are in the business of inventing and re-inventing.
The best ideas throughout history have come from entrepreneurs that challenged the status quo. Steve Jobs, Sir Richard Branson and Henry Ford have all succeeded because they thought outside the box. They envisioned something new.
Entrepreneurs have the genius ability to go against the tide, look to the future and fill the gaps many don’t even realize exist.
Such is certainly the case for co-founder and head of product design for Tesla Motors, Elon Musk.
After hitting it big with PayPal, Musk could’ve taken the easy route and simply founded another internet company. Instead, he thought bigger and founded a space-transport company, SpaceX and Tesla Motors, makers of the world’s sexiest electric car. (The original Roadster is a thing of true beauty and my favorite car.)
His latest endeavor is even more electrifying. On August 12, Musk plans to unveil the Hyperloop, which he claims is similar to a “Jetsons tunnel that whisks you away”.
In his own words from an interview with Sarah Lacy at PandoDaily:
“This is prompted by the California train thing, it has the dubious distinction of being the slowest train and the most expensive per mile. What is the theoretically fastest way you could get from LA to San Francisco. This system I have in mind, how would you like something that can never crash, is immune to weather, it goes 3 or 4 times faster than the bullet train… it goes an average speed of twice what an aircraft would do. You would go from downtown LA to downtown San Francisco in under 30 minutes. It would cost you much less than an air ticket than any other mode of transport. I think we could actually make it self-powering if you put solar panels on it, you generate more power than you would consume in the system. There’s a way to store the power so it would run 24/7 without using batteries. Yes, this is possible, absolutely.”
If that isn’t enough, Musk also plans to publish his designs publicly which will allow open source development.
Musk’s visionary way of thinking is a common trait for entrepreneurs. Instead of doing what’s easy or simply enjoying the wealth he’s amassed, he continues to push forward with groundbreaking ideas that can change the world as we know it, for the better.
Instead of trying to solve small problems in the marketplace, he’s thinking of the big picture for the future. Musk is living proof that big ideas can be achieved and that by never resting on our successes we can achieve constant momentum in our business.
As entrepreneurs, we all have the same motivation. To truly change the world, we need to be constantly looking towards the future. The menial tasks of the day are always vying for our attention, but small activities will never make a big impact.
The next time you find yourself lost in the day-to-day, take a step back to look in the mirror. Are you thinking BIG or are you acting like your own assistant? You chose to be an entrepreneur for a reason and should always be maximizing your genius abilities.
Dream big. Stay focused. Entrepreneurs can change the world. We’re doing it every day!
P.S. Here’s the full interview with Elon Musk. It’s an hour long, but worth the watch…
© Tamara Smith, DemGen Inc 2013
