This goal to make something spectacular reminds me of Steve Jobs.
He had this relentless pursuit of quality and perfection that is so rare.
I mean, none of us start out wanting
mediocrity.
Take this post for instance. 🤣
Should I put out the work, even if it’s not perfect? Or should I only accept work that is outstanding?
It’s the quality vs. quantity argument.
Musk, though, approaches everything from a Platonic perspective. As he sees it, all of the design and technology choices should be directed toward the goal of making a car as close to perfect as possible. To the extent that rival automakers haven’t, that’s what Musk is judging. It’s almost a binary experience for him. Either you’re trying to make something spectacular with no compromises or you’re not. And if you’re not, Musk considers you a failure. This position can look unreasonable or foolish to outsiders, but the philosophy works for Musk and constantly pushes him and those around him to their limits.
-Ashley Vance, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (Amazon)