ALBAWABA - Elon Musk has dominated headlines for years, but a new book reveals that there is still much to learn about the world's richest man. After three years of following Musk, Walter Isaacson provides a captivating glimpse into the life of one of the most powerful men in the world in his biography of the CEO of Tesla.
The book, released on September 12th, contains some astonishing details about the billionaire, from significant revelations about his relationship with Ukraine and the birth of his eleventh child to insights into his intense work ethics and emotional fluctuations.
Here are some intriguing points from the book:
Fluctuating Mood and "Devil Mode":
The book explains how Musk's mood can swing dramatically. According to Isaacson, Musk has multiple personalities, and he switches between them rapidly. Isaacson quotes Musk's former girlfriend, Grimes, saying, "He has many minds and many distinct personalities somewhat. He moves between them incredibly quickly. All you feel is the air changes in the room, and then suddenly the situation has changed entirely."
Isaacson also states that during his time with Musk, he witnessed the billionaire's emotional fluctuations, describing how Musk alternates between "light and dark, deep and silly, detached and emotional."
Grimes adds, "Before we go out, I make sure I'm with Elon appropriate... There are men in that head that don't like me, and I don't like them."
Grimes continues, "All of these characters are different from 'burner man,' who sleeps on the couch, eats canned soup, and is quiet... Then there's the 'devil mode,' where the darkness reigns, and he's hunkered down in the storm that's active in his head."
During these periods, Musk is likely to unleash his anger on employees or demand increased work efforts, according to Isaacson. Grimes notes that despite the darkness associated with "devil mode," it is also the mode in which he "gets things done."
Errol Musk:
The biography is filled with accounts of incidents where Elon Musk claims that his father, Errol Musk, bullied and belittled him (which his father denies). It also includes comments from Elon Musk's former girlfriends and wives about how Errol Musk ultimately influenced his son's personality and worldview.
After his parents' divorce, Elon first lived with his mother and then spent about seven years with his father in Pretoria from the age of ten. Elon told Isaacson, "It turns out it was a really bad idea. I didn't know how awful he was."
Elon's younger brother, Kimbal Musk, told Isaacson that their father "had no empathy" and often "sunk into despair."
Fear of Becoming His Father:
Elon Musk's mother, Maye Musk, expressed her fear that her son might one day turn into a version of his father.
Isaacson writes that Elon and his younger brother Kimbal severed ties with their father, but the years spent with him had a significant impact on Elon's personality.
Grimes, Elon's former girlfriend, told Isaacson, "I think he got into his childhood having life be pain." She also noted that due to the way his father raised him, Musk sometimes treats himself poorly and alternates between love and exploitation.
Justin Musk, Elon's first wife, recounted how during their arguments, Elon would belittle and mock her, referring to her as "stupid" or "crazy." She said, "When I spent some time with Errol, I realized this is where he got those phrases."
Talulah Riley, a former wife, told Isaacson that Errol Musk's treatment of his son had a deep impact on Elon's work style. She stated, "Inside the man (Elon), there's still a child... standing in front of his father."
Work Addiction:
Elon Musk is known for his intense work mentality, often involving late-night work and eating at the office. Isaacson noted that Musk's work habits of staying up until 6 a.m. for reading seem rooted in his childhood.
During his time at Zip2, his first company, Musk and his brother would sleep in the office, shower at a local YMCA, and primarily dine at "Jack in the Box," according to the book. An early Zip2 employee recalled having to ask Musk to go home and shower before client meetings.
"At Zip2 and in every subsequent company, he drove himself relentlessly all day and most of the night, without vacations, and expected the same of others," Isaacson wrote, adding that his only concession was allowing short breaks to indulge in video games.
Musk also applied the same level of intensity to other aspects of his life, including learning to fly planes. He told Isaacson, "I tend to do things in an extreme way."
Musk expects his employees to exhibit the same work addiction. After purchasing Twitter more than two decades later, he demanded that employees adhere to a "very serious" work schedule with "long, intense hours" if they wanted to keep their jobs.
Tough Work Companion:
Stories of working with Elon Musk have often been characterized by stress and intensity, from the secretive firing of over half of Twitter's workforce to forcing some Tesla employees to work during Thanksgiving. Working for one of his companies is often seen as a legendary experience.
Isaacson reveals that high-tension environments and the edge of boiling over have been part of Musk's persona since his early start-ups.
In one instance, during a conflict on the floor of the Zip2 office in the 1990s, Kimbal bit a chunk of flesh from Elon's hand, illustrating a moment of extreme tension during what Isaacson describes as periods of "intense pressure."
Similarly, a roommate of Musk from his college days quit working at Zip2 after just six weeks because he couldn't handle it, according to the book.
Naveed Farooq, a long-time friend and former roommate of Musk, told Isaacson, "I knew I could either work with him or be friends with him, but not both."
