I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary

I wouldn’t say I have a lack of fear. In fact, I’d like my fear emotion to be less because it’s very distracting and fries my nervous system.

My biggest mistake is probably weighing too much on someone’s talent and not someone’s personality. I think it matters whether someone has a good heart.

The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur.

When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars, people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.

It’s OK to have your eggs in one basket as long as you control what happens to that basket.

I’ve actually not read any books on time management.

A company is a group organized to create a product or service, and it is only as good as its people and how excited they are about creating. I do want to recognize a ton of super-talented people. I just happen to be the face of the companies.

What makes innovative thinking happen?… I think it’s really a mindset. You have to decide.

When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.

Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.

My proceeds from the PayPal acquisition were $180 million. I put $100 million in SpaceX, $70m in Tesla, and $10m in Solar City. I had to borrow money for rent.

Over time I think we will probably see a closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence.

If something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor

You should take the approach that you’re wrong. Your goal is to be less wrong.

Patience is virtue, and I’m learning patience. It’s a tough lesson.

I’m a Silicon Valley guy. I just think people from Silicon Valley can do anything.

There’s a tremendous bias against taking risks. Everyone is trying to optimize their *ss-covering.

I would just question things… It would infuriate my parents… That I wouldn’t just believe them when they said something ’cause I’d ask them why. And then I’d consider whether that response made sense given everything else I knew.