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

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.

Never chase the next hot thing. Stop trying to chase the wave. You willnever catch it. You always for the most part find out about that stuff toolate. Instead, do what you are really passionate about, what you reallylove. That will position you before the wave even hits, and you will findout about whatever it is before the wave starts, before it gets hot, and thatis how you take advantage.

I'm not trying to be anyone's savior. I just try to think about the future and not be sad

When I was a little kid, I was really scared of the dark. But then I came to understand, dark just means the absence of photons in the visible wavelength--400 to 700 nanometers. Then I thought, well, it's really silly to be afraid of a lack of photons. Then I wasn't afraid of the dark anymore after that.

I wonder how many dead one-planet civilizations are out there in the cosmos that never made it to the other planet and ultimately extinguished themselves or were destroyed by external factors. Probably a few.

If you're trying to create a company, it's like baking a cake. You have to have all the ingredients in the right proportion.

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

I think life on Earth must be about more than just solving problems... It's got to be something inspiring, even if it is vicarious.