‘I was married to a man who …’, says Elon Musk’s ex-wife in a ‘big reveal’
Elon Musk’s ex-wife and Canadian author Justine Wilson has revealed what she believed is the key to his incredible success – the word ‘No’. Speaking at a TEDx Talk a few years ago, Justine said that while Elon Musk worked extremely hard, one of his biggest strengths was saying no to distractions. “I was married to a man who became extremely successful. And as I watched him rise I noticed two things. He worked very hard, much harder than your average bear. And he said no, a lot,” she said.According to Justine, Elon Musk often turned down requests for his time, attention, and energy. Why? So he could stay focused on his personal and professional goals.“He said no to people who wanted his time and attention and energy. He said no in a way that protected his resources so he could channel them towards his own goals. And I realized that behind every no there is a deeper yes to whatever it is that you do want,” Justine Wilson added.Explaining further, Justine said “He had grown up in the male-dominated culture of South Africa, and the will to compete and dominate that made him so successful in business did not magically shut off when he came home”. Justine Wilson married Elon Musk in 2000 and moved to Los Angeles. They tragically lost their first son, Nevada, to SIDS, and later had twins and triplets. The couple divorced in 2008, the same year Musk became Tesla CEO.Despite the challenges in their marriage, Justine Musk said she has no regrets. She emphasized that Elon’s success is a clear example of what focus and strong boundaries can achieve.
