Failure is frustrating. Failure is something you don’t put on your resume. On the contrary! One does not simply write a resume of his or her failures (Hint: we’re going to do it). At the same time, if you attempt great things, your failures are probably going to be just as impressive as your accomplishments.

There’s probably no other person alive today who embodies this notion more than Elon Musk.

Sure, he’s considered a genius who also happens to be worth $14 billion. Certainly, many of his ideas have turned into realities. Arguably, he revolutionised every industry he has ever touched: eCommerce (PayPal), automotive industry (Tesla), space flights (SpaceX), and sustainable energy (SolarCity). Still, all of these accomplishments pale in comparison to his ability to fail.

Elon Musk’s story proves that you can actually “fail your way to success.”

Elon Musk’s story proves that once you’ve mastered the art of failing, success becomes the only way you can go. And he had to go through A LOT of failures and difficulties in his life.

He got ousted as CEO of the first company he created. The first PayPal product he devised was voted one of the 10 worst business ideas ever. He was forced to step down as CEO of PayPal as well. After he founded SpaceX, he almost went bankrupt after three of his first space rockets exploded at launch. Then he basically led Tesla to bankruptcy before he managed to succeed at last. Few more rocket explosions made him lose several of the Facebook and NASA satellites. Elon Musk’s resume of failures is a pretty long read. Check out the infographic below, it’s truly “explosive.”

Elon Musk’s story makes me think of something I’ve read in a book some time ago: “Soon you will realize that the most extraordinary thing most people have ever done in their lives is nothing.” When you think about it, it hardly comes as a surprise. After all, doing something comes at the risk of failure.

No wonder many people prefer to take an easy way out by taking no action at all. Yet, as they say, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” And every time Elon Musk succeeds, it’s awe-inspiring. Still not a fangirl? Go watch those SpaceX videos and then come back to check out our “Elon Musks’s Resume of Failures” infographic.

Elon Musk’s Resume of Failures Infographic

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