It's a real weakness to want to be liked, a real weakness, and I do not have that. — Elon Musk

It's a real weakness to want to be liked, a real weakness, and I do not have that.

Author: Elon Musk

Insight: Most of us spend energy managing how others see us—it's exhausting. Musk's point isn't that being likeable is bad, but that chasing approval is a trap that kills bold decisions. The twist: people desperate to be liked often accomplish less than those willing to be unpopular.

Source: New York Times DealBook Summit, 2023