> **Source:** Adapted from Zheng Yuhuang’s Video Channel interview with Wang Yuquan
> **Guest:** Wang Yuquan – Founding Partner of Haiyin Capital, expert in technological innovation industries, Chief Consultant of Frost & Sullivan China, author of *The Musk Logic*
> Zheng Yuhuang – PhD from Columbia University, bestselling author of *Creativity*
> **Length:** 9,233rd in-depth article | 7,441 words | Approx. 10-minute reading time
---
## **Business Thinking**
### Editor’s Note
On October 14th (Beijing time), SpaceX’s **Starship** completed its 11th test flight, **achieving all objectives** — a world-shaking demonstration of engineering and vision.
**The highlight:** The “hot-staging” technique — a radical departure from traditional rocket separation — involved **shutting down the booster’s 30 engines, then instantly igniting Starship’s own 6 engines** to push it out of the atmosphere.
Behind these “crazy” maneuvers lies **Musk’s data-first philosophy** — turning each test into a stepping stone toward Mars. He’s not just following existing textbooks — he’s writing new ones.
The cheers from young engineers aren’t just for technical success — they signal a **shift in thinking**: Musk’s relentless challenge to “impossible” and redefinition of human exploration’s boundaries.
This article explores Musk’s thinking model through the dialogue between Wang Yuquan and Zheng Yuhuang.
---
## **1. Seizing the Opportunities of the Era**
### **Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time**
No breakthrough exists outside its historical context — Musk’s success combines **entrepreneurial skill with precise timing**.
---
### **1.1 Recognizing the Wave**
> **Timing is not shared equally — if you don't jump in, it passes you by.**
Examples through history:
- **Rockefeller** seized oil industry growth
- **Vanderbilt** capitalized on railroads
- **China’s reform pioneers** like Wang Shi, Wang Jianlin, Zong Qinghou left stable jobs for the market tide
---
### **1.2 From Geopolitical to Industrial Dividends**
Last 40 years: Geopolitical advantages fueled China’s growth — participation optional
Next 40 years: **Industrial dividend era** — defined by frontier tech like AI, new energy, space
Division:
- **Tech embracers**
- **Tech rejecters**
Musk’s edge: Positioning at the **leading edge** and acting boldly at pivotal moments.
---
### **1.3 Why Education Misses Opportunity Recognition**
Schools train skills, not **opportunity spotting**. Musk stands apart by actively inserting himself into **global innovation hubs** — from Stanford to Silicon Valley — maintaining proximity to the epicenter of breakthroughs.
---
### **Tools Spotlight**
Platforms like [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) — an open-source global AI content monetization ecosystem — now help innovators:
- AI content generation
- Cross-platform publishing (Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, X/Twitter)
- Analytics & AI model ranking
Such tools enable Musk-style speed in acting on ideas.
---
## **2. Core Elements of Innovative Thinking**
**Three pillars:**
1. **Courage** to face risk
2. **Creativity** to break norms
3. **Idealism** that fuels action
---
### **2.1 Courage: Rational Risk-Taking**
Seeing opportunity ≠ Acting on it.
Jumping in means abandoning stability for unknowns — often before opportunities are obvious to others.
**Example:** Post-PayPal sale, Musk invested almost all his $180M to start SpaceX — entering a nation-dominated aerospace field. Facing rejection in Russia, he decided, *“We’ll build our own rockets.”*
---
### **2.2 Creativity: Thinking Beyond Convention**
When told rockets must be single-use, Musk asked: **“Why not reuse them?”**
SpaceX’s culture:
- Rapid iteration
- Acceptance of risk/failure
- Learning loops that accelerate growth
Contrast:
- **SpaceX:** IT-engineer culture, fast, risk-tolerant, iterative
- **Blue Origin:** Mechanical-engineer culture, cautious, slower
Creativity thrives in:
- Environments encouraging questioning
- Cultures tolerating mistakes
---
### **2.3 Idealism: The Bigger Mission**
Post-PayPal, Musk could have retired — instead:
- Built rockets
- Developed EVs
- Pursued Mars migration
Even after Neil Armstrong’s skepticism, his vision endured — inspiring teams and industries.
---
**Tools Note:** Platforms like [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) let today’s visionaries:
- Create AI-driven content
- Publish globally in real-time
- Analyze reach & impact
Documentation: [AiToEarn文档](https://docs.aitoearn.ai) and [AiToEarn博客](https://blog.aitoearn.ai).
---
## **3. From Ideal to Reality — Execution & Perseverance**
**Execution is half the battle** — Musk excels here too.
---
### **3.1 Engineering Thinking**
Uses **first principles** to identify optimal paths.
Example: Extending EV range requires **multi-factor improvement**:
- Energy density per cell (+20%)
- Battery management efficiency (+20%)
- Light vehicle structure (+20%)
- Control system performance (+20%)
Combined yield: \(1.2^4\) — exponential gain.
---
### **3.2 Perseverance & Luck**
Probability view:
“Startup odds might be 1 win in 9 fails — do it 10 times, wins are inevitable.”
SpaceX’s first 3 launches failed; the 4th succeeded. Tesla survived thanks to trust-based investment from a PayPal-era colleague.
Luck favours:
- **Prepared minds**
- **Proactive positioning** (Musk moved from South Africa to North America young, sought top schools and innovation hubs)
---
**Modern Translation:** [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) helps creators execute fast and expand globally — an analog to Musk’s operational speed with frontier tech.
---
## **4. Extreme Work Passion & Pragmatic Strategy**
Musk:
- Sleeps in factories/offices
- Lives minimally, works obsessively
Example: Launched Tesla Roadster into space — performance art + marketing win.
Pragmatism: Integrated SolarCity into Tesla, pivoting to battery markets.
Lesson: **Frontier tech windows close as perfection rises** — seize gaps when performance curve is steep.
---
## **5. Future Vision — Three Major Trends**
### **5.1 AI as Service Equalizer**
- Industrial Revolution: material equality
- AI: **service equality** — luxury services at low cost for all
- “Personal assistants” mainstream in 2 years
---
### **5.2 Globalization of Chinese Manufacturing**
- Next 40 years: China may recreate its GDP overseas
- Demand for globally minded managers
Platforms like [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) parallel this — enabling Chinese creators to globalize output instantly.
---
### **5.3 Maturity of Online Society**
- Shift from “traffic is king” to **“trust is king”**
- AI + big data = stable, credibility-focused environments
- Digital tools enable rapid, precise market feedback
---
## **6. Educational Insights & Personal Growth**
### **6.1 Shift Education Goals**
From producing “compliant workers” to **creative agents** — focus on:
- Critical thinking
- Problem discovery
---
### **6.2 True Job Security = Capability**
Positions vanish; irreplaceable skills endure.
---
### **6.3 Future Core Competencies**
1. **Global vision & languages**
2. **Adventurous courage**
3. **Interdisciplinary problem-solving**
4. **AI collaboration skills**
---
## **Conclusion**
Think like Musk — in your domain — and create a future worth anticipating.
**Action Path:** Use platforms like [AiToEarn](https://aitoearn.ai/) to:
- Generate AI content
- Publish cross-platform instantly
- Analyze & optimize
Build sustainable creative careers while riding the AI-driven industrial dividend wave.
