What personality traits do you share with Elon Musk?

Elon Musk is a visionary genius to some, unpredictable and dangerous to others. Love him or loathe him, Musk’s personality looms as large as his net worth. This is consistent with decades of scientific research highlighting a strong connection between personality and entrepreneurial talent. 

There is a range of character traits and dispositions that make entrepreneurs different from others, especially when they succeed in their ventures.

Psychologists often describe personality in terms of the Big Five traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and also warn about the “Dark Triad” of darker traits (Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy).

Musk, unsurprisingly, scores off the charts in some areas and off the rails in others. He’s the poster child for innovative vision (high Openness) and relentless drive (high Achievement Motivation, which is a facet of Conscientiousness). But he’s also known for a combative, “my-way-or-the-highway” streak, suggesting rock-bottom Agreeableness and a solid dose of Narcissism. The latter is particularly noticeable in his reactions to criticism and negative feedback, which are typically unempathetic escalations intended to belittle and denigrate his critics.

The Elon Musk Personality Checklist

Below is a simple checklist to compare your personality against Elon Musk’s. Tally your Musk-score, and see where you stand—brilliance, flaws and all. Scoring high might be both a compliment and a warning, in the sense of predisposing you to both entrepreneurship and being dispositionally unemployable, as he is.

Unbridled Imagination (High Openness to Experience)
Do you constantly churn out big, crazy-sounding ideas that just might change the world? Musk’s visionary imagination is arguably his greatest strength. He dreams up electric cars, reusable rockets, hyperloops, AI interfaces—you name it. High “Openness” means loving novelty, innovation, and big-picture thinking. Musk exemplifies this trait: He’s curious, inventive, and not afraid to venture into the unknown.

If you’re the type who has 10 new ideas before breakfast and gets bored with routine, check this box. It means you share Musk’s creative spirit—a key ingredient in entrepreneurial success. Just remember: Wild ideas are great, but execution matters most. Musk’s Openness works because he pairs it with intense drive, including an obsession for building and inspiring high-performing teams: Behind each of his ideas there is a leadership team pushing for successful implementation and execution.

Obsessive Drive (High Conscientiousness and Ambition)
Are you relentlessly hard-working, perhaps to the point of being an incurable workaholic, and someone who is perfectly comfortable with the notion of burnout or death-by-overwork? Do you set outrageous goals and refuse to quit until they’re achieved? Musk’s ambition and work ethic are the stuff of legend. He reportedly works 80 to 100-hour weeks, fueled by a mission.

High Conscientiousness—especially the facets of industriousness, achievement striving, and grit—is a hallmark of many successful entrepreneurs. If you find yourself emailing the team at 2 a.m. and optimizing your schedule for maximum productivity, this is you. Flattering implication: You have the stamina and determination to achieve big things. Concerning implication: Work-life balance? What’s that? Remember that burnout is real—even Musk has described running a startup as “chewing glass and staring into the abyss.” Not something most people want to put up with, especially when they have the skills and talents to be employed by organizations that promote work-life balance.

Fearless Risk-Taking (Boldness vs. Neuroticism)
Do you embrace risk and chaos while others run for cover? Elon Musk famously thrives on tackling high-risk, high-reward challenges. He’ll pour his last dollar into a venture (he nearly went broke keeping SpaceX and Tesla alive in 2008) and boldly go where no CEO has gone before. This hints at a personality low in anxiety—Musk seems unusually calm under extreme pressure (low Neuroticism) and even finds thrill in it.

That fearless attitude is a double-edged sword. If you stay cool in crises and take big swings, you share Musk’s bold resilience. But be careful: Low Neuroticism can veer into impulsivity or reckless optimism—a trait related to the psychopathic side of the Dark Triad. In fact, research finds over 1 in 10 corporate leaders show psychopathic traits (like fearlessness and thrill-seeking), far higher than in the general population. It can lead to innovation—or disaster. Ask yourself: Are you being brave, or just reckless?

Charismatic Communication (High Assertiveness, Mixed Extraversion, and Attention Seeking)
Are you able to rally others to your vision, or at least talk a big game? Musk is an interesting case: By many accounts he’s socially awkward and introverted (preferring engineering to small talk), yet he’s also a bold public figure when needed. He’ll take the stage to unveil new tech, charm audiences on podcasts, and wage war on X daily. This suggests Musk is high in the assertiveness and attention-seeking facets of Extraversion (he will make himself heard) even if he isn’t a classic people-person.

If you’re someone who doesn’t shy from the spotlight when it’s time to promote your ideas—or you find yourself dominating discussions because you believe you’re right—check this trait. Flattering side: You can inspire others and hold court confidently. Caution: You might also steamroll others in conversation. Musk’s Twitter proclamations, for example, often show zero regard for social niceties. Speaking of which . . .

“My Way or the Highway” (Low Agreeableness)
Do people ever tell you that you’re, well, a bit harsh or insensitive? Do you find empathy and politeness overrated when it comes to getting things done? If so, you might share Musk’s notorious low Agreeableness. Musk is highly competitive, blunt, and sometimes abrasive—traits common in many high achievers. He has been known to fire employees (or cut off friends) who don’t meet his standards, and he’s not exactly the poster boy for tactful communication.

Low Agreeableness can manifest as tough-minded leadership: You make hard decisions without losing sleep, and you won’t win any “Most Pleasant Boss” awards. You are so focused on getting ahead that you disregard the importance of getting along. If you checked this, you likely share Musk’s take-no-prisoners style. Upside: You won’t let personal feelings interfere with objective decisions—useful when tough calls are needed. Downside: You risk alienating others. Musk’s own successes often come despite his brusque demeanor, not because of it. Teams put up with tough leaders only if they truly deliver a great vision. Tread carefully: A little compassion goes a long way, even for a would-be world changer.

Sky-High Self-Confidence (High Narcissism)
Do you secretly (or openly) believe you’re destined for greatness? Perhaps you’re convinced you have the answers when everyone else is wrong. So do most narcissists, and Elon Musk’s self-confidence borders on classic narcissism—a belief in his own exceptionalism. To his credit, at least in his case, there is a clear argument for exceptionalism, but let’s not forget that most cases of sky-rocketing competence are more likely to signal delusional overconfidence and incompetence than brilliant or exceptional talents.

He doesn’t just dream big; he believes deeply in his ability to bend reality to his will. Indeed, psychologists warn that narcissism is a double-edged sword. Yes, it often helps people emerge as leaders (we’re oddly drawn to confident, charismatic personalities), but narcissistic leaders tend to underperform in the long run. So if you tick this trait, keep your ego in check. As it turns out, self-belief can be useful for impressing others but self-knowledge is generally more important to improve your actual performance.

Master Strategist or Manipulator? (Machiavellianism)

Do you consider yourself shrewd and strategic, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals? Machiavellianism is the art of being a mastermind—focused on self-interest, sometimes at the expense of others. Elon Musk certainly plays high-stakes chess in business. He outmaneuvers competitors, leverages tweets to sway markets, and isn’t above a bit of showmanship or cunning negotiation. For example, his on-again/off-again antics with the Twitter acquisition (now X) showed a flair for strategic posturing.

If you’re checking this, you might share Musk’s ends-justify-the-means mindset. Positive spin: You excel at big-picture strategy and don’t get bogged down by sentiment when making decisions. Negative spin: You might veer into manipulative or unethical territory if you’re not careful. High Machiavellianism can erode trust and morale on your team—no one likes feeling like a pawn. Musk’s own machinations have earned him as many detractors as admirers. Use your strategic smarts for good, and pair them with a moral compass. As the saying (almost) goes: With great power, comes great responsibility—not just great manipulation.

Count up your checks—how many Musk-like traits did you tally?

Elon Musk’s personality is a study in contrasts—brilliantly innovative yet deeply controversial. If our checklist shows you share some traits with him, there’s both cause for excitement and caution. Emulate Musk’s best qualities: his boundless curiosity, tireless work ethic, and courage to defy the odds. But learn from the darker side of Muskiness too: temper your ego, practice empathy, and remember that being a successful leader is not just about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about bringing out the best in others while chasing audacious goals.

Importantly, even if Musk manages to mitigate the negative impact of his dark side on success, it is important to avoid getting carried away with generalizations that are based on extrapolating from a single individual to the overall population, not least when we have thousands of studies and decades of research suggesting the opposite: namely, more often than not, paying attention to other people’s feelings, caring about them and displaying empathy, and managing your dark side to the point of controlling your antisocial outbursts and making an effort to portray a positive image and prosocial reputation, will more likely help you to advance your career and increase your success levels.

If you don’t believe this, then you’d better have the brilliance of Musk so that you don’t need to rely on being employed by others—for with his personality, you would not last more than one day.