Elon Musk: Biography, Wealth, Children, Daily Routine & Facts

Between running Tesla, SpaceX, and X Corp, Elon Musk reportedly sleeps about six hours a night and fuels himself with steak and chocolate milk — a routine that sounds almost mundane for someone worth $344 billion. This article sorts the verified facts from the speculation around his wealth, habits, and family.

Net worth: US$344 billion (June 2025) ·
Children: 14 confirmed ·
CEO of: Tesla, SpaceX, X Corp ·
Age: 53 (born June 28, 1971) ·
Daily sleep: 6 hours ·
Daily meals: 8–10 small portions

Seven key facts, one pattern: Musk’s life is documented in sharp contrasts — immense wealth alongside simple daily habits.

How did Elon Musk become rich?

Zip2 and PayPal founding

• In 1995, Musk co-founded Zip2, an online city guide that provided mapping and business directories (Biography.com (publisher)).
• In 1999, he co-founded X.com, a digital payments company that later became PayPal after a merger (BBC (news service)).
• eBay acquired PayPal in 2002 for $1.5 billion, netting Musk about $180 million (Biography.com (publisher)).

Tesla and SpaceX investments

• Musk invested $6.5 million in Tesla in 2004, becoming its chairman and later CEO (Forbes (business magazine)).
• Tesla’s IPO in 2010 raised $226 million and shares surged 41% on the first day (Biography.com (publisher)).
• SpaceX secured contracts with NASA worth billions for cargo and crew missions (BBC (news service)).

The implication: Musk’s wealth isn’t from salary — it’s from ownership stakes in two high-growth companies that transformed their industries.

How many children does Elon Musk have?

Children with Justine Wilson

• Musk had six children with first wife Justine Wilson: Nevada (who died in infancy), Griffin, Vivian, Kai, Saxon, and Damian (BBC (news service)).
• Vivian changed her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson in 2022 and has publicly distanced herself from Musk (Forbes (business magazine)).

Children with Grimes

• Musk and musician Grimes have three children: X AE A-XII (born 2020), Exa Dark Sideræl (born 2021 via surrogate), and Techno Mechanicus (born 2022) (BBC (news service)).

Children with Shivon Zilis

• Musk and Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis have four children: twins Strider and Azure (born 2021), and two more born in 2024 (BBC (news service)).
• An additional child with conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair was reported in 2025 (BBC (news service)).

What this means: The count shifted rapidly in 2024-2025, so any article published before mid-2025 likely undercounts Musk’s family.

How many hours does Elon Musk sleep per day?

Musk’s self-reported sleep schedule

• Musk told The Katie Miller Podcast in December 2025 that he sleeps about 6 hours per night (Business Insider (business news)).
• Previously, he claimed to sleep as little as 3-4 hours during Tesla’s Model 3 production push in 2018 (BBC (news service)).

Impact on productivity

• Musk has said working 85-100 hour weeks is routine for him (BBC (news service)).
• In 2024, he acknowledged on X that sleep deprivation “significantly impairs cognitive function” (Business Insider (business news)).

The trade-off: Musk himself admits the schedule has costs, but he sees it as a requirement for his level of involvement across multiple ventures.

What does Elon Musk eat in a day?

Breakfast habits

• In December 2025, Musk told The Katie Miller Podcast his typical breakfast is steak and eggs with coffee (Business Insider (business news)).

Lunch and dinner preferences

• Musk reportedly eats 8-10 small meals throughout the day rather than three big ones (Business Insider (business news)).
• Known favorites include chocolate, steak, pasta, chocolate milk, and chicken soup (Business Insider (business news)).

What this means: Musk’s eating pattern mirrors his work style — frequent, small, and high-energy — rather than structured sit-down meals.

What are Elon Musk’s hobbies?

Video games

• Musk has said he plays video games like “The Battle of Polytopia” to relax (Biography.com (publisher)).
• He occasionally streams on X, gathering millions of viewers (BBC (news service)).

Reading

• Musk has cited science fiction authors like Isaac Asimov and Iain M. Banks as influences (Biography.com (publisher)).
• He also reads biographies and history books, particularly of inventors (BBC (news service)).

The pattern: Musk’s hobbies overlap directly with his work — gaming informs his views on AI, and reading shapes his long-term vision for space and technology.

Is Elon Musk nice to his employees?

Public allegations

• Multiple former employees have filed lawsuits alleging harsh working conditions and retaliation (Forbes (business magazine)).
• The Washington Post reported that Musk monitors factory floors via camera and demands excessive hours during production crunches (Business Insider (business news)).

Employee testimonials

• Some Tesla employees have described him as demanding but fair, praising his hands-on approach (Forbes (business magazine)).
• Others say he sets impossible deadlines but inspires intense loyalty through his vision (BBC (news service)).

The catch: Employee reviews are polarized — Musk’s management style appears to work for those who share his intensity but alienates those who don’t.

Who is Elon Musk’s best friend?

Known associates

• Musk has named PayPal co-founder Max Levchin and investor Peter Thiel as close friends from his early career (Biography.com (publisher)).
• He has close ties with podcaster Joe Rogan, musician Grimes, and Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis (Forbes (business magazine)).

What this means: Musk’s friendships appear to form around shared business interests and intellectual pursuits rather than purely social connections.

Timeline

Quotes

“I sleep about 6 hours a day.”

Elon Musk, via The Katie Miller Podcast (December 2025) (Business Insider (business news))

“I work 85 to 100 hours a week.”

Elon Musk, interview with BBC (news service)

“Tesla and SpaceX are the primary sources of his wealth.”

Forbes (business magazine) wealth profile

For investors watching Musk’s next moves, the consequence is clear: his personal routines and family dynamics remain a sideshow — the real story remains Tesla’s EV market share and SpaceX’s Starship timeline. For the casual observer, the takeaway is simpler: one person can lead three massive companies on six hours of sleep and steak for breakfast, but the cost shows up in employee lawsuits and public controversies that aren’t going away.

Frequently asked questions