Elon Musk Belatedly Learns “Money Can’t Buy Happiness”

Elon Musk’s net worth surged to $852 billion this week — a record high set into motion by the merger of two of his companies, SpaceX and xAI, ahead of a highly anticipated IPO later this year.

“Whoever said, ‘Money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” Musk wrote on X. (Photo: The White House Flickr) 

But even with more wealth to his name than anyone in history, Musk doesn’t seem convinced that the number in his bank account translates into personal fulfillment, Preston Fore reported for Fortune.

“Whoever said, ‘Money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” Musk wrote on X, a post that has garnered more than 96 million views.

The remark sparked reaction across his social platform, including from members of the ultrawealthy who have grappled with the same dilemma.

Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman offered Musk pointed advice, urging him to focus more on philanthropy and perspective.

“A lot of happiness comes from helping others. You have helped millions, and someday it will likely be billions. You just need to appreciate what you have accomplished for so many,” he wrote.

Ackman also suggested it might be time for Musk to settle down with a long-term partner. Musk has 14 children with four different women.

Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor and former Shark Tank star, agreed with Musk to an extent but said linking wealth to happiness isn’t so simple. Money doesn’t fundamentally change happiness so much as magnify what’s already there.

“If you were happy when you were poor, you will be insanely happy if you get rich,” Cuban wrote on X. “If you were miserable, you will stay miserable, just with a lot less financial stress.”