Idealism helps focus innovators by making their long-term purpose very clear, helping them to make choices among the competing demands of their attention. Having lofty superordinate goals, such as Tesla’s desire to achieve global wireless transmission of energy and to free mankind from physical toil, or Musk’s ambition to colonize Mars, gave these innovators a drive and single-mindedness that helped them avoid getting caught up in other interesting problems. They often led their lives as if they had blinders on to keep their attention locked on target. It also made them resilient to failure or
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