--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people really understand it's do or…" description: "\"When people really understand it's do or die [and] if we work hard and pull through, it's going to be a great outcome; people will give it everything t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg" --- # When people really understand it's do or die \[and\] if we… ![“When people really understand it's do or die [and] if we work hard and pull through, it's going to be a great outcome; people will give it everything they've got.” quote by Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg) > “When people really understand it's do or die \[and\] if we work hard and pull through, it's going to be a great outcome; people will give it everything they've got.” [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a critical challenge and committing fully leads to high effort and potentially great results. **In simple terms:** Full commitment to tough challenges yields big rewards. Key Takeaway Commit fully, work hard. Themes determination effort outcome leadership Mood focused optimistic serious Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - startup launches - crisis response - high‑stakes projects - team building Key Concepts risk management team motivation goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What challenge are you willing to commit to fully? - How do you sustain effort under pressure? A Different Perspective Success also depends on external factors and luck, not just effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I think GST is a great outcome. There is no ifs and buts about that. It is a transformational event for India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gita-gopinath/i-think-gst-is-a-great-outcome-there-is-no-ifs-and-buts-about-that-it/) [Gita Gopinath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gita-gopinath/) > [Some do not understand that we must die, But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/some-do-not-understand-that-we-must-die-but-those-who-do-realize-this/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I understand that it is not when or how you die but how and if you truly were ever alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerri-nielsen/i-understand-that-it-is-not-when-or-how-you-die-but-how-and-if-you/) [Jerri Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerri-nielsen/) > [When you understand that you will die to-morrow, if not to-day, and nothing will be left, then everything is so unimportant!... So one goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/when-you-understand-that-you-will-die-to-morrow-if-not-to-day-and/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Be avid. Create apart from perfection. Risk failure. Cover your words with sweat. Run a little Touch excruciatingly. Laugh until you cry. Dance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/be-avid-create-apart-from-perfection-risk-failure-cover-your-words/) [Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/) > [Tiny things, Everyone very well known but doesn't want understand its. Die another days..Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/tiny-things-everyone-very-well-known-but-doesn-t-want-understand-its/) Mak\_786 > [When we got Tesla going at the very beginning, if you asked me what I thought the odds of success were, I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-we-got-tesla-going-at-the-very-beginning-if-you-asked-me-what-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If something's important enough, you should try. Even if - the probable outcome is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-something-s-important-enough-you-should-try-even-if-the-probable/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The only way one can really understand what we are is by knowing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-only-way-one-can-really-understand-what-we-are-is-by-knowing/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [I don't really understand it - marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-don-t-really-understand-it-marriage/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [I really do not understand the members of my generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeke-smith/i-really-do-not-understand-the-members-of-my-generation/) Zeke Smith > [Once I came to really understand the mechanics of three-act structure, my life got a great deal easier. It doesn't tell you how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/once-i-came-to-really-understand-the-mechanics-of-three-act-structure/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [In order for a man to really understand himself he must be part of a nation; he must have some land of his own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/in-order-for-a-man-to-really-understand-himself-he-must-be-part-of-a/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [To really understand something you've got to reduce it to its principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-really-understand-something-you-ve-got-to-reduce-it-to-its/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [A lot of times when you're around really, really smart people, you don't really understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/a-lot-of-times-when-you-re-around-really-really-smart-people-you-don/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## More by Elon Musk > [Nobody wants to buy a $60,000 electric Civic. But people will pay $90,000 for an electric sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/nobody-wants-to-buy-a-60-000-electric-civic-but-people-will-pay-90/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-think-we-should-be-very-careful-about-artificial-intelligence-if-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Most people can learn a lot more than they think they can. They sell themselves short without trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/most-people-can-learn-a-lot-more-than-they-think-they-can-they-sell/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Some companies out there quote a start of production that is substantially in advance of when customers get their cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/some-companies-out-there-quote-a-start-of-production-that-is/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [A company is a group organized to create a product or service, and it is only as good as its people and how excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/a-company-is-a-group-organized-to-create-a-product-or-service-and-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm glad to see that BMW is bringing an electric car to market. That's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-glad-to-see-that-bmw-is-bringing-an-electric-car-to-market-that-s/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [When we got Tesla going at the very beginning, if you asked me what I thought the odds of success were, I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-we-got-tesla-going-at-the-very-beginning-if-you-asked-me-what-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If we drive down the cost of transportation in space, we can do great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-we-drive-down-the-cost-of-transportation-in-space-we-can-do-great/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [In order for us to have a future that's exciting and inspiring, it has to be one where we're a space-bearing civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/in-order-for-us-to-have-a-future-that-s-exciting-and-inspiring-it-has/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The lessons of history would suggest that civilisations move in cycles. You can track that back quite far - the Babylonians, the Sumerians, followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-lessons-of-history-would-suggest-that-civilisations-move-in/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The value of beauty and inspiration is very much underrated, no question. But I want to be clear: I'm not trying to be anyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-value-of-beauty-and-inspiration-is-very-much-underrated-no/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If something's important enough, you should try. Even if - the probable outcome is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-something-s-important-enough-you-should-try-even-if-the-probable/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [You should be innovating so fast that you're invalidating your prior patents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/you-should-be-innovating-so-fast-that-you-re-invalidating-your-prior/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I could either watch it happen or be a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-could-either-watch-it-happen-or-be-a-part-of-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm anti-tax, but I'm pro-carbon tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-anti-tax-but-i-m-pro-carbon-tax/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) [Explore all 284 Elon Musk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## More Dies quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Don't even think for a moment that you are not going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/don-t-even-think-for-a-moment-that-you-are-not-going-to-die/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“When he stops giving you butterflies, Love dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-blanchard/when-he-stops-giving-you-butterflies-love-dies/) Michelle Blanchard > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't want to just die a normal death, I wanna be killed twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-don-t-want-to-just-die-a-normal-death-i-wanna-be-killed-twice/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) Browse all 7,484 Dies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When people really understand it's do or die [and] if we work hard and pull through, it's going to be a great outcome; people will give it everything they've got.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elon Musk" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or-die-and-if-we-work-hard-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or-die-and-if-we-work-hard-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/elon-musk-1138_dies_when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or_2045516.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people really understand it's do or die [and] if we work hard and pull through, it's going to be a…” — Elon Musk", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elon Musk", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people really understand it's do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or-die-and-if-we-work-hard-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-people-really-understand-it-s-do-or-die-and-if-we-work-hard-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```