Elon Musk Admits He Was Wrong, But His Confidence Is Still Intact Tesla suffered production line delays throughout 2017.

By Nina Zipkin

Bloomberg | Getty Images

We've all had moments when we've overestimated the task ahead of us and had to recalibrate. And while Elon Musk frequently has to contend with high stakes science to get his products -- including electric cars and rockets -- to work, not even he is immune to that kind of mistake.

In an earnings call on Wednesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the production line delays that dogged the company in 2017.

"It's ironic since battery modules should be the thing we are best at," Musk said. "We were a little overconfident, got too comfortable with our ability to do battery modules."

Related: 3 Things You Can Learn From Tesla's Rollercoaster Year

The company's plan is to continue to work toward manufacturing 5,000 cars a week by the end of the second quarter of 2018. Since Tesla was such an eye-catching part of the successful SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch, Musk also made mention of it during the call.\

Clearly his confidence is not something that is so easily shaken. Case in point: "If we can send a Roadster to the asteroid belt, we can probably solve Model 3 production."

Which proves that if you're stuck on one problem, focusing your efforts on another project can help you push forward and reveal what might be missing.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

You Can Get Paid $18,000 More a Year By Adding AI Skills to Your Resume, According to a New Study

Employers are emphasizing AI skills — and are willing to pay a lot more if you have them.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg 'Insisted' Executives Join Him For a MMA Training Session, According to Meta's Ex-President of Global Affairs

Nick Clegg, Meta's former president of global affairs, says in a new book that he once had to get on the mat with a coworker.

Business News

United Airlines Says It Is Adding Extra Flights in Case Spirit 'Suddenly Goes Out of Business'

Rival airlines, including United and Frontier, are adding new routes as Spirit cuts 12 cities from its schedule.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Leadership

The Difference Between Entrepreneurs Who Survive Crises and Those Who Don't

In a business world accelerated by AI, visibility alone is fragile. Here's how strategic silence and consistency can turn reputation into your most powerful asset.