Really pay attention to negative feedback and solicit it, particularly from friends. … Hardly anyone does that, and it's incredibly helpful.

Musk is urging an unusually disciplined approach to self-improvement: actively seeking criticism rather than validation, and treating negative feedback as high-value data. The emphasis on asking friends underscores that candid critique is most likely to come from people who know you well and have less incentive to flatter you than customers, employees, or the public. The quote also implies a competitive advantage: because most people avoid discomfort and protect their ego, those who systematically solicit and act on criticism can iterate faster, correct blind spots, and make better decisions. In entrepreneurial terms, it frames criticism as a tool for rapid learning and error-correction.