2008年对于Musk而言，是刻骨铭心的一年，经历了大起大落。 2008年9月，历时六年，五百人团队的不懈努力，夜以继日，克服重重困难，Falcon 1 第四次发射终于成功。喜悦过后，好景不长。Tesla、SpaceX面临资金短缺的危机。到2008年底，SpaceX濒临破产边缘。 Musk承受了巨大的压力，想尽办法四处借钱挽救公司，安抚员工， 可以说这是Musk最为痛苦煎熬的时刻。在绝望之中，危急时刻。 2008年12月，SpaceX迎来了转机，NASA决定支持SpaceX承揽发射任务。迫在眉睫的危机终于得以化解。

如果说前几章我们看到的是Musk远见卓识、胆略过人。那么这一章，在面临困境之时，Musk展现出超理性思维，极强的承压能力。他愈挫愈勇，在危机和困难中，始终保持清醒专注的头脑。

He has the ability to work harder and endure more stress than anyone I've ever met . What he went through in 2008 would have broken anyone els. He didn't just survive . He kept working and stayed focused . The ability to stay focosed in the midst of a crisis stands as one of Musk's main advantages over other executives and competitiors . 

Most people who are under that sort of pressure fray . Their decidsions go bad . Elon get hyperrational . He's still able to make very clear ,long-term decisions . The harder it gets , the better he gets . 

字词：

1、他说话的声音就像在枕边细语，所以我们所有人都得围着扩音器听他说。

He’s giving us the pillow talk voice,so we all have to huddle around the speakerphone.

2、它高高耸立，周围的棕榈树随风摇摆，湛蓝的天空飘过几缕云朵，让它看起来就像是来自小岛部落的某件奇特的艺术品。

It stood tall,looking like a bizarre artifact of an island tribe as palm trees swayed beside itand a smattering of clouds crossed through the spectacular blue sky.

A smattering of something is a very small amount of it.少许;一点点

3、（火箭发射）大功告成所带来的喜悦之情，随着庆功派对的结束也渐渐褪去。

The afterglow of this mammoth victory faded soon after the party ended.

4、...who was being pilloried in the press by reporter and his ex-wife.

If someone is pilloried, a lot of people, especially journalists, criticize them and make them look stupid.嘲弄;指受到很多人、尤指受到记者的嘲弄。

例：A man has been forced to resign as a result of being pilloried by some of the press.一名男子因被某些媒体嘲弄而被迫离职.