Why does Elon Musk want to colonize Mars instead of more habitable planets?

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has been vocal about his vision to colonize Mars. He believes that humans need to become a multi-planetary species in order to ensure the survival of the human race. There are several reasons why Musk wants to colonize Mars instead of more habitable planets.

• Proximity to Earth: Mars is the closest planet to Earth that is capable of supporting human life. It takes approximately 7 months to travel to Mars, which is much less than the time it would take to travel to other potentially habitable planets such as Kepler-452b or Gliese 581g.
• Similarities to Earth: Mars is a terrestrial planet, meaning it has a solid surface and is more similar to Earth than gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn. It also has a day/night cycle and a seasonal cycle that is similar to Earth.
• Resources: Mars has abundant resources such as water, carbon dioxide, and various minerals. These resources could be used to sustain human life on the planet.
• Technology: The technology required to colonize Mars is already in development. SpaceX is currently working on developing reusable rockets and spacecraft that could be used to transport humans and cargo to Mars.

Musk believes that colonizing Mars is not only important for the survival of the human race, but also for the advancement of science and technology. He has stated that he wants to make life multi-planetary, so that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization.