When it comes to Arnold Schwarzenegger, we’re talking about someone who has succeeded at everything he has set out to do. He won the Mr. Olympia contest seven times, became the highest-paid actor of his era and ended up as governor of California despite having no political experience, which makes his life a model for anyone wondering how to succeed in life.
All the new training technology and all the new products for bodybuilding enthusiasts haven’t managed to knock Arnold Schwarzenegger off his perch as the greatest bodybuilder in human history. Of course, very few people know the enormous effort it took Arnold to become world champion, through training at home and a constant effort that consisted of getting ahead while the rest of the world was resting.
At the end of the article you’ll find a short documentary about Arnold’s hard life. Born in Austria, he chose a very different path from the one taken by the young men of his town, despite harsh criticism and despite the fact that bodybuilding was barely known.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rules for succeeding at whatever you set out to do
Arnold didn’t want to be a bodybuilder; he wanted to be the world bodybuilding champion, and he was willing to sacrifice everything to chase that dream, including slipping out of the army without permission to compete in championships, even though it exposed him to military punishment.
Some time ago, Arnold gave a highly motivational talk in which he set out what he considers the keys to succeeding at whatever you set out to do. Both his advice and the documentary are well worth your time.
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1. Trust yourself
The most important thing is to ask yourself not “what” you want to be, but “who” you want to be. Not what your parents or your teachers have told you, but what you feel makes you happy. It doesn’t matter how crazy it may seem to everyone else. Trust yourself, regardless of what other people think.
2. Break some rules
We have too many rules in life for almost everything. Arnold used to say: “Break the rules, not the laws, but do away with whatever seems normal.”
It’s impossible to be special, outstanding or original if you behave like everyone else and do what everyone else does. Break the rules. You have to think beyond the established parameters. That’s the key.
3. Never be afraid to fail
Arnold says that in everything he has attempted, he has known that at no point was he immune to failure. You can’t always win, but that’s no reason to decide not to try. Don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you, because if you do, you’ll never push yourself in life.
Keep up a constant effort, trusting that you can achieve it, and project the image you have dreamed of for your life. Always remember that if you keep doing the right thing and working hard, success will come.
4. Don’t listen to people who say something can’t be done
Most great inventions, products and successful careers would never have happened if those people had listened to what others were saying. How many times have you heard that this or that can’t be done because nobody has done it before?
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In Arnold’s words:
I love the expression “nobody has ever done that before”, because I know that if I pull it off, I’ll be the first one to do it. So don’t pay attention to discouraging messages like that. Listen when people tell you it’s difficult, that it will take hard work, but not when they say it’s impossible. Because practically anything is possible if we put our heart into it. I always say: “Yes, I can.”
5. Take action: work very hard
Don’t leave anything unfinished. Muhammad Ali, one of Arnold’s great heroes, was once asked: “How many sit-ups do you do a day?” He replied: “I don’t know, I don’t count them all. I only start counting when they start to hurt, because those are the only ones that count, and the ones that make me a champion.” No pain, no victory, says Arnold.
Whenever you slack off on something, there will be someone, somewhere, doing it better than you, trying harder than you and working harder than you. And that’s the kind of person who’s going to beat you. “There is absolutely no way to succeed in life other than through constant effort.”
Everyone gets 24 hours in a day, so sleep six hours and put in the effort for the other 18. If you don’t, someone else will. Arnold knows that many people need nine or ten hours of sleep, so he joked with this advice for them: “For those people, all I’d say is: sleep faster.”
6. Give something back
Whatever you do in life, you should always find a way to give back to others: to your community, your state, your country. Helping others brings a sense of fulfillment unlike anything you’ve achieved before.
Six Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes on his philosophy of life
- “The worst thing that could happen to me is to end up exactly like everyone else. I hate that.”
- “The secret of success is always being hungry for more. Having a purpose in life that isn’t simply to survive or exist, but to keep growing, achieve more, conquer more. That’s the meaning of life.”
- “You can have results or you can have excuses. You can’t have both.”
- “You were born to win, but to win you have to plan to win, prepare to win and believe you can win.”
- “The reason I’ve been successful is that I’ve failed again and again.”
- “The only limitation you have is your own mind. As long as your mind believes you can do something, you’ll be able to do it, if you believe it and want it with all your strength.”
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Documentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life
Watch: Documentary on the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger
See also: Michael Bloomberg’s tough advice for success
Featured image: Madison Square Garden Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
