I just finished reading an amazing book, called “Total Recall” the auto biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Before I go any further let me just make one thing clear, I’m not defending nor attacking the man. This is not an attempt to judge is character and definitely not a reference to his political views. He is a person and like every other has flaws and qualities.
What was really significant to me was his life story… what he actually accomplished for himself. A truly inspiring book for anyone who wants to get something done, be it starting a colony on Mars or building a house for your family.
Here is the book’s back cover.
"He was born in a year of famine in a small Austrian town. He dreamed of moving to America to become a bodybuilding champion and a movie start.
By the age of twenty-one, he was living in Los Angeles and had been crowned Mr. Universe.
Within five years, he had learned English and become the greatest bodybuilder in the world
Within ten years, he had earned his college degree and was a millionaire from his business enterprises.
Within twenty years, he was the world’s biggest movie star, the husband of Maria Shiver, and an emerging Republican leader who was part of the Kennedy family.
Thirty-six years after moving to America he was elected Governor of California, the seventh largest economy in the world. "
So that right there should be inspiring!
So let’s take a quick look at it.
He was born in a small town in Austria where most people would not even dream to come to America. His father was a police man who installed discipline in him, discipline I believe never left him and was essential to his success. The best example of this was the fact that his father would make him do push ups before he could have breakfast. Instead of punishing him with work, he made work part of life and rewarded it with breakfast… I mean…
When he was a teenager he decided he wanted to be a bodybuilding champion and use that as his ticket to the United States. He started training with total focus and dedication, even when he went to the army and was driving a thank, he would manage to get the weights on the vehicle and find small pockets of time to train, and would never go to bed with out doing them. He had a specific goal and vision:
“In the weeks that followed, I refined this vision until it was very specific…. The vision became so clear in my mind that I felt it had to happen. There was no alternative, it was this or nothing”
After his big competition he internalized this:
“After that , I never went to a competition to compete. I went to win. Even thou I didn’t win every time, that was my mind set.”
After a few years, still in his early 20’s, he was living in Los Angeles, without speaking much English, and was a a bodybuilding champion.
So against all odds, he was living in America, he was the biggest bodybuilder who had ever lived, had learned English and was already rich. Even thou that would be good enough for some people he did not stopped there. He wanted to become an actor … and not just some actor but the worlds biggest actor!
This is what people told him: “ An actor ? Your a bodybuilder , why don’t you open some gyms instead?” “ No way, you can’t act.” “ Maybe I can get you to be an extra in this movie.” “ You have a huge accent, it won’t work” “ You need to change your name.” And what happened ?… He became the biggest movie start in the world.
“ I was making my size, accent and funny name into assets instead of peculiarities that put people of.”
Now he is the biggest action start on the planet and what he decides to do?… Make comedies… again “ You won’t do it, you’re the guy with the machine gun”. And again his first comedy film “Twins” was a huge hit.
And so it went….
After all of that he becomes a two times elected governor of California.
Honestly I can not recommend this book enough… It jumped to my top 10 biographies. Even if you don’t like the man you see on the media this would be an interesting read.
"My father always told me “ Be useful. Do something” He was right. If you have a talent or skill that makes you happy, use it to improve your neighborhood, And if you you fell a desire to do more, then go all out.You’ll have plenty of time to rest when you’re in the grave. Live a risky life and a spicy life like Eleanor Roosevelt said, every day do something that scares you. We should all stay hungry!"
A hope some other people get inspired by this story like I was!
Thanks for reading.