EP175 Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Blueprint For Success – The 7 Rules For Life

Learn Arnold Schwarzenegger’s seven rules for achieving true purpose in life, based on his journey of continuous reinvention. #AdvancedQualityPrograms #TheQualityGuy #BeUseful #7RulesForLife

I read Arnold’s autobiography, Total Recall, a long time ago. It remains one of my favorites! Recently, I heard him on his podcast Arnold’s Pump Club promoting his new book and added it to my reading list. This book focuses more on his principles of success, as he used them in his life—principles he believes will help others achieve their goals. The first one is “Be useful,” which was the best piece of advice his father ever gave him.

Rule 1: Have a Clear Vision

All great change begins with a clear vision. Vision provides purpose and meaning. A clear vision is a picture of what we want our life to look like and a plan for how to get there. People who feel lost often fail to realize that no one forced them to make the decisions they made. We can start small and build out our vision or start large and broad, then slowly focus and refine it. Taking time and space for ourselves to walk and think is crucial. Walking can increase creativity, inspire new ideas, and change lives. Even if we can’t formulate a grand vision, we can start by setting small goals to build momentum. Create time and space each day to think, daydream, and allow inspiration to enter. Check in with ourselves daily to assess where we stand.

Rule 2: Never Think Small

Ignore the naysayers; they have never achieved anything significant themselves. Otherwise, they would encourage us. Use naysayers as motivation or ignore them, but don’t believe them. Have no plan B. Creating a plan B decreases our resolve for plan A. The only limits that truly exist are in our minds. Pursuing our dreams and refusing to give up is beneficial for our happiness and success; it can also inspire others.

Rule 3: Work Your Ass Off

There is no substitute for hard work. In any undertaking, we must do the repetitions with proper form. Be fully committed and focused with each one. Pain and sacrifice are necessary for growth. Nothing builds character like resilience through pain; nothing destroys character like succumbing to pain and quitting. Enduring pain without purpose is foolish. Productive pain yields growth and builds character, bringing us closer to achieving our vision. Pain needs meaning to be bearable. Part of doing hard work is following through until completion. Busyness is an excuse. If something matters to us, we will make time for it. When pursuing a vision, nothing is more energizing than making progress.

Rule 4: Sell, Sell, Sell

We must promote, communicate, and sell our vision. Understand how to sell it and to whom. First, convince ourselves. Embrace and own our story, even if it’s tough or we feel ashamed in the beginning. Hiding it makes us seem dishonest. Using resonant language helps in advocacy, leading to success and conviction.

Rule 5: Shift Gears

Don’t complain about a situation unless you are prepared to improve it. If you identify a problem and don’t have a potential solution, don’t complain about it. Negativity bias is a survival mechanism that keeps us focused on potential threats. To thrive, we must accept our circumstances and shift our perspective. Failure is not fatal; it’s a cliché, but it is true. When we see failure as a positive part of the process, it becomes less daunting to test our limits. Risk and risk tolerance are relative. The real question about risk is: What do we have to lose?

Rule 6: Shut Your Mouth, Open Your Mind

College degrees are valuable if your career requires them. However, if you lack direction or don’t need a degree, it may lead to unnecessary debt. Arnold learned his most important lessons through gym training and hard work: setting goals, planning, perseverance, communication, and helping others. The high cost of education can make people feel they can’t afford to dream because they can’t afford college. But a key aspect of education is cultivating curiosity with or without an academic degree. Important, interesting, and influential people are drawn to those who ask questions and listen attentively. When we are curious and humble enough to admit we don’t know everything, people want to engage with us and offer their help. Be a sponge, absorbing knowledge.

Rule 7: Break Your Mirrors

Arnold finds it confusing to be called a “self-made man” as many had helped him along the way. Even those who hurt us teach valuable lessons. Success is never achieved alone; we receive guidance and support, making it our duty to help others. Extend a hand, support the next generation, and practice generosity. Life isn’t a zero-sum game; together, we can all grow and prosper. Studies show that giving increases happiness. Even small acts of kindness make a difference. In a self-focused world, pay attention to others and contribute positively.

The book covers essential points and provides practical steps for implementation, without delving deeply into any single topic. Arnold integrates principles with real-life anecdotes, providing context to the ideas. These principles are not just abstract concepts; they reflect his lived experiences. The real-life context makes the ideas more impactful for the reader. This book is suitable for anyone interested in personal development and learning about Arnold’s diverse career, spanning four distinct fields.

Most of the ideas in the book are important, although not entirely new. The quality philosophy can be expanded with the concept of “being useful,” which is summarized by these points: Everyone benefits from contributing to others. The main message is the responsibility to reciprocate. Contributing to others and being useful benefits everyone in the long run and is a practical choice. In Quality Philosophy terms, VALUE ADDED.