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#696: Be Useful — Arnold Schwarzenegger on 7 Tools for Life, Thinking Big, Building Resilience, Processing Grief, and More

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Oct 2, 2023

Guest

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger, an iconic bodybuilder, actor, and former governor of California, shares his journey and life lessons. He discusses resilience and recovery following unexpected heart surgery, emphasizing the importance of setting small goals. Schwarzenegger reflects on his entrepreneurial beginnings and the role of hard work and community service in his success. He also explores shifting from action roles to comedy with 'Twins' and highlights the critical skill of selling as a pathway to success. Tune in for a dose of inspiration from a true master of reinvention!

01:19:24

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ANECDOTE

Heart Surgery and Recovery

Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses his 2018 heart surgery, initially a non-invasive procedure.
Complications led to emergency open-heart surgery and a difficult recovery involving pneumonia risk and arduous walking exercises.

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ANECDOTE

Early Entrepreneurial Spirit

At age 10, Schwarzenegger sold ice cream to earn money for a training suit after his parents refused to buy him one.
This early experience taught him the value of hard work and resourcefulness, a theme in his book "Be Useful."

insights

INSIGHT

Be Useful Philosophy

Schwarzenegger's book title, "Be Useful," comes from his father's advice to serve others and contribute to society.
This principle, learned in childhood, resurfaces throughout his life, motivating him to work hard and achieve his goals.

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Exploring Resilience and Recovery: A Conversation on Overcoming Challenges

04:24 • 3min

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Journey Through Unexpected Surgery and Recovery

06:58 • 4min

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The Foundations of Resilience and Ambition

11:20 • 24min

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From Action Star to Comedy Success: The Vision Behind 'Twins'

34:52 • 6min

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The Art and Necessity of Selling for Success

40:44 • 6min

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Shifting Gears: Embracing Change and Resilience

46:43 • 27min

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Weekly Discoveries and Wellness Essentials

01:13:53 • 5min

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Be Useful

Seven Tools for Life

Arnold Schwarzenegger

In 'Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life,' Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his insights on how to live a fulfilling life through seven key tools: establishing a clear vision, thinking big, embracing hard work, fostering effective communication, cultivating resilience in problem-solving, remaining open-minded and attentive, and committing to social responsibility. The book is written in Schwarzenegger's unique voice and includes compelling personal stories of his successes and failures from his career as a bodybuilder, movie star, and politician. It emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility, giving back, and the role of others in one's success.

The 4-Hour Body

An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

Brought to you by Wealthfront high-yield savings account, Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (@schwarzenegger) is an Austrian-born bodybuilder, actor, businessman, philanthropist, bestselling author, and politician. He served as the thirty-eighth governor of California. His new book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, is out October 10th, and his daily email newsletter Pump Club recently hit more than 500,000 subscribers and continues to grow as a positive corner of the Internet.

Schwarzenegger has made it his mission to give back. Since his time in the Governor’s house, he’s been working diligently to combat climate change, anti-semitism, ensure fair voting practices, help youth, work with Veterans, and inspire healthy living.

Please enjoy!

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[06:37] Recovering from heart surgery.

[11:19] Age 10 entrepreneurship.

[15:38] Arnold's dad and the importance of being useful.

[21:02] Arnold and his brother: same upbringing, different outcomes.

[27:53] Building ladders and never thinking small.

[34:49] When Arnold's self-bet to be a comedic lead paid off.

[41:26] We're all in sales.

[46:43] The significance of shifting gears.

[50:24] Grieving Franco Columbu.

[54:53] Aging.

[1:02:17] Arnold's current state of self-identity.

[1:05:07] What Arnold hopes readers take away from Be Useful.