Thoughts on achievement: Arnold Schwarzenegger
January 12, 2009
I just finished reading Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book “The Education of a Bodybuilder” in which he describes his ascension from Austrian teenager to international athlete, movie star and politician. Hidden within the pages of his book are some great tips concerning goal attainment. Here are some nuggets:
Mental Preparation
“The mind is incredible. Once you’ve gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do anything…The secret is to make your mind work for you–not against you. This means constantly setting up challenges you can meet–either today, next week, or next month. “I can’t…” should be permanently stricken from the vocabulary of your thoughts. You must see yourself always growing and improving”
Motivation
“You should know why you are going to start training. This is one of the most important steps in initiating a successful bodybuilding program. You should not go to the gym because someone says. “Hey, you’re a slob. You ought to do some weight training and get in shape.” That isn’t a good reason, because you would be trying to satisfy someone else’s wishes, not your own. You should have a very good reason why you want to get into weight resistance training. The best thing to do is to sit down and say to yourself, “What do I want to get out of it? What is my goal?”
A Clear Image
“…decide what you want to look like…this…step, forming an image in the mind, creates what I call want power. You have an image of what you want to look like, which in turn creates the willpower to go into the gym and work out. Now you have a goal. Without it you’d be like a ship without a destination. You must know why you are training in order to give it your best and be productive”
In chapter five Arnold speaks of five factors that convinced him he was a winner:
1. Right Body Chemistry–”My bone structure was perfect, long legs, long arms, long torso. Plus, everything was in proportion. It fell together and flowed.”
2. All Experiences Are An Asset–He mentions his strict upbringing instilled the necessary discipline. Conversely, the fact that he missed certain things as a child that gave him a drive for achievement. In this way Arnold indicates that he used things that would be considered as negatives and channelled the energy in a positive way.
3. No Distractions–Arnold states: “I started training in an area where there were no distractions; there was nothing else going on, and that gave me enough time to concentrate and find out what bodybuilding was all about”
4. Positive Attitude
5. Honesty About Limitations– “I was honest with myself about what my body looked like and where I’d have to improve. As soon as I became aware of a weak point I went all out to eliminate it…I had weak points–glaring weak points–and I got to work on them. Many bodybuilders refuse to do this; they keep working on their strong points, which is more gratifying. I didn’t want the best arms or legs or chest, I wanted to be the best-built man in the world.”
Quotes taken from Chapter 5, page 66, 67 and Part Two, Chapter 1, pages 148-151
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