Be Useful |
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1 December 2023 - Adetswil
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most positive and inspiring people on the planet. The title of his new book, Be Useful: Seven Tools For Life, seems to be a not-to-subtle copying of Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules For Life. I can imagine Peterson seeing such imitation merely as flattery. Schwarzenegger is fond of describing his life in 3 acts: bodybuilder, then actor, then politician. What is act 4? Motivational speaker? His foray into televsion replacing Donald Trump was less than successful. In US politics the "Amend For Arnold" to a change the constitutional prohibition on people born outside the US becoming president flopped. In EU politics he never found the traction he'd hoped for. His movies are no longer top box office draws and he's taken more bit parts. What Arnold remains, however, is inspirational, which comes through in spades in his new book.
The "Seven Tools":- Have a clear vision
- Never Think Small
- Work Your Ass Off
- Sell, Sell, Sell
- Shift Gears
- Shut Your Mouth, Open Your Mind
- Break Your Mirrors
Schwarzenegger's advice throughout the book is for the most part good. I found reading a chapter in the morning was a great way to get pumped up to face my day. The personal examples he tells are relateable and inspiring. What's lacking, perhaps, are examples from the lives of people other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The man has fit an incredible amount into a single lifetime though, so perhaps writing about others wasn't necessary. As he seems to have wrote this book without help, I'm hopeful that as he continues to evolve as a writer his next book will be even better. I'll definitely be picking this one up to read again when I need motivation though!
