Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-born bodybuilder, businessman, and actor, and he was the 38th governor of California. He is widely considered one of the best bodybuilders of all time and is a central figure in the sport’s history. However, he is perhaps best known for his action movie roles in blockbuster hits such as Conan the Barbarian (1982) and The Terminator (1984). After a successful career as an action star, he successfully transitioned into comedic roles, starring in films like Kindergarten Cop (1990) and Junior (1994). He has twice been listed among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and has published a number of other books, including bodybuilding and fitness guides and his autobiography, Total Recall, which was published in 2012.

Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, in 1947, in the aftermath of World War II. He had a strict upbringing—his father, the local chief of police, was often harsh and abusive—and he had early aspirations to leave his home and make a life for himself in America, inspired by American pop culture, films, and images of bodybuilding figures such as Reg Park. This early vision set his success in motion, and he went on to dominate the sport of bodybuilding, winning multiple Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia titles before retiring to pursue acting. He then quickly became a staple of the action genre, catapulting to worldwide fame.

His career as a politician began in 2003 with his election as governor of California, and he went on to lead the state through financial crises and natural disasters. Since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic began, videos of his motivational speeches began to circulate online, and he then embraced his role as a “self-help guy,” lending a voice of reason during a time when many people were feeling hopeless, chaotic, or fearful. He gained further attention when he made a speech condemning the January 6, 2021 attacks on the US Capitol. He titled this speech “A Servant’s Heart,” a phrase that describes the sense of duty he feels to give back to America and his desire to dedicate his efforts toward being a public servant in this most recent stage of his life. As he mentions in Be Useful, his life is now focused on being of service to others—in addition to his motivational content, he has been involved with the Special Olympics for many years and founded educational after-school programs for youth, among other philanthropic endeavors.

In Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, Schwarzenegger describes his life as having unfolded in four “acts”: bodybuilder, actor, politician, and now motivational speaker. His book, therefore, is part self-help guide and part memoir as he outlines his “toolkit,” using his personal tales of success, hardship, and continual reinvention. By alluding to his relentless pursuit of his goals; his strong work ethic; his resilience in the face of doubt, criticism, and roadblocks; and his personal and professional failures; Schwarzenegger provides actionable steps one can take to pursue their own visions and self-development. In turn, he hopes that they will pay it forward and use their success to elevate others.