Listen up all you girly men! This isn’t Hans and Franz talking, it’s Mr. Universe himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. With a storied career in bodybuilding, action movies and multimillion-dollar business ventures, the man has been through a lot. But none of it was handed to him – he struggled and he worked hard to go from a young Austrian boy written off by his father to one of the most recognizable and admirable figures in pop culture. So quit your whining and be like Arnold!
Speaking with Howard Stern, Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “It’s all about hard work. That’s why I say…work but work your ass off. There’s no shortcut and you have to kind of put the work in…The human mind can only really grow through resistance. You can only strengthen your character, become a really strong person inside if you have resistance. If you fail, if you get up again and if you work hard…the more you struggle the further you’re gonna go and the stronger you’re gonna get.”
But it’s really the younger generations that Arnold Schwarzenegger has grown skeptical of, adding that they need to be brought up in a way that challenges them. He particularly noted the oversensitivity and over-coddling of such kids, suggesting pain and struggle are keys to a successful existence. “So many young kids today kind of shy away from that but you have to be attracted to that…What built this country? People that slept in? Is it people that were wimping out?…These were ballsy women and men that went out there…and struggled and they fought and they worked their butts off. That’s what made this country great…Don’t start creating a generation of wimps and weak people.”
Well into his 70s – but still making movies and officially on board as Netflix’s Chief Action Officer – Arnold Schwarzenegger has plenty of wisdom to share. And he does so in his upcoming book, “Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life”, exploring topics of resiliency, work ethic, self-awareness, and more.
What do you think about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s statements about catering to kids and not letting them struggle? Does he raise a good point? Give us your take below!