Be Useful: Seven Tools For Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Widi Asmoro

I pre-ordered this book after reading the promotional tweet about it. It sounds like he has something good to share and for me to learn.

Book I Read

  • Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger

The reason I read the book:

  • I pre-ordered this book after reading the promotional tweet about it. There’s a snippet of his interview talking about the book, and it sounds like he has something good to share and for me to learn. Especially considering Arnold is a very successful actor, an immigrant, and a former US Governor, there must be something I can learn from his experience.

Type of Book:

  • Biography
  • Productivity
  • Personal Development

Keywords:

  • Having a broad vision gives you an easy, more accessible place to start from when it comes to figuring out where and how to zoom in.
  • Work works. That’s the bottom line. No matter what you do. No matter who you are. My entire life has been shaped by that single idea.
  • I owe a lot to my upbringing. I was made for it and made by it. I wouldn’t be who I am today without each one of those experiences.
  • Wenn schon, denn schon. If you’re going to do something, do it. Go all out.

Key Takeaways:

  • Arnold is persistent in pursuing his goals and ambitions, fearlessly advocating for his beliefs and actively working to make them a reality. Moreover, a key insight is that helping others is a way to help oneself, as it reminds us that we aren’t entirely self-made.
  • There are seven tools to be useful:
    1. Have a clear vision
    2. Never think small
    3. Work your ass off
    4. Sell, Sell, Sell
    5. Shift gears
    6. Shut your mouth, open your mind
    7. Break your mirrors

How I apply it:

  • Reading this book gives me a motivational boost, especially since I am on training and perspective about life. First, everyone has the same 24 hours, no different from me. Second, opportunities become real only when we work for them.
  • Lastly, after finishing reading the book, I learned that Arnold supports something that I disagree with, and it brings me mixed feelings. The life lessons he shared look so good on the surface, but I’m uncertain whether he genuinely values world peace.

Other reference(s) I need to explore:

  • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius