KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed in Malaysia today his six rules for success, even as he praised the country for having the “warmest” people.
Schwarzenegger, the star of the “Terminator” movies who has also previously served as California governor, said the rules are to have a vision, think big, ignore the naysayers, forget Plan B, work “your ass off”, and give back to society.
“You must discover your vision and the rest will follow,” Schwarzenegger said at the Global Transformation Forum here organised by BFR Institute, a subsidiary of government agency Pemandu.
The 68-year-old Austria-born pointed out that he had a clear vision of becoming a bodybuilding champion and a movie star, becoming the youngest Mr Universe at age 20.
On the second rule of never thinking small, Schwarzenegger said he didn’t merely want to be a bodybuilding champion but the “greatest bodybuilder of all times”, to be a leading man rather than just an actor, and to aim for governor in California rather than just a city councilman or state senator.
“Think big. It takes the same amount of energy to think big as to think small,” he said.
Schwarzenegger also recommended ignoring critics in the pursuit of one’s dreams, pointing out that he had encountered naysayers in his bodybuilding, film and political careers whom he later proved wrong.
Schwarzenegger pointed out that according to director James Cameron, science fiction thriller “Terminator” would not have been successful if he had not “talked like a machine”.
“Everything the naysayers said was a liability became an asset,” he said.
The movie star also said people should not have a backup plan if they want to focus on their ambitions.
“If you say Plan A doesn’t work, ‘I have a thing to fall back on’, that means you’re doubting yourself that you can make it. That’s the most dangerous thing to do, to doubt yourself.
“The difference between a winner and a loser is winners, when they fail and fall, they get up. They dust themselves off and march on. Don’t be afraid to fail,” he said.
Schwarzenegger said his fifth rule was about hard work, describing how he trained five hours a day in his bodybuilding career while working in construction, studied English and business, and went for acting classes.
“Every ounce out of 24 hours I used to improve myself and to get to the top. You can’t climb the ladders of success with your hands in your pockets,” he said.
The final rule of success was giving back to the community to lead a fulfilling life, according to Schwarzenegger.
“Ever since America greeted me with open arms, I had to give something back to America. Everything I achieved was because of America,” he said.
Schwarzenegger said he decided to leave his movie career in 2003 to be governor of California and that he had refused to accept a salary.
“I made absolutely no money. But I tell you, it was so fantastic to do these two terms of governor. Those seven years were the most exciting and rewarding — to get up in the morning and do work every day and serve 38 million people, to make a difference,” said Schwarzenegger, whose second term as California governor ended in 2011.
He said he started an environmental organisation called R20 and a public policy institute called the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California after his governorship ended.
