Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses with recent graduates of the University of Southern California his six “golden rules” to building and maintaining a successful and happy life. These rules can be applied to anything in life, including your career, family, and fitness goals. These golden rules helped a man who has accomplished every single goal he set out to achieve when he came to America over 40 years ago.
Arnold’s Six Golden Rules
1. Trust Yourself
Dig deep down and find out who you want to be. Not who your parents, family members, or friends want you to be. Trust yourself enough to be the person who you want to be.
2. Break Some Rules
We have so many rules in life. It is impossible to be a true original if you listen to what everyone else tells you to do. You have to think outside the box. What is the point of living on this earth if all you ever do is what other people tell you to do?
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
You can’t be afraid to fail. If you are going to try something new, you can’t be paralyzed by your fear of failure. If you aren’t willing to fail at something, how are you going to ever get a chance to succeed at it? If you fail, learn from your mistakes and keep pushing because you believe in yourself and your vision.
4. Ignore The Naysayers
How many times have you heard someone say,”You can’t do this”, or “Nobody else does it that way”? If what you are doing works for you, don’t listen to the naysayers. If nobody else has done it that way before, then you are just a true original.
5. Work Like Hell
Leave no stone unturned. Never give up on your goals and keep pushing every single day. When Muhammad Ali was asked how many sit-ups he did in a day, he said, “I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts. That’s what makes you a champion.” No pain, no gain. It is important to have fun in life, but just remember
6. Give Something Back
Whatever your goals are in life. Give something back to the people around you. Whether that is your community, your family, your state, or your country. Reaching out and helping people will bring you more satisfaction then anything else you have ever done.