I want to talk a little more in depth about Schwarzenegger’s book, Be Useful.  Schwarzenegger is a deceptive character—he will stay quiet about how much he knows and he will take in every ounce of knowledge he can about the world.  There is so much depth to his faith and he knows how to take a vision and make it into reality even if it isn’t in a conventional way.  He is another person dedicated to doing the work, like I’ve talked about with David Goggins and many others along the way.  Yes, the man is worth millions and it’s easy for him to spout out ideals about not focusing on the money, but for him, it truly isn’t about that—at least not in this context of being useful.  He wants to make an impact and it’s clear his goals are to impact the world—and he wants others to do the same doing what they can with what they have, where they are—and based on his stories, that’s exactly how he started.  

I will fully admit that I thought the book would be about something else.  There were the stories you’d expect to hear about the work put in to develop self and strength, but what struck me is what a huge vision this man has and how accepting he is of the world and his ability to change it.  He has a way of understanding how the world works while simultaneously knowing he can do something different, a way to shift the energy in his favor.  At the same time, he has a different kind of humility—he knows when he needs to learn while knowing he is not one to be fucked with.  He doesn’t allow where he is to limit him in any fashion—he simply keeps doing the work and keeps his eyes firmly on the prize.  Everything in his present moment, and in his presence is an asset and helps him.  He feels he is a tool for the good of the world—no he never says that—but he behaves as a conduit to help others however he can. 

I remember thinking as a child about how he must be a sort of meat head because who focuses on making a living solely out of how much weight they can lift?  Who would have elected him governor?  As I’ve gotten older and witnessed the type of impact he has had, my opinion has changed—I was magnetically drawn to his book and I am not mad about it.  It’s quite literally inspirational to see how he has steered his life with every decision he’s made and he takes full accountability for that.  He believes in his ability more than anything.  While he has a physically powerful presence, he uses his energy more than his weight and he puts everything in a positive perspective.  That is where our real power lies: to work with what we have and make it into something else through the alchemy of clear vision and persistent, consistent effort in sharing our purpose.  It’s a lesson we can all use a reminder of every now and then.