Rule number 6
Opinions vary about Schwarzenegger's life and successes. Some see him as nothing more than a guinea pig who injected himself with cyanide in the 70s and 80s. These people are in the foolish idiot category, who generally can't see the connections in life and claim that with steroids, they too could achieve anything, yet they have no idea about anything because they don't even comprehend the incredibly hard work and persistence behind such a life. Starting from an Austrian village, Schwarzenegger first conquered the world of bodybuilding, then reached the position of Governor of California, which requires a little more than a lifestyle of jumping around in Zumba and messing with diet sweets, and spouting petty clichés at the right time and place. But there are also those who know what performance, sacrifice, enduring pain to the extreme for the sake of development, tolerating failures, and overcoming obstacles mean – all of which are needed in huge doses not just to simply survive a life, but to achieve something, create something lasting, and if we are even more than that humanly, then to ensure our name is etched into minds and we don't fade into oblivion. Schwarzenegger is such a person, whom I respect to the utmost and who, besides Shreddedshian, is my main inspirational support during my 150-day program.
We will now discuss Schwarzenegger's legendary 6 rules, which he has kept in mind throughout his last 30 years, and specifically his speech, which he delivered as a candidate before the gubernatorial elections in 2003. This speech had at least as great an impact on me as Steve Jobs' Stanford speech, and it is a mandatory listen at least once for anyone in bodybuilding and sports circles who wants to achieve something. This speech and this set of rules, just like Schwarzenegger's work, continuously give me strength not to give up, because you can believe me, I am suffering terribly, and I need, and probably will need, all the help I can get. Anyone who is not in a program and does not train extremely hard day after day will not understand either the speech or its message. Read and understand these lines; may they give you at least as much strength and inspiration as they give me day after day, and if you are human enough, try to live in this spirit, but sooner or later you will realize that it's not worth living any other way. I have added a few notes to the speech in places to better convey the message.
People always ask me what the secret to success is. I've summarized it in 6 rules that I follow under all circumstances.
#1 Trust yourself. Dig deep and ask yourself who you really want to be. Not what, but who you want to be. I'm not talking about what your parents or teachers want, or what your friends see in you, but what YOU want, because you have to figure out for yourselves what makes you happy, what interests you. It doesn't matter how crazy it sounds to others, don't let it bother you. This is your dream, your goal, your path, your mission. So, the first rule is to trust yourself and never for a single minute let what others think matter.
#2 Break the rules. We have so many rules in life about everything... I say break the rules. Not the laws, but the rules, and tear down the barriers. It's impossible to be original or walk your own path if you live your life by following rules and behaving well. You have to step out of the box and think differently, otherwise, you won't achieve more than the average, you won't stand out from the crowd, meaning you won't achieve anything outstanding, only what everyone can achieve without much effort. This is what I believe in, because what's the point of living on this earth if all you want is to be like others and avoid problems and conflicts? The only way to ever achieve anything is to break down our limitations and cross our boundaries, and this leads to the third rule.
#3 Don't be afraid to fail. Everything I ever started in life seemed like it would fail, wouldn't succeed, and my detractors wanted to see me fail. You can't always win, you have to accept that, but don't be afraid to make decisions and act on them. You can't be scared of fear or failure, otherwise, you'll never give your all, and you'll never achieve anything. If you give your all, because you believe in yourself and your goals, and you know it's the right thing to do, then success will come, so never be afraid of failures because through them you can truly appreciate your successes. The fear of failure leads to the fourth rule.
#4 Never, ever listen to the naysayers. How many times have I heard those voices telling me that I can't do this, my ideas are unrealistic, I will fail, because no one has ever succeeded, so why should I, but don't let that bother you. I love it when someone says it's impossible, no one has ever achieved this before me, or completed the task, because to me, that means if I do it, I'll be the first, and I always want to be the first in everything. No one ever remembers the second, no one is interested in the defeated. You will never be first if you only want to get on the podium, and you can never be the best if you don't want to break down walls and set records. Don't listen to those who say it can't be done, or it's not possible. The word "no" is unknown to me, and "impossible" doesn't exist. I always listen only to myself and tell myself when it's hardest, that yes, you can do it, and here comes rule number five, which is the most important of all.
#5 Work your butt off. Leave no stone unturned. Muhammad Ali, one of my greatest heroes and role models, was once asked how many sit-ups he could do, to which Ali replied, "I don't count sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts to hurt, when I can't go on anymore, that's when I start counting, because that's what truly matters. That's what makes you a champion, and that's what separates you from the rejects. This is the way of everything, because if there's no pain, there's no progress. Someone somewhere is working hard during this time, someone is getting smarter, and someone is winning a competition. Winning a battle, a fight against themselves, or as part of a team against another team. If you also want to win, to be first, and to achieve something, there is no other way than hard and intense work. The rest is bullshit, a paper kite, ridiculous floundering, a bluff, nothing more. None of the rules will work if you don't act and invest real energy.
A day has 24 hours, so if you sleep 6 hours, you still have 18 hours left for life. I know many will say now, 'sorry, I sleep 8-9 hours'. Well, I suggest they sleep faster, because every minute spent in unnecessary sleep wastes your life and takes away from the time you could be building your personality and developing your life. Our main goal in life should be to become a role model for as many people as possible due to our achievements. We must become a crutch for others for their first steps, a crutch with which others can start, and those who have the courage and that certain spirit will be able to go further by throwing away the crutch and later they will become the support, thus maintaining the eternal cycle of life and ensuring a continuous supply of role models to follow.
#6 The sixth rule follows from point five, which is none other than giving back. No matter what path you've traveled in life, you must always find time to give something back to society. Something to your community, your city, your country. When you build yourself, you build society, and it is your duty to give back your experiences, because one day you will see yourself reflected in someone whose positive personality and lifestyle change you created. These are not minor things, people, and these things cannot be expressed in money. Reaching out to people and helping them fills me with greater satisfaction than anything else I have ever accomplished in life. So remember the six rules 24 hours a day and stick to them, no matter what happens to you, or wherever you are in life. Trust yourself, break down barriers, don't be afraid of failure, avoid negative people, work hard, and always give something back and always strive to be the role model.
