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1-Page Summary of Total Recall
Overview
The world has changed a lot in the past few years. Flexibility and adaptability are more important than ever before, so who better to turn to for advice than someone who’s been successful at three different professions?
Schwarzenegger is a great example of determination and hard work. He went from being poor in Austria to becoming Mr. Universe, a famous actor, and the governor of California by staying hungry, never giving up on his dreams, and working really hard at it.
The Terminator (film) shows us that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a self-disciplined, ambitious person who wants to achieve success.
People should learn how to make the best of what they have, and why looking forward is important in fulfilling their dreams.
Here are the key points to remember from this book:
People who fake it until they make it tend to be successful.
You don’t get where you are in life because of your parents, but rather how hard you work and what you do with what you have.
It’s important to set high goals for yourself and try your best to achieve them, even if that means changing course or trying something new along the way.”
Big Idea #1: America was Schwarzenegger’s promised land after a tough childhood.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Austria in 1947. It was a tough year for the country, which had lost World War II and suffered through famine. His mother traveled around to find food for her family, which helped shape him into an ambitious man who could fight through anything life threw at him.
A generation of Austrians was shaped by its loss in World War I. Many people were embittered and angry, especially the children of those soldiers. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s father was one such person.
Gustav ruled his sons, Arnold and Meinhard. He devised a punishing daily regimen for them: They got up at six every morning and completed chores, did homework, trained for soccer competitions, etcetera. Breakfast was served only after they’d done their sit-ups; soccer games were played in all weathers. When they stepped out of line Gustav came down on them with his belt.
Austria, after World War II, was a place that had strict rules for children. Arnold Schwarzenegger came from this environment and wanted to escape his father’s rule. He decided when he was 12 years old that he would leave Austria for the United States of America.
He took whatever jobs he could find and started saving money to realize his dream of independence. He had a vision for the future and told everyone about it.
America is the country that has preserved freedom and symbolizes power. It was also a land of excitement and adventure, as it gave birth to Coca-Cola and Hollywood.
Big Idea #2: Schwarzenegger almost missed his first Mr. Universe competition and underestimated his own strength.
Schwarzenegger’s interest in bodybuilding began after he graduated from high school. He was good at it and started winning competitions. To take his career to the next level, he moved to Germany and competed against other bodybuilders in Mr. Universe, a well-known contest.
Soon after arriving in Munich, the 19-year-old Schwarzenegger got a job at a gym owned by Rolf Putziger. He didn’t get along with him well.
Schwarzenegger did not have enough money to live comfortably. He lived in the gym and converted a storeroom into his bedroom. There, he prepared himself for the 1966 Mr. Universe competition in London by working out at the gym for two hours before and after work every day, with an extra hour after dinner.
Schwarzenegger had to do a lot of work for the competition, but he almost didn’t have to because his application was never received. Putziger admitted that he’d destroyed it before it could be sent because he was worried about the future of his business and wanted Schwarzenegger there so that people would continue coming into the gym.
