Arnold needs no introduction, unless you have been living in a cave since 1984. World champion bodybuilder, number one action movie hero and former Gov. of California, he is one of the better examples of a Self-Made Man.
Recently, he addressed a graduating class for Southern California University. His speech was about the rules he came up with and lives by to create incredible success. None of these rules will work unless you work them. Here they are, with some commentary for myself.
Rule One. Trust Yourself. You have genius within you, and abilities you haven’t even tapped into yet. You must have the trust within yourself to know that you can get any job done and accomplish any goal you set. You’ve come this far with your goals and dreams do not have at least a little faith in yourself. Who do you want to be, and when would you like to become that person? It’s up to you, and only in the long run.
Rule Two. Break The Rules. If people didn’t break the rules, there would be no great inventions. We wouldn’t have airplanes. If the Wright brothers hadn’t ignored the rule that said Man could not Fly. I’m not talking about breaking the law, but are looking at things differently and doing things differently. It is impossible to become highly successful unless you ignore the rules on how to become successful. Do it your own way, not the way your friends, teachers and family members tell you it should be done. You’re not here on this planet to be like everyone else, or to not cause a ruckus or to stay in the box.
Rule Three. Don’t Be Afraid To Fail. Failing does not mean you are a failure. It only means he found a way that didn’t work. That’s all it means. You have to get that through your head, and not smack yourself in the head for making mistakes. If you did make mistakes, you wouldn’t know whether or not you are doing anything right when you get right. With failure can come indecision, and it can be fatal to your plans, dreams and goals of the future. Look at Arnold. Not everything he’s done has been successful, but that did not stop him. Each film that did not do well at the box office taught him a lesson for the next film.
Rule Four. Don’t Listen To The Naysayers. There will be plenty of people out there that will tell you that you cannot do this or that. They will tell you you’re not smart enough. They will tell you. You do not have the money. They will tell you that you haven’t done it in the past so why do you think you can do it now. Tell them to go to hell. These people either don’t want you to succeed, or they don’t want you to fail. They also may not want you to show them up, because then they’ll know that they are failures. If they tell you it’s never been done before, smile and be very happy. Because you know that you will be the first person to do it. That will shut them up.
Rule Five. Work Your Butt Off. In order to get everything you want and to get your dreams, you have to put in the work. You can’t simply wish for it, or hope for it. You can learn to swim by reading a book about it. You can fly a plane by watching a movie about it. You have to get out there and fall down and get hurt. But guess what? All the work you put in will be worth it in the end. Remember, you can’t climb the Ladder of Success with your hands in your pockets.
Rule Six. Always Give Back. Never forget where you come from. Never forget who helped you get to the top. Give back to your school, your parents, your community and your country.
Here is the link for video you’ll really enjoy.
If this was helpful to you, or if this was pleasurable to you, please leave me your thoughts, comments and questions below. I’ll be sure to respond to them.
To Your Future,
Tom, the High Traffic Wizard
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