I have been reading (yes, me reading!) the book Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It’s just amazing what this man has done with his life.
What stands out among many themes is how Arnold blames no one for anything.
According to his philosophy, you get what you get and build what you make of your life.
In one of the chapters, Arnold speaks about his life, dealing with his father, and his challenges. He reveals how he chose (and still chooses) not to allow those things to impact who he is.
He talks openly about the fact that many of the men he grew up with had fathers on the wrong side of the war, how his own father had some of those same issues, and how he saw him medicate with alcohol.
But Arnold would not let the environment he grew up in change what he believed, what he knew was right and wrong.
One specific story that really resonated with me was about his SECOND heart procedure and what happened.
Arnold had decided to do another sequel of The Terminator movie. He knew what needed to be done to get his body in film shape and planned accordingly. But he also knew that at some point, the valve in his heart needed to be replaced. Thankfully, that procedure now is much simpler and less invasive – effectively an out-patient procedure.
So, he scheduled the surgery with the “plan” of being on set to film within only 30 days!
Well, like most things in life, the surgery did not go as planned. He woke up with a breathing tube in his mouth and his doctor standing over him, saying, “Arnold, I am sorry, but I had to open you up.”
The surgeon had made a mistake and blew through the arteries’ wall, forcing a precarious open-heart surgery.
Was Arnold mad? You bet.
Was he frustrated? You know it.
Did he let this change his plan? NO.
Once he got past the initial negative emotions and how he felt in the moment, Arnold simply went about his plan.
He created a checklist with each necessary physical benchmark and a check-in system to move on to the next. Whether it was breathing into a tube to test his air or simply using the bathroom unassisted (Mr. Universe needed help using the bathroom!), he carefully planned each milestone.
Ultimately, he hit ALL of these benchmarks, and hit them early. The Terminator actually made it to the movie set in shape and ahead of schedule after open heart surgery!
Reading this book has led me to give a lot of thought to who I am and, more importantly, who I want to be.
The decision to be the best, to be the best version of yourself, needs to be specific. You need to focus in, with tangible goals, action steps, timelines, and benchmarks along the way.
And it’s important to go public with those goals to foster accountability, which is also a key to that success.
Since starting to read the book, I have also been playing with my diet – when I eat, what I eat, what I drink, and when.
I’m even playing with what time I go to bed and what time I wake up, what I read, what I watch and when, etc. I have constructed very specific and tangible goals that I fully intend to hit, turning them into my reality.
With this in mind, let me ask you what you have done to accomplish the goals you’ve set out to do. What plan have you set your mind to accomplish for this year? What about next year?
Personally, I realize that I have not been the best of me. I 1,000% know it and know I can do better.
And as I continue to get clear on what I need and want to do – and as I inevitably accomplish it – I will share my journey with you.
I encourage you to do the same!
-J.D.