Seven Times Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Dad Drew Their Inspiration From This European Boxer Champion

Published 10/05/2023, 1:30 AM EDT

via Getty

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a shining example of how hard work can open doors to limitless possibilities. From starting out as a humble bricklayer to becoming the Governor of California, the 76-year-old has come a long way. After achieving immense success, Schwarzenegger took on the role of encouraging people to take charge of their lives. Whether it was through his biopic, his memoir, or his daily newsletter, Schwarzenegger has been the guiding light for millions. 

Now, the international icon is about to unveil the seven tools of life in his upcoming book, Be Useful. During a recent podcast, Schwarzenegger spoke about the personality that inspired him and his father to see life in a different light. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and his father’s inspiration 

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Schwarzenegger has time and again stressed the importance of discipline and hard work in one’s life. These are the values he took from his hardships in war-stricken Austria, and probably by being under the wing of a Nazi soldier. During a recent interview with Tim Ferriss, Schwarzenegger revealed the origin of the name of his upcoming book, which had a connection to his father. The former bodybuilder shared that his father always focused on utilizing one’s skills and talents to “Be Useful” for others. And this was something his father learned from the popular European boxer, László Papp.

One of the reasons why Gustav Schwarzenegger was against his son’s bodybuilding career was because he felt it would not be beneficial for other people. While sharing some food for thought with his son, the Austrian Police chief gave him an example of the Hungarian boxer, Papp. As per the Chief, one should follow in the footsteps of Papp, who not only became a European boxing champion but also helped others by chopping wood in forests. 

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Apart from this valuable lesson, Schwarzenegger also shared his first experience as an entrepreneur in Ferriss’ show. 

Schwarzenegger used to be a ten-year-old entrepreneur 

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The Austrian oak faced a lot of adversities in his early life, which pushed him to take up several low-paying jobs to make ends meet. Things took a big turn after the poor boy from Austria became the highest-paid entertainer in the history of Hollywood. Over the years, Schwarzenegger put his money to work on a range of entrepreneurial projects, allowing him to expand his financial empire. However, not many people know that he was already taking on entrepreneurial roles as a ten-year-old. 

via Imago

The actor spoke about his early days when his parents could not afford to get him training suits. This pushed Schwarzenegger to find himself a job to fund his sports gear. He came up with an innovative business idea to deliver ice creams to people hanging around the lake, without them having to walk to the front to buy ice cream. The strategy worked out brilliantly, and Schwarzenegger made enough money to afford the gears he wanted. 

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What do you think about Arnold Schwarzenegger and his father’s inspiration? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

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Hriddhi Maitra

898 articles

Hriddhi Maitra is a Hollywood News reporter at Netflix Junkie. An enthusiastic movie buff, Hriddhi found her true calling when she worked as a Cinema Content Writer at My Cinema Story while analyzing movies objectively, and offering constructive feedback. Coming from a background where she worked in different niches like finance, food, travel, medicines, automobile, and entertainment, we can safely say she is a jack of all trades.

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