Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

Chapter 3 stresses the importance of hard work, stating that there is no substitute for working hard in the pursuit of a goal. For Schwarzenegger, it is not only the very thing that makes success possible but also makes the eventual outcome more satisfying. He cites his own hard work throughout his career as a bodybuilder, actor, and politician, outlining how his intense work ethic propelled him to success. His story illustrates the importance of not only repetition and practice but also giving one’s full attention and focus during every “rep.” The practice of fundamentals, often tedious and monotonous, is what leads to remarkable performance in any realm: sports, music, delivering a speech, etc. It is important to embrace boring, routine practice to build muscle memory and perform well.

Along with hard work is the ability to withstand pain. Pain, Schwarzenegger says, is temporary, and the pursuit of a worthy goal should involve some measure of pain, sacrifice, or discomfort. It is also an indicator of growth; he says, “Nothing builds character like resilience or perseverance through pain. Nothing destroys character like succumbing to pain and quitting” (89). He draws a distinction, however, between pain with no purpose and “productive pain” that gets a person closer to their