Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (b.1947) is an Austrian-born American bodybuilder, actor, and politician. A champion bodybuilder when he immigrated to America, he became a major film star and a multimillionaire entrepreneur, married into the Kennedy family, and served as governor of California 2003–11.
Born in Thal, near Graz in Austria, Schwarzenegger started bodybuilding at the age of fourteen and won his first amateur Mr. Universe title at age 21. He moved to California in 1968 to train and compete in more prominent events in the United States and won four more Mr. Universe titles. He also won the professional Mr. Olympia title six years in a row 1970–75 before retiring.
Schwarzenegger then followed his childhood dream of acting in movies. His first lead role was in Hercules Goes to New York (1970,) but another actor was used to dub his dialog. Schwarzenegger’s documentary Pumping Iron (1977) led to his starring role in Conan the Barbarian (1982.) He became an international star with The Terminator (1984) and appeared in two of its sequels Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003.) His other films include Predator (1987,) Kindergarten Cop (1990,) Total Recall (1990,) True Lies (1994,) and The 6th Day (2000.)
Schwarzenegger became an American citizen in 1983, married journalist Maria Shriver in 1986, and became governor of California in 2003, serving until 2011. The Last Stand (2013) was his first leading role in 10 years. He also starred in Escape Plan (2013,) Sabotage (2014,) and Terminator Genisys (2015.)
Schwarzenegger’s memoirs include two books on bodybuilding, Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder (1977) and The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (1998,) and Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story (2012.) In 2011, his childhood home in Thal was transformed into a museum dedicated to Schwarzenegger’s life.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Arnold Schwarzenegger
The facts are there that we have created, man has, a self-inflicted wound through global warming.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
I just use my muscles as a conversation piece, like someone walking a cheetah down 42nd Street.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it—as long as you really believe 100 percent.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Dreams, Belief, Sports
The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Perseverance, Persistence
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Difficulties, Strength, Adversity
You go back to the gym and you just do it again and again until you get it right.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Resolve, Endurance, Perseverance
Government’s first duty and highest obligation is public safety.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Safety, Obligation
Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
I know a lot of athletes and models are written off as just bodies. I never felt used for my body.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Health
Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tone the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Stress
I knew I was a winner back in the late sixties. I knew I was destined for great things. People will say that kind of thinking is totally immodest. I agree. Modesty is not a word that applies to me in any way—I hope it never will.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Thinking
I love Thanksgiving turkey…it’s the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear.The global warming debate is over.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
My relationship to power and authority is that I’m all for it. People need somebody to watch over them. Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Authority
Money doesn’t make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
My body is like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t think about it, I just have it.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
Topics: Food, Eating
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