Arnold Schwarzenegger is a name that resonates with strength, determination, and success. Rising to prominence as a bodybuilding icon, he sculpted his physique into perfection, becoming a seven-time Mr. Olympia and cementing his legacy in the fitness world. But Schwarzenegger was in no mood to stop despite his successful bodybuilding career. With a determination to conquer new horizons, he ventured into the world of acting, where he became a blockbuster action star.
For an outsider everything looks perfect in the life of The Terminator star, but who would have thought that Schwarzenegger had a struggling childhood with his “Nazi” dad. In an interview, The Running Man star shared that he made up his mind to start a career in bodybuilding after being a witness to his father’s abuses throughout his childhood. With an inspiration to be different from him, he carved his path.
Arnold Schwarzenegger On Being Different From His Nazi Family Lineage
Schwarzenegger opened up about his personal history, shedding light on the impact his father’s Nazi past had on his life. Schwarzenegger emphasized his determination to break free from the dark legacy of his previous generation and forge a different path toward individuality and success. With this mindset to be different from his abusive father, the Stay Hungry star decided to pursue a bodybuilding career.
“My goal was to not have people go that direction, so it would be a good idea to be straightforward and say: ‘Look, my previous generation were Nazis. The people I grew up with were Nazis.’ Generations can be different. I don’t need to do the same things my dad did. I don’t need to be prejudiced. I don’t need to be an alcoholic. I don’t need to beat my kids. I can make a break. That’s why I started bodybuilding and came over here. I wanted to make clear that the other way loses all the time and creates misery; love and inclusion brings happiness.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger Credits His Abusive Father On Being Inspired For Self-Improvement
Arnold Schwarzenegger believed that his father’s exploitation of him as a kid, resulted in his internal wish to be different and better. But this situation can not stand true for all, and he accepted it by giving an example of his brother. Schwarzenegger defined his brother as “fragile”, noting that he was completely different from him. Despite experiencing the same treatment as the Junior star, Schwarzenegger’s brother couldn’t take it and chose alcohol to get over it. But the same alcohol eventually took his life.
“Well, look at my brother [Meinhard]. We were opposites. He was more fragile. He got the same treatment and became an alcoholic and died drunk driving. What tore him down built me up. It goes back to Nietzsche: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger — and he got killed. It’s like in Conan when James Earl Jones, as Thulsa Doom, says, ‘Why do you want to kill me? I created you.’ He killed [Conan’s] parents, and he created this fire in the belly, which is why [Conan] became the warrior, became the king. He was the spring well of my strength.”
Rather than dwelling on the negative aspects of his past, Schwarzenegger chooses to focus on the positive outcomes and opportunities that arose from his resilience. He left his home at 18 to create his own life.
“So I can look at it in a negative way and dwell on that. Or I can go, ‘But the good thing is …’ And the good thing is it made me hate my home so much that I left when I was 18 to start my own life that’s different. Was there anything negative left over? Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t have nightmares about him. I can’t complain.”
It can indeed be said that not only individuals have the capability to harness the negative energy around them for self-improvement. But The Terminator star’s story is not only commendable but also a source of inspiration for many out there.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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