Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life is a self-help book by Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this guide, Schwarzenegger weaves his larger-than-life story—that of a boy from a small Austrian village dominating the bodybuilding world, becoming one of the most successful and recognizable actors of all time, and being elected governor of California—with practical, actionable advice, creating a concise “toolkit” for success in any field. Schwarzenegger distills his work ethic into seven straightforward strategies and says they are key to achieving one’s personal goals, overcoming limitations and adversity, and living a meaningful life. Ultimately, he asserts that giving back to others and being “useful” gives meaning to ambition and self-development. Since its publication in 2023, Be Useful has become a #1 New York Times bestseller.

This guide refers to the 2023 hardback edition, published by Penguin Press.

Summary

Arnold Schwarzenegger begins with an introduction in which he discusses one of the most challenging times in his life: In 2011, he experienced repeated failures as governor, setbacks in his acting and bodybuilding careers, and a scandal that ended his marriage. He details how he worked to rebuild his career and come back stronger from these challenges. He distinguishes between four distinct “acts” in his life: bodybuilder, actor, governor, and now, motivational speaker. He suggests that the rampant negativity in today’s society, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, explains the sudden popularity of his motivational and self-help content. He introduces this book as a set of tools that he uses to achieve success and build a life in which he can “be useful,” building on his father’s advice to be of service to others. This book aims to help the reader accomplish their own goals and be useful in their own ways.

Chapter 1 concerns the importance of having a vision—a clear picture of one’s future and a plan for how to achieve it. Vision gives life purpose and meaning and is a way for people to judge their choices and assess their progress and growth. He gives strategies for how to build a vision; one’s childhood interests are typically a good starting point, as many famous figures, including Schwarzenegger, built their life goals from those initial passions. In Chapter 2, Schwarzenegger highlights the importance of going “all in” on one’s chosen vision, encouraging the reader to aim high and refuse to settle for less than what they envisioned. He underscores the importance of fully committing to a goal and ensuring all tasks and responsibilities are completed as thoroughly as possible.

The importance of hard work is the focus of Chapter 3. In this section, Schwarzenegger bluntly states that hard work is the only way to achieve any goal. He emphasizes practicing the fundamentals and time management. Chapter 4 explores strategies for how to effectively communicate one’s vision. Being able to “sell” a vision to others is key to pushing it out into the world; he stresses that if no one knows about one’s vision, continuing to pursue it is pointless. Chapter 5 is about adopting a positive mindset and not allowing negativity to distract one from their goals and vision. Schwarzenegger notes that it is natural for humans to focus more on the negative than on the positive, but bypassing this natural bias is key to increasing joy in one’s life and being more productive.

Chapter 6 is all about increasing knowledge, being open and curious, and using relationships with others to pursue one’s goals by being open to new ideas. Paying attention to the world and other people can allow one to discover ways they can serve their community. Chapter 7 emphasizes the idea of service to others. Schwarzenegger states that the goal of self-improvement should be striving to use one’s talents to improve the lives of others. He talks about the benefits of giving back, for both the giver and the recipient, and argues that self-help does not need to be a zero-sum game in which one person succeeds at the expense of others. As long as everyone commits to giving back, everyone can succeed and better themselves. Finally, he concludes the book by listing the many mentors, friends, and colleagues who have helped and guided him on his path to success, encouraging the reader to generate their own list.