Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life — Arnold Schwarzenegger

In Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, Arnold Schwarzenegger distills the wisdom and discipline that propelled him from a small Austrian village to champion bodybuilder, Hollywood star and Governor of California. At the heart of this book is a simple yet powerful directive from his father: “Be useful.” Schwarzenegger builds on that ethic through seven tools—vision, action, resilience, authenticity, giving back, curiosity and leadership—that readers can apply in their own lives. 
Through candid stories of triumph and failure—lifting weights at dawn, surviving cultural leaps, navigating politics and public service—he offers more than motivational clichés. He shows how to take ownership of your path, overcome obstacles and aim for significance rather than just success. The book presents clear, actionable steps: define what you want, take responsibility, train yourself, embrace change, serve others and keep learning. Whether you’re building a career, a business or a meaningful life, Schwarzenegger’s toolkit acts as a map for progress.
This is not a memoir alone—it’s a life manual. Packed with no-nonsense instruction, humor, brutal honesty and rare insight into the mind of someone who made reinvention his habit. Be Useful is designed for anyone who wants more than the status quo: those ready to leverage their talents, invest in purpose and leave a lasting footprint. With 320 pages of practical guidance and inspiring anecdotes, this book invites you to become useful—not for others only, but for yourself, your community and your legacy.