Arnold’s Six Rules Of Success, Lived Daily

Success is rarely lightning in a bottle; it’s the slow burn of reps, resilience, and choices that compound when no one is watching. We take Arnold Schwarzenegger’s six rules—trust yourself, break the rules, don’t be afraid to fail, ignore the naysayers, work your butt off, and give something back—and translate them into clear steps you can use today. Along the way, we share personal stories about starting a podcast in a second language, handling crowded platforms without losing your voice, and turning failure into the fastest teacher in the room.

We start with self-trust, the foundation that keeps you moving when doubt is loud and results are quiet. From there, we challenge inherited scripts about “safe” careers and fixed timelines, and show how to use your current stability to fund your learning zone. You’ll hear how to shorten recovery time after setbacks, transform criticism into context, and build a rhythm of work that nudges you into flow. This isn’t about hacks or magic; it’s about practical systems: consistent reps, focused energy, and honest reflection.

The final piece is contribution. Teaching while you learn clarifies your thinking, builds community, and amplifies your impact. When you share your process, you create a mirror that sharpens your skills and encourages others to start. Put the rules together and you get more than motivation—you get a roadmap for a resilient career, creative practice, or business: choose your path, protect your focus, iterate loudly, and lift others as you climb.

If this resonated, subscribe for future episodes, share it with someone who’s on the edge of starting, and tell us: which rule are you committing to this week? Your story might be the push someone else needs.

Chapters

• 0:00 No One Is Self-Made
• 1:19 Introducing Arnold’s Six Rules
• 3:04 Rule 1: Trust Yourself
• 7:31 Rule 2: Break The Rules
• 12:37 Rule 3: Don’t Fear Failure
• 17:18 Rule 4: Ignore The Naysayers
• 21:23 Rule 5: Work Your Butt Off
• 26:06 Rule 6: Give Something Back
• 30:02 Recap And Listener Challenge

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Did you know that Arnold Schwarzenegger, guys, always says that nobody is self-made. And he reminds us that every success story is built on help, support, and of course, someone who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself. He says that success doesn't come from talent or luck, it comes from reps, you know, from showing up even when it's boring, from doing the work when no one is watching, from outworking the excuses, you know. A lot of people make so many excuses. Excuses you you may end up every single day. So Arnold always repeats that discipline is the bridge between your goals and your reality. That vision means nothing without action. That the world belongs to the people who refuse to quit. He tells you guys to trust the process, to stay hungry, and keep pushing forward even when the path feels heavy, you know? Because at the end of the story, the only way to win is just to keep going. Hi guys, my name is Fabio from Journey to Success and welcome. Today we're going to talk about the six rules of success shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Back in 2009, Arnold delivered a powerful opening speech at the University of Southern California. And in that moment, he spread out six principles that shaped his entire journey. From bodybuilding, you know, to Hollywood and to becoming a governor, of course. And these rules were not just motivational lines, they were the foundation of his life. And today we're going to break them down one by one, okay, and explore how they can guide your own path to success. But before going forward, as always, please subscribe. Alright, so I know this is the right direction to lead you guys, to drive you, to guide you towards your journey to success. And let's get started, alright? As always. So the six rules of success. So what are the six rules from Arnold Schwarzenegger? The six rules are trust yourself. Number two, break the rules. Number three, don't be afraid to fail. Number four, ignore the naysayers. Number five, work your butt off. And number six, give something back. So let's break down these rules one by one, alright? Based on my experience and probably the experience of others, I guess. We can discuss each one in detail. Trust yourself. Number one. So, guys, when you embark on a project or pursue an idea, right? It is essential to trust your abilities. So doubting yourself can prevent you from finding solutions to the obstacles you may face. Okay. So avoid negative thoughts, for example, such as it's not the right time to do podcasting, or I miss the boat with YouTube, there is too much competition on Instagram, and so on. And especially, very, very important, don't listen to those who voice these doubts just to validate your fears, you know. I remember a long time ago when a well-known YouTuber, whom I trusted, I still trust though, but he said that there was too much competition on YouTube and it was too late to start a channel, or at least harder for beginners, you know. And at that moment I thought, oh my god, he's right. It is too late for me. But that reaction of mine was just my mind seeking comfort by reinforcing the doubt I had already planted there. Okay. So affirmations like that, affirmations like, you know, you know, podcasting uh is not for you because there is too much competition, for example, may bring uh temporary calm to your brain, but they do not satisfy the more profound desire in your heart. So trust yourself and uh pursue what you what you truly want, guys. I remember in my community on Soupstack, someone told me, It is so beautiful that you start this podcast, but there is so much competition. And she said to me, I want to do the same, but I I cannot compete with the big motivational hosts who are already out there. So she was expressing doubts, guys. She was expressing doubts about herself and in a way about me as well, as if we couldn't reach a certain level of success. So, first of all, I don't have the luxury of not fully trusting myself, otherwise, I wouldn't have started podcasting English, even though my mother tongue is Italian, you know. And yes, yes, there is a competition there, guys. There is huge compet competition. It can feel challenging, alright. But the real competition is not between us and others, it's between our past self and our current self. So my past self and my current self. So my focus is on ongoing self-improvement, alright. While comparing ourselves to others can be challenging, of course, there is also plenty of space for each of us to grow. So you don't need necessarily to fight your competitors. Actually, you can learn from what the big competitors are doing to improve yourself. And eventually, one day, they might learn something valuable from you, you know. So you need to trust yourself, basically. Trust yourself, trust yourself to adopt this mindset when starting a project. So on a scale of 0 to 10, you must trust 12. But you might you might start to trust maybe around six or seven, you know, it's it's perfectly normal. Uh yet it is essential to acknowledge that you need to put in consistent effort, you know, to increase your self-trust. So that's that's very important. If you don't do that, you will not achieve your success. So to overcome your obstacles, guys, you need to trust yourself more and more. The bigger the obstacle, first of all, the more self-trust you need to overcome it. All right, 100%. So this was the first uh the first point. Trust yourself. Second point, break the rules. I remember when my mother wished that I had a job in the council because it is a safe position. And uh she preferred that I work in an office as well, as it is less physically demanding, or that I had at least have a permanent contract, contract because of the benefits it it brings, you know, like the ability to buy a house, for example. And I mean, there is nothing wrong with following a conventional path, all right? Society has taught us that by making certain choices, we can uh secure a house one day because banks trust us if we had uh if we have stable jobs or other benefits, you know, that come with a regular career. And I don't blame people who are content with this way of life. Truly, I don't blame them. I don't blame people who seek similar goals, especially for meaningful reasons, you know, like wanting a family. I will never be harsh towards them, of course. However, I will be always strong about those who have different aspirations in life. Always strong. Always. So for those of you listening right now, there is nothing wrong with what you're doing, of course, unless you feel that your true purpose in life is something different. And guys, honestly, I'm not suggesting that you quit your job today without a plan or a clear goal, alright? Even if you know what you want to do in life. However, it's important to work on understanding what you truly want to do in order to fulfill your purpose. Okay, I can't sustain myself either right now. I'm working for someone else. So, what I'm asking you to consider is uh like I do basically using your comfort zone at work to break free from your uncertain zone related to your purpose, you know. In this way, you can uh enter a learning zone where you can figure out how to achieve your goals. Yes, it is not going to be easy, yes, you need to sacrifice a lot, you need to sacrifice uh some time, you know, to achieve your learning zone out of your job, out of your comfort zone. And you will need to break tons of rules, tons of rules. And it will take likely more time than you think. But I assure you it be it will be worth it 100%. So you need to challenge the rules that life imposes on us, or right, imposes on you. While these rules are meant to guide us along certain paths, they often lead to the same outcomes for everyone. Okay, you have to remember that. Remember that established societal rules provide the same outcome for all the individuals. So if you follow the same rules as others, you will end up with similar results. Acknowledge this reality. Okay. Now, are you happy with your current choices? Are you content with your 9 to 5 office job? You know, going home to watch Netflix, play video games, or perhaps being a beautiful parent. If you are happy where you are, satisfied with your progress and grateful for your stable life, that's great. It is great. I'm happy for you. Okay, I'm not ironic. I'm so glad that following societal rules is what you have always wished, you know, for in your life. However, if you're feeling, you know, frustrated or angry because you desire something different, you need to make a change, of course. Okay, stop blaming others and reinvent yourself. That's what you have to do. So break down the barriers created by the rules that life suggests you follow and remember that you are never forced to live by them. Okay, so societal rules are guides that lead you to familiar and similar outcomes as others. So you may be content with that, but what if you're not? Then of course you then you need to change something, all right? By breaking rules over rules, okay? Number three, don't be afraid to fail. They taught us that failing is the final answer to our attempts, okay? But it's not true, absolutely not. It's not true. Failing is one of the most important ways to learn, guys. The more you fail, the more you learn. If you think about it, you learn quickly the moment you fail, all right? So basically, you need to fail as many times as you can to learn faster. Once ago, I created this graphic. I think I created this graphic about a year ago, when I realized that between each failure, there is a recovery time, all right? But I noticed that after each recovery, I was getting closer to my goal for every anything that I was doing in my life. So I thought to myself, okay, just a moment. If I fail as many times as necessary and recover as many times as I need, faster and faster, that means I will logically reach my goal more quickly, alright? So simple math. And uh then everything clicked for me, honestly. For years I experienced many failures, guys, and my recovery time was often long, like many of you, you know. But once I realized I realized that I couldn't avoid failure, I began to see as an opportunity to learn faster, just by failing more, basically. And that's what I want you all to consider. I'm not saying that failure is the only way to achieve a goal, of course. But if you find that you are not naturally talent or don't grasp certain concepts easily or faster in your journey, then embracing failure can be truly a key strategy. Trust me, guys, learning from your failures is an effective way to master whatever you want to do in your life. Whatever you want to do. Number four, ignore the naysayers. As we grow, we come to realize that everyone has their own opinions, you know? But that doesn't mean those opinions must align with ours, guys. Each opinion is shaped by individuals and life situations, of course, actually by individual experiences and life situations. I'm gonna make an example. Just a couple of weeks ago, my fiancé and I were about to discuss something important regarding our future. Not nothing, how can I say nothing uh uh hard to to deal, but we we need we need to to to talk about something. And at one point I said, listen, that's your opinion, mine is different. Because, guys, any opinion originates from our unique experiences, all right? So, naysayers or not, the core is that everyone has their own opinion based on their experience. Okay, so let's start from this concept, first of all. So, when you understand this, it becomes easier to navigate different aspects of your life, including interacting with people who trust you, even when they have different opinions. So it's up to you to be flexible and decide whether to learn from their viewpoints or not. And especially, this is particularly important when dealing with those who doubt you, people who judge you, the well-known naysayers, you know, who consistently put you down. So the core idea is that everyone, including you and me, makes assumptions or write assumptions based on our experiences. The critical difference is that you have control over your actions. Okay? Meaning no one has authority over what you choose to do. So it doesn't matter if we talk about naysayers or not. So whether someone believes in you or not is irrelevant, you know. The truth is they cannot shape your actions based on their expectations or experiences. Listen, it is absolutely beautiful to have someone believe in you. It can be a great source of energy to help you move forward towards your goal, you know. But at the same time, I perfectly know it can be frustrating and negative, of course, when someone you care about doesn't believe in you. But at the end of the story, you are the one who makes decisions, you know. You are the one who has control over your actions. So ignore the naysayers. Ignore them. Consider this: if someone who has dedicated their life to building a career in an office expresses doubts about your journey, you don't need to expect their support, of course. It's likely because they have once doubted themselves, alright. This is logical. Maybe they do because they protect you, they want to protect you, like your family, your parents, alright? Or maybe because of the the enviness that is in this world, it doesn't matter the reason, it doesn't matter truly. What matters is that they had a different journey from yours, guys, adopting their own potential, okay. When you approach this logically, also you understand the an important factor, the fact that you don't need to take this personal, you know. Alright, instead, feel genuinely genuine uh sympathy. Okay, thinking something like, I'm sorry, I'm sorry that your experiences shaped your perspective in this way. I'm sorry for that. But that doesn't mean your viewpoint will influence my mindset. Remember, guys, their thoughts are simply a reflection of their own experiences, okay? Number five. Work your your butt off. Work hard. So you know you you you need to work hard if you want to achieve your goals, all right? The bigger the goal, the harder you have to work. There will be moments during your project when everything falls into place, okay? You will know what to do, you will be familiar with the tools, you will understand what to communicate and how to communicate it, so everything is gonna be chiller. You reach a point of balance, guys, balance and awareness where everything feels more manageable, especially if you're truly passionate about what you are doing. However, in the beginning, you need to put in significant effort. Still, if you if you seek bigger achievements than you already aimed for, you must work even harder, you know. So to give you a personal example, in the beginning, it took me two to three days or even longer to work on one episode. And I wanted to improve but didn't know how, so I relied on ChatGPT for a while. It helped me, but I couldn't hear my voice, it was everything was so automatic, so I of course I didn't like it, and I I struggled to find my my voice with uh uh you know with AI. And now I do a lot of writing using Grammarly, and I just ask ChatGPT to help highlight key points at the end, you know, something that I can also avoid, so I I wouldn't mind. But that's it. That's it, that's what I do. I'm happy with this process, but it still took me days to complete an episode, even if I finally knew how to do. So then what happened? Basically, just practice, practice by practice. Today it takes me just one day to to write my own script for an episode, record, edit, and publish it. Alright, I've reached it, I've reached a state of flow and balance where I have uh plenty of time and freedom, and I'm enjoying what I do. And when I check for uh AI text and plagiarism on grammarly, I love to see all around 2% or external resources and around the 2% of external resources, uh external resources, sorry guys, and around 8% of patterns that compare AI text, you know. I'm very proud of it. I'm very proud considering I'm I'm I'm a mother tongue Italian, very proud. But it took me some time and a lot of hard work before to you know to reach this point. Plus, if I want to raise the bar in the future, so now I'm kind of in my comfort zone, right? Finally, after years and years. But if I want to raise the bar in the future, right, maybe by giving motivational speeches or studying life coaching, I know that I will have to work hard again. Okay. It's an investment, let's say an investment cycle where you will persist in improving yourself. There will be both a relaxed and challenging moment, but especially at the beginning of your project, guys, or when you open other projects that align with the primary one, like in my case with Soupstack, you really need to commit to hard work. Okay, that's it. There is not escape here. Number six, give something back. This is very beautiful. Giving value is the most important thing in this world. You learn to give, you don't learn to keep everything a secret or only share it with a select group of people, okay? What is a life that would be truly? Also, the truth is that you think you know enough, but you often know much less than you think. This is also another lesson that I learned during my years. So the only way to truly learn is to share your knowledge with others. And in in this way, in one way or another, you will learn from them as well. Another thing, not to be underestimated, is that the community is your mirror, right? And through them, you will improve your own understanding as well. I remember a few weeks ago I was doing uh a live stream and encourage someone not to be afraid to do live streams like I do, for example. In my case, I often rely on a script when podcasting, all right? Even now, guys, even you, even if you cannot see. However, when I do live streams, it can be a disaster. I reveal my true self because of my grammatical mistakes. And I inspire her. I inspire her by saying, listen, if I can do that, why not you? Alright. So she took the courage and went live. And during a stream, she thanked me for pushing her to take that step. She even described me as a very positive person, which brought me immense joy. It was incredible. It was incredible to realize that had inspired another person to make an important choice, guys. I didn't know this power. And this brought me some responsibility as well, of course. So like I didn't even realize how much other recognized this positive side of me as well. While the people around me know me well for my positivity, it was touching to see that my community recognized this aspect of my personality, you know? And that I noticed that there is a significant reflection of myself in my community. And I realized that I'm responsible for what I communicate because I can influence your thoughts and perspectives. So just see, just giving to you how much I understood and I learned from towards myself. The best way to learn is through discussions, of course, discussions that explore different layers of awareness and knowledge, okay? Not influencing others. I know that. But I also realize that not many people engage in that way. And uh this it shows me some responsibility, of course, that I have towards you guys. Look how much you can understand by simply sharing your story, your progress, and your success. Look, it's amazing. It's amazing how much you can learn. So, guys, these were the six rules to achieve your success. Before we wrap up today's episode, let's slow down a little bit. Let's slow down for a moment and really highlight what we explored. These six rules are not just theories, they are not motivational posters, they're not ideas meant to impress you for a moment and then leave you mentally and then leave your mentality, your mindset as it is. They are principles that demand to be lived, alright. And when Arnold shared them back in 2009, he wasn't trying to send inspiration, not at all. He was oh well, he has a good ego, maybe yes, a little bit, but it was also showing us the exact mindset that took him from a small Austrian village to becoming the greatest bodybuilder in the world to Hollywood, to become uh you know, president, to be to the governor's office, basically. So again, first one, let's do one by one, all right, more in a structured way. First one, trust yourself. This is where everything starts. Alright, if you don't trust your own voice, your own ideas, your own potential, nothing else moves. And I know, guys, this is not easy. We all doubt ourselves sometimes, but every time you choose to listen to your heart instead of your fear, you grow a little stronger, you know. Number two, break the rules. And not in a rebellious teenager way. I mean, break the rules that were never meant for you. You know, the rules society hands you, the rules your family expected, the rules your past self accepted. All right. Sometimes breaking a rule means choosing the life you actually want, guys. Number three, don't be afraid to fail. Honestly, this one becomes easier when you realize failure is not the end. It is a tool, it is a teacher. It is basically your personal GPS. Say, okay, that route didn't work, let's try another one. You fail, you recover, you adjust, you move forward, all right? That's how we all grow. Number four, ignore the naysayers. People will always talk. Remember that, all right? Always. But their opinions come from their experiences, not yours. So if they doubt you, it's because at some point they doubted themselves. So your job is not to convince them, your job is just to keep going. Easy. That's it. Number five, work hard, guys. There is not a magic shortcut, no hidden door, no secret hack. It's reps, consistency, showing up even when it's boring or uncomfortable. Okay. The beautiful part, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. You build your rhythm in this way, okay? You build your flow. And finally, lastly, give something back, guys. This one really brings everything together, honestly. Because as much as we want to succeed in individually, right? None of us gets there alone. Helping others, sharing what you know, inspiring someone, it completes the circle, right? It reminds you why your journey matters. So when we put all of this together, what do we really get basically? We get a roadmap, we we get a mindset, a way to live. These six rules are not about something motivational, honestly. They are about becoming the kind of person who keeps going, even when it's heavy, even when it's slow, even when When no one sees the work you're doing, you know? And honestly, that's where success is built, guys. Now, I want to hear from you. Which of these six rules do you feel you need the most right now? Is it trusting yourself more, maybe? Breaking a rule that no longer fits who you want to become? Or maybe finally ignoring the naysayers who, you know, have been slowing you down. Send me a message, share your story, or connect with me on Soupstack. I would love to know what part of this episode spoke to you the most. And if you enjoyed today's episode, guys, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an update. More importantly, share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement. Okay, someone who might be on the edge of starting something big, but keeps holding back because of fear, you know, doubt, or other people's opinion, unfortunately. So yeah, share it with him or her. Thank you so much for being here on Journey to Success. Remember, guys, we are building this life together. One mindset shift, one rule, one step at a time. I'll see you in the next episode. Cheers.