Total Recall Book Summary and Review | Arnold Schwarzenegger

My Unbelievably True Life Story

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger tells the epic story of his rise from Austrian village to global icon—showing that with grit and vision, anything is possible 💪.

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Disclaimer: This is an unofficial summary and analysis.

Introduction

 Total Recall is an autobiography written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, published in 2012. It chronicles his life, from his childhood in Austria to his successful career in bodybuilding, acting, and politics. 

In the book, Schwarzenegger shares personal stories and lessons learned from his experiences. He also reflects on the challenges he faced and the decisions that shaped his life. The book offers a unique and candid look at the life of one of the most successful and well-known figures in the world. 

About Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American actor, producer, businessman, investor, author, philanthropist, and former professional bodybuilder and politician. He is best known for his roles in the “Terminator” film series and as the 38th Governor of California. 

Schwarzenegger began his career as a bodybuilder, winning the Mr. Universe title at the age of 20. He later transitioned into acting and became a household name with his roles in many blockbuster films. In 2003, Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California. He served two terms in office before returning to his career in the entertainment industry. 

StoryShot #1: The Early Years

The first part of the book covers Schwarzenegger’s childhood and teenage years, beginning with his birth and ending with his move to the United States in 1968.

Born in Austria in 1947, he grew up in a farming village. His father was a police officer and extremely strict with Arnold and his elder brother. He enforced discipline and training for his sons, who regularly completed chores from a young age and later played sports and exercised. They even had to earn breakfast by doing sit-ups.

His first entrepreneurial project was selling ice cream at the park when he turned 10 years old.

Arnold turned discipline into drive. He knew he was destined for big things and thought about going to America, which he viewed as the most powerful country. 

At school, he saw a picture of the bodybuilding champion that was Mr. Austria also wearing glasses which he associated with intellect. He was fascinated by somebody who could be clever and strong.

Arnold began to train with friends in the park, going there daily. One day he met Mr. Austria and occasionally began to train with him. It was here he saw that there was no shortcut to success, you had to earn it. He was told that if he trained hard he too could win Mr. Austria, so he decided that’s what he would do and envisioned that this would be how he would get to America.

StoryShot #2: The Middle Years

The second part of the book continues the story of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life, covering the period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.  During this time, Schwarzenegger achieved international fame as a bodybuilder and actor. He starred in a series of blockbuster movies and became one of the most recognized and beloved figures in popular culture.

Building a Body

Arnold Schwarzenegger has led an extraordinary life. Arriving in America as an immigrant at the

age of 21, he went on to dominate bodybuilding, before switching to movies and then again transitioning into politics.  When he first performed weightlifting in public, the applause from the crowd had a big effect on him and he realized that he performed much better in front of others.

At 18 he went to join the Austrian army as all young men had to serve. Basic training taught him that something that may seem impossible at the start can be achieved. He continued training in the army and was able to eat meat every day for the first time in his life. 

Confessions of a Tank Driver

He took the position of a tank driver which required three years of service, but he asked to leave early as he was offered a job managing a gym in Munich, Germany. His accident-prone tank driving record may have helped his request to be approved.

Working in the gym and recruiting new members meant that he had to split his own workouts and train twice a day. He realized that this was a great benefit when he noticed the results.

Mr. Universe

Schwarzenegger signed up for Mr. Universe in London, the biggest bodybuilding event in Europe. In 1966 at 19 years of age, he took his first flight and came second, which was a lot better than he imagined. This caused him to start being mentioned in magazines, and his mindset for every competition from then on was to win rather than just compete.

In his quest to “leave no stone unturned” and not enter a competition at a disadvantage, he used steroids, which were legal at the time. He won Mr. Universe the following year and his lifestyle changed significantly.

Schwarzenegger knew that to get to America he’d have to dominate bodybuilding in Europe and set about doing just that, retaining his Mr. Universe title. He was then invited to defend his title in Miami but came second.

StoryShot #3: Greetings from Los Angeles

As a rising star, Schwarzenegger was invited to stay in America for a year to train with other established stars. Moving to such a different country was a challenge, but he quickly felt at home when training at Gold’s gym in Los Angeles and made many friends there. He signed up for English classes to speed up picking up the language.

His main mission though was to train like hell and win more titles the following year. He did this by focusing on his flaws to remove any weak points, and not just work on what he was good at.

For some extra money, Schwarzenegger took a driving job and then worked at a weightlifting and supplements store. He got advice and learned how to succeed in business from the owner of the store, who became his mentor. One piece of advice was the importance of going global rather than limiting business to one country.

Schwarzenegger won more titles and then began on phase two of his American dream – getting into the movie business. Schwarzenegger worked hard to achieve his goals, training intensely and pursuing acting opportunities. He landed his first movie role in “Hercules in New York”.

Schwarzenegger became more and more successful in the entertainment industry as his career progresses.

He stars in a series of blockbuster movies, including “Conan the Barbarian” and “The Terminator”. Schwarzenegger has become one of the most recognized and beloved figures in popular culture.

He faced challenges and setbacks along the way, but remained dedicated and driven. Schwarzenegger’s hard work and persistence paid off with his incredible levels of success in both his acting and bodybuilding careers.

StoryShot #4: Learning American

At the time, Schwarzenegger spoke very little English and had to work hard to learn the language and improve his communication skills. When a bodybuilder was required for the film, “Hercules in New York” but his Austrian accent was so thick, his lines were dubbed. 

According to the book, Schwarzenegger’s journey to learn English was a challenging but rewarding one. He took classes and studied materials to improve his vocabulary and grammar. He also practiced speaking with native English speakers as much as possible. He watched a lot of American television and movies to become more familiar with the language and culture.

Despite the difficulties he faced, Schwarzenegger was determined to succeed and become fluent in English. He persevered and eventually made great progress, developing a strong command of the language and using it effectively in his acting and public speaking. Through his efforts, Schwarzenegger was able to overcome the language barrier and fully embrace life in the United States.

As his English improved, Schwarzenegger gave seminars and also started a mail-order business selling training booklets and other weightlifting Products. This business gradually built over time. He also worked in construction and went to college to learn the business.

StoryShot #5: The Greatest Muscle Show Ever

Arnold Schwarzenegger writes about his experiences competing in and eventually winning the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition. In 1970 over a two-week period, Schwarzenegger won Mr. Universe, Mr. World, and Mr. Olympia to become top of the bodybuilding tree. The money he received from these titles coupled with profits from his other businesses allowed him to put some of it into an investment.

He researched real-estate for a couple of years and worked with an existing real-estate expert, investing in apartment blocks to rent out.

After conquering bodybuilding, his next goal was to promote bodybuilding to the masses. He published a book on the sport and then built on the book’s success by taking part in a documentary where Schwarzenegger came out of temporary retirement to win the 1975 Mr. Olympia for a record 6th time in a row.

He also created his own bodybuilding show and appeared on national talk shows to educate the public, giving the sport a face at the same time.

His appearances on tv opened up opportunities to meet people from the acting world and he was soon appearing in roles on television shows. After taking acting classes for three months and working on his accent, he transitioned into films.

StoryShot #6: Stay Hungry

Arnold Schwarzenegger writes about his philosophy of always staying hungry and driven to achieve success in life. He believes that one of the keys to his success has been his relentless desire to improve and achieve more. He has always been willing to work hard and make sacrifices in order to reach his goals, and he has never allowed himself to become complacent or satisfied with his accomplishments.

Schwarzenegger’s financial situation meant he could reject roles where he wasn’t the leading man. He won a Golden Globe for the film, “Stay Hungry”. As he became more known, his size, accent, and unusual name became beneficial.

In the book, Schwarzenegger emphasizes the importance of staying hungry and driven, and he encourages others to adopt this mindset as well. He believes that this attitude is essential for achieving success in any field. It can help to fuel the drive and motivation needed to overcome obstacles and achieve one’s goals.

Schwarzenegger also stresses the importance of setting clear goals, staying focused and disciplined, and being willing to take calculated risks in order to achieve success. He believes that these qualities are essential for anyone who wants to achieve greatness in life.

StoryShot #7: Dream Girl

Arnold Schwarzenegger writes about his relationship with his wife Maria Shriver and how they met and fell in love. Schwarzenegger first laid eyes on Maria at a charity event in 1977 and was immediately smitten with her. He describes her as the “dream girl” he had always been searching for and was determined to win her over and make her his own.

Despite the challenges and obstacles they faced, Schwarzenegger and Maria were able to overcome them and build a relationship. He also writes about the impact that Maria has had on his life and how she has supported and inspired him throughout his career. 

After marrying, they had four children but the marriage ended many years later after it emerged that Schwarzenegger had fathered a child with their housekeeper. His time with Maria’s family allowed him to experience what it was like to be part of a presidential race and other political events.

StoryShot #8: Becoming American

By 1981, his real-estate portfolio had helped Schwarzenegger make his first million. He was awarded a degree in business.

He returned to bodybuilding to take his 7th and last Mr. Olympia crown and he was cast to play Conan in the box office smash, “Conan the Barbarian” in 1982.

Despite being interested in politics, he stayed away from it in public while focusing on his movie career as any political view could turn off some of the potential audience for his films.

In 1983, Schwarzenegger acquired dual citizenship and became an American citizen which allowed him to vote and run for office. His next goal was to earn $1 million for a film role, which he achieved in 1984.

By 1990 he was earning $10 million per film and eventually received $15 million for “True Lies” in 1994. He promoted his films across the world to cultivate and expand his audience with each movie.

Storyshot #9: Comic Timing

Arnold Schwarzenegger writes about his experiences working in the entertainment industry and his love for comedy.  He also writes about the importance of having a good sense of humor and how it has helped him to succeed in his career. He discusses the challenges and rewards of working in comedy and shares his thoughts on the art of timing and delivery. 

He differentiated himself from other action-leading actors with humor and funny one-liners. His dream of doing comedy came true when he felt it was the right time to transition into comedy films.

Schwarzenegger has always had a strong sense of humor and a talent for delivering comedic performances.  As an unknown comedic actor, he negotiated his role in “Twins” so as not to take a salary (in case it flopped) but received nearly 20% of any income it made. It was a hit and he’s earnt over $35 million from the movie.

StoryShot #10: A Political Proposition

Schwarzenegger was exposed to more political encounters when he supported vice-president George Bush in his presidential campaign, traveling with him across the country on Air Force Two.

Later, when George Bush did become President, he appointed Schwarzenegger as his fitness czar where he coordinated a national fitness campaign.  Former President Richard Nixon suggested to Schwarzenegger that he should run for governor and the idea of entering politics stayed in the back of his mind. 

He tapped into the growth of the stock market by investing in big risks for big returns. He also bought a Boeing 747 and entered the aircraft leasing trade. It cost $147 million. He also invested in the restaurant chain Planet Hollywood.

One of Schwarzenegger’s goals for 2001 was to explore running for governor the following year.

After researching how he would be viewed he had advantages such as being known by the public with 60% viewing him in a positive light, but disadvantages such as no track record and knowledge of certain issues not being deep enough.

He slowly started raising funds and building alliances but eventually decided against it. Then in 2003 a special election was announced for the state of California. Schwarzenegger was tired of acting and needed a new challenge, so he decided to stand as a candidate in his adopted state.

He focused on improving his credibility by gaining a deeper understanding on various issues the state faced as well as learning about policy and government. He won and took office with no previous experience as an elected official.

StoryShot #11: Comeback

After leaving office, he returned once again to movies, starring in films such as the box office hit “The Expendables 2”.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s story of how a skinny Austrian boy went on to become the Governor of California is inspirational and shows how a person can become a super-achiever if they are immensely disciplined.

The secret to his success is not a secret at all. There are no shortcuts, everything is reps, reps, reps, whether it’s exercises in the gym, practicing lines and stunts in movies, or memorizing speeches and information on the political stage. This is how he became the greatest in multiple activities.

Final Summary and Review

Total Recall is an autobiography by Arnold Schwarzenegger, covering his life from his childhood in Austria to his successful career as a bodybuilder, actor, and politician.

The book is divided into three parts: “The Early Years,” “The Middle Years,” and “The Later Years.” In “The Early Years,” Schwarzenegger talks about his childhood and teenage years, including his strict upbringing and his early interest in bodybuilding. He began training in the park and eventually met Mr. Austria, learning that there were no shortcuts to success.

In “The Middle Years,” Schwarzenegger discusses his rise to fame as a bodybuilder and actor. He competed in numerous bodybuilding events, eventually winning the Mr. Universe title. He also started working in the fitness industry and starred in a series of blockbuster movies, becoming a household name.

In “The Later Years,” Schwarzenegger covers his time as Governor of California and his return to the entertainment industry. He served two terms as Governor before returning to acting and continuing to make appearances in film and television. 

 Overall, “Total Recall” offers a candid and unique look at the life of one of the most successful and well-known figures in the world.

Rating

We rate Total Recall book 4.1/5. How would you rate Arnold Schwarzenegger’s autobiography based on our book summary?

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