80 Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes About Strength, Life and Success

Looking for awesome Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes about success and mental strength?

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These wise words from one of the best bodybuilders of all time will inspire you to focus on your goals and dreams, regardless of circumstance.

Who is Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30, 1947, near Graz, Austria.

As a kid, Arnold’s favorite movies were the B-level Hercules movies that Reg Parker, a bodybuilder, starred in.

These movies fueled Arnold’s love and obsession with bodybuilding and America.

To get to America, Arnold wooed Joe Weider, the man behind the International Federation of Body Building, an organization that sponsored contests such Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia, with his bravado, potential, and sense of humor.

Arnold would go on to win five Mr. Universe titles and six Mr. Olympia crowns during his bodybuilding career, which was unprecedented.

After his bodybuilding career ended, Arnold set his sights on Hollywood fame.

After winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Newcomer for his performance in Stay Hungry (1976), he became an action hero in movies like Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). He became California’s governor in 2003, and after his time as governor came to an end, he returned to Hollywood.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration. 

If you enjoy this collection, check out our inspirational quotes category page.

Inspirational Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes

1. “Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Failure isn’t something to be feared. It teaches you and moves you closer to success. Arnold’s point here is that the only true failure is quitting or not learning something. Keep going, adjust your plan, and you will get where you are meant to go.

You will also enjoy our article on Fitness Motivational Quotes.

2. “The worst thing I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Recognize that you are a unique human and there is no one else like you. You do not have to strive to be someone else. Learn to use your strengths, accept that you being you is a miracle, and live your life on your terms.

You will also enjoy our article on Terminator quotes.

3. “The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Video Credit: Goalcast

Everyday Application: Think of all the things people have envisioned and were told were impossible. Phones, cars, light bulbs, planes…the list goes on and on. The inventors and people with limitless minds found a way to make them happen.

4. “I like the color red because it’s a fire. And I see myself as always being on fire.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: The color red is incredibly powerful! Do you see yourself as on fire? Are you blazing a path and burning hot and bright? Are you a powerful force to be reckoned with? Wear some red, put some red accents in your office, and embrace this color because you are fierce!

5. “I was always dreaming about very powerful people – dictators and things like that. I was just always impressed by people who could be remembered for hundreds of years, or even, like Jesus, be for thousands of years remembered.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: We can all be caught up thinking about the legacy we leave behind. Sure, it would be nice to be remembered for something that impacts society for generations. But there are people closest to us that we can make a lasting impression on, it doesn’t have to be the whole world. So, reach for the stars, but remember to love and make a difference in the lives of the people you touch the most.

You will also enjoy our article on Conan the Barbarian quotes.

6. “For me, life is about continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: You deserve more than to survive. Each of us deserves to thrive in this world. How will you thrive? What fulfils you and feeds your soul?

7. “Start wide, expand further, and never look back.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: ‘Start wide’ means figuring out what you want in a broad sense. Do you want to be the most successful actor ever? Start with a goal of taking an acting class or appearing in a show. Then you can expand on that and aim for being a paid actor, or getting a lead part. Once you get momentum going, don’t look back!

8. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Strength comes from surviving things that we shouldn’t have. Or at the very least things that exposed us to a level of hardship. Failure is one of those things. Every hardship is a chance to learn. Decide not to surrender and keep fighting for what you want.

9. “The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Strength is built in the gym through pushing past your limits. There is a reason the phrase “No pain, no gain,” is popular. The same can be said about the things we fight in life. 

10. “In our society, the women who break down barriers are those who ignore limits.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: The only limits you actually face are the ones your brain tells you are there. When you disregard the societal limits, or the limits of other people, you will see just how much you can do!

11. “If you work hard and play by the rules, this country is truly open to you. You can achieve anything.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: You can truly achieve anything that you put your mind to. If you are committed to putting in the work, disciplined, and determined then you have already won half the battle.

12. “What we face may look insurmountable. But I learned something from all those years of training and competing. I learned something from all those sets and reps when I didn’t think I could lift another ounce of weight. What I learned is that we are always stronger than we know.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: No one is saying that achieving the things you want to will be easy. There will be pain, sacrifice, and hours and hours of work. However, it is possible! You truly are much stronger than you know, and every time you are tested and survive, you prove it! 

Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes on motivation

13. “I knew I was a winner back in the late sixties. I knew I was destined for great things. People will say that kind of thinking is totally immodest. I agree. Modesty is not a word that applies to me in any way. I hope it never will.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: There are few reasons why you should not dim your light and be overly modest about your accomplishments. First, the words we speak and the way we think matter. If you are saying that your accomplishments are “not a big deal” then you will start to believe it. You should be proud of your work and acknowledge the effort it took. Second, your journey might inspire others! So, don’t downplay what it took to get where you are or how it has improved your life.

14. “I welcome and seek your ideas, but do not bring me small ideas; bring me big ideas to match our future.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Do not be afraid to share your ideas! Even those small ones might prove more worthy of exploration than your realized. However, those big wild ideas often have a lasting impact. You won’t know how good your ideas could be until you start to develop them! 

15. “You can scream at me, call me for a shoot at midnight, keep me waiting for hours – as long as what ends up on the screen is perfect.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Sacrifices are a part of being successful. The things that matter the most will require your relentless attention and energy. Do whatever you need to do to ensure that you are doing your best. Nothing is perfect, but giving your best means hard work and appreciating delayed gratification.

16. “Learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn’t matter.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

17. “I never listened to anyone who said I can’t do something.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Nor should you! Someone else does not know what you are capable of achieving. The opinions of others do not matter. What matters are the thoughts you have, how much work you put in, and how much you believe in yourself. You might not win the first time around, or even the 20th, but if you are committed and improving, then you will win eventually!

18. “None of my rules of success will work unless you do.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: You can read all the books, listen to all the podcasts, and meet with coaches and mentors. None of that will matter though if you aren’t taking action and doing the things they teach you. You have to be willing to put in the work, and make your dreams come true.

19. “My fellow Americans, this is an amazing moment for me. To think that a once scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to become Governor of California and stand in Madison Square Garden to speak on behalf of the President of the United States that is an immigrant’s dream. It is the American dream.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of American dream quotes that will inspire you to achieve your own version of success.

20. “We made, actually, history, because it was the first time ever that doctors could prove that a lifelong Republican has a heart.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes about life

21. “You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

22. “Marijuana… That’s not a drug, that’s a plant.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

23. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Struggle is inevitable. It is our struggles that propel us to the next level of what we are truly capable of. We are able to develop our strengths when they are tested. Sure, winning feels great, but it doesn’t push us to discover what our best truly is.

24. “What is the point of being on this Earth if you are going to be like everyone else?” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: You are the only you out there. There is a beauty in being unique and different. Your authentic self was meant to do something, not just follow the path of other people. Worry less about fitting into the mold other people have created about what life should be like and focus on knowing who you are.

25. “Money doesn’t make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

26. “Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

27. “Just like in bodybuilding, failure is also a necessary experience for growth in our own lives, for if we’re never tested to our limits, how will we know how strong we really are? How will we ever grow? ” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

28. “Stop whining.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Everyday Application: Complaining will not move you forward. It might feel good to vent occasionally, but this won’t make you happier or more successful. Gratitude for the positive things you have going on in life is a big indicator of success and happiness.

29. “Positive thinking can be contagious. Being surrounded by winners helps you develop into a winner.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

30. “I was also going to give a graduation speech in Arizona this weekend. But with my accent, I was afraid they would try to deport me.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

31. “I’ll be back.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

32. If it can bleed, we can kill it.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes about success

33. “There are no shortcuts—everything is reps, reps, reps.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

34. “I have a love interest in every one of my films – a gun.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

35. “The better you get, the less you run around showing off as a muscle guy. You know, you wear regular shirts – not always trying to show off what you have. You talk less about it. It’s like you have a little BMW – you want to race the hell out of this car because you know it’s just going 110. But if you see guys driving a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, they slide around at 60 on the freeway because they know if they press on that accelerator they are going to go 170. These things are the same in every field.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

36. “You’ll get more from being a peacemaker than a warrior.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

37. “it’s not what you get out of life that counts. Break your mirrors! In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. you’ll get more satisfaction from having improved your neighborhood, your town, your state, your country, and your fellow human beings than you’ll ever get from your muscles, your figure, your automobile, your house, or your credit rating” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes to elevate your mind

38. “All I know is that the first step is to create a vision, because when you see the vision – the beautiful vision – that creates the want power.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

39. “The difference between those who adapted and those who didn’t, Gorton said, was a willingness to totally commit.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

40. “Your clothes. Give them to me. Now.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

41. “You must have a sincere and burning desire to achieve what you dream, dedicate yourself to making progress, and take control of your circumstances to change your body.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

42. “If you don’t find the time, if you don’t do the work, you don’t get the results.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

43. “Be hungry for success, hungry to make your mark, hungry to be seen and to be heard and to have an effect. And as you move up and become successful, make sure also to be hungry for helping others.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

44. “Rest, let your body relax and grow. Work up gradually and don’t blow it. Sometimes you can do so much your mind gets sick of it. Remember what I said earlier: Keep your mind hungry. People have a tendency to overdo things at first and then sluff off.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

45. “Whenever I finished filming a movie, I felt my job was only half done. Every film had to be nurtured in the marketplace. You can have the greatest movie in the world, but if you don’t get it out there, if people don’t know about it, you have nothing.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

46. “When the boys come, instead of buying Barbie dolls, all of a sudden you’re into trucks and remote controls, cars and tanks. You buy building blocks and build castles and locomotives. You get into knives and later take them shooting with pistols, shotguns, and rifles. All of which made me very happy.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

47. “It took many months in court, but the tabloid eventually published a total retraction and paid substantial damages in an out-of-court settlement. The money went to the Special Olympics in Great Britain.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Powerful Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes

48. “If I can see it and believe it, then I can achieve it.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

49. “My definition of living is to have excitement always; that’s the difference between living and existing.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

50. “If you want to turn a vision into reality, you have to give 100% and never stop believing in your dream.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

51. “Forget plan B. To test yourself and grow, you have to operate without a safety net.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

52. “The more knowledge you have, the more you’re free to rely on your instincts.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

53. “I’m a big believer in hard work, grinding it out, and not stopping until it’s done.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

54. “I didn’t mind basic training. It taught me that something that seems impossible at the start can be achieved.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

55. “You have to build the ultimate physical machine, but also the ultimate mind.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

56. “I love it when people say that something can’t be done. That’s when I really get motivated; I like to prove them wrong.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

57. “I always believed in shooting for the top, and to become an American is like becoming a member of the winning team.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

58. “Dreams are for the dreamers. Goals are for achievers.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

59. “I do the same exercises I did 50 years ago and they still work. I eat the same food I ate 50 years ago and it still works.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

60. “If my life was a movie, no one would believe it.”― Arnold Schwarzenegger

More Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes

61. “Never follow the crowd, go where it’s empty.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

62. “To be successful, however, you must be brutal with yourself and focus on the flaws.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

63. “Don’t be afraid to fail.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

64. “Everything has style, everything`s a little bit larger than life and done with mischief.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

65. The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

66. “But no matter what you do in life, selling is a part of it.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

67. “I always stay hungry, never satisfied with current accomplishments.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

68. “But life is richer when we embrace the multitudes we all contain, even if we aren’t consistent and what we do doesn’t always make sense, even to us.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

69. “Where the mind goes the body will follow.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

70. “Though you may not realize it now, you’ll eventually recognize it when you take the same disciplined approach in tackling a particular challenge.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Funny Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes

71. “You can never find a candidate that will agree with everything you believe. Then you would just have a clone and that doesn’t exist.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

72. “I did smoke a joint and I did inhale. The bottom line is that’s what it was in the ’70s, that’s what I did.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

73. “If I have the chance to time travel, might as well go all out.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

74. “I don’t walk away from things that I think are unfinished.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

75. “I have plenty of money, unlike other Hollywood celebrities or athletes that have not invested well.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

76. “Within five years, he had learned English and become the greatest bodybuilder in the world.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

77. “I have inhaled, exhaled everything.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

78. “After watching mulattas shake it, I can totally understand why Brazil is devoted to my favorite body part, the ass.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

79. “Having chicks around is the kind of thing that breaks up the intense training. It gives you relief, and then afterward you go back to the serious stuff.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

80. “My CPU is a neural net processor; a learning computer.” ― Arnold Schwarzenegger

Which of these Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes resonated with you best?

Do you have any other favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes to add?

Let us know in the comment section below.