Arnold Schwarzenegger came to the United States of America in 1968 with barely any money and nothing to his name. However, with the help of the right people and his immense talent, the Austrian Oak became a global icon. Today, the seven-time Mr. Olympia, Hollywood action star, and former Governor of California has a net worth of $450 million. However, 14-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t even fathom such immense wealth. While, in a recent interview with actor Danny DeVito, Arnie recalled a childhood memory where he loved a certain device but could not afford it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger learned how to be self-sufficient the hard way

The?bodybuilding?icon reflected on an incident while answering a question about music.?“Back to growing up in the early ’50s. What music were you into?”?DeVito asked Schwarzenegger. While answering his Twins co-star’s question, Arnie replied that he loved listening to rock-n-roll music while growing up in Austria.?“Listen to this,”?he added and started narrating the incident. Schwarzenegger remembered walking by an?“electric shop”?in Graz when he heard rock-n-roll music?“blaring”?from the store. So then 14-year-old Anire stepped inside.

“This is really f**king cool. I love this rock-n-roll music,”?thought the Austrian Oak before asking the owner,?“How can I listen to this music when I?m at home?”?The owner pointed to a device that was the source of the music and said,?“You see that? It?s a transistor radio.”?However, the poverty-stricken 14-year-old couldn’t afford the?“500 shillings”?music device.

Yet, Arnie wasn’t one to give up so easily. He asked the owner who could afford it, and the man said Schwarzenegger needed to get a job.?“I said, ‘Next year. I?m 14.’ He says, ‘Come back when you start working, and I?ll give it to you on credit,'”?the 75-year-old told Danny DeVito. Sure enough, Schwarzenegger became an apprentice to a salesman at 15 with a salary of 350 shillings a month.

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Arnie returned to the shop, and the owner kept his word. He sold the transistor radio on credit and said the teenager could pay whatever amount he wanted each month until he paid 500 shillings. The bodybuilding icon learned the recipe for success through such experiences.

The former Mr. Olympia is also a genius businessman

After arriving in America, Joe Weider gave Arnie an apartment to stay in and the opportunity to compete. However, bodybuilders in the 1960s were not wealthy. Arnold Schwarzenegger built his wealth through various other channels.?Arnie launched a brick-laying business?with his best friend and training partner, Franco Columbu. However, it was his genius marketing that turned it into a million-dollar business.

Schwarzenegger also began investing?the money he had earned. Arnie invested in the real estate industry and got massive returns. In fact, by the time Arnie starred in his first film, he had already earned more than a million dollars.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger came from a poverty-stricken home. However, with his indomitable desire to succeed and settle in America, the Austrian Oak achieved all he had dreamed of and more.