“They’ve Been Injured, Defeated, or…”: A Weekend With 15,000 Athletes Leaves Arnold Schwarzenegger With a Strange Epiphany

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s newsletter, The Pump Daily, has become many people’s favorite source of fitness advice. Like every week, the ‘Austrian Oak’ shared some “Monday Motivation” through his newsletter. However, this week’s edition was special, as the seven-time Mr. Olympia talked about his experience at the Arnold Sports Festival. While conversing about his experience at the Sports Festival, Arnold Schwarzenegger gave some invaluable advice.

During the weekend, the bodybuilding legend witnessed 15,000 athletes compete in various sports. He also interacted with many of them. However, after listening to the stories of many athletes, Schwarzenegger came away with an epiphany.

Being miserable is not the answer

In his newsletter, the former Mr. Universe revealed he had “spent all weekend at the Arnold Sports Festival inspired by 15,000 athletes from 80 countries competing in 60 different sports.” While the Arnold Classic might be the most prominent event at the Arnold Sports Festival, other competitions like the Arnold Classic Strongman have gained popularity in recent years.

The Arnold Sports Festival has events like ballroom dancing, medieval fighting, etc. Arnie revealed he loves talking to athletes from such varied disciplines. “You notice a common theme: everyone has faced obstacles, from the professionals and world record holders to the amateurs and weekend warriors,” Schwarzenegger wrote.

The former bodybuilding champion said these athletes learned perseverance through their sport.“Whether they’ve been injured, defeated, or gone through mental struggles, they have all learned that pain isn’t the end of the world; it’s often the beginning of growth,” Schwarzenegger wrote in The Pump Daily.

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However, one has to develop the mindset that obstacles are unavoidable. While it might feel strange to think positively in times of adversity, instead of being “miserable,” one has to learn and move on. The bodybuilding legend then recounted how he dealt with adversity.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on overcoming adversity

In 1968, Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in America to chase his dreams of bodybuilding glory. Back then, Schwarzenegger had little money and barely spoke English. However, things didn’t get any easier, as the bodybuilding legend lost the Mr. Universe contest against Frank Zane.

Schwarzenegger revealed he had cried all night after losing the contest. However, “What defines that memory for me now isn’t the loss or the crying; it’s finding the lessons in my pain so that I could grow,” wrote Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite hardships, Schwarzenegger “took a step back,” and worked hard. He ultimately won the Mr. Olympia title seven times and avenged his loss against Frank Zane in 1980.

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What’s your take on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s advice of learning from pain to grow in the future? Let us know in the comments.