First, a little overview of Arnold’s life. He was born in Austria in 1947. This was right after World War II, so Austria had taken a beating all over the landscape, such as destroyed buildings and homes. His family was poor and his childhood was hard, but when he was 14 he started going to the gym for soccer . . . and never stopped. The gym sparked a passion like no other in him. It would get him through life, and he even started to compete in bodybuilding contests. After serving a year in the military in 1965, as required of all 18-year-old Austrian males, he moved to Venice beach in California. He won the Mr. Olympia and he went on to become a great actor we all know and love.

But why is he so influential to a lot of us teens? To me, he is so influential because he came from nothing. He was not rich and his life was not cushy or easy. His life was always hard, and he had to work for so much of what he got in life. He did not just wake up one day and become a great bodybuilder and famous actor. He also did not get any help from his family. He had a hard childhood but still managed to become a very successful guy. Teens can look up to him in so many ways.

His Work Ethic

Arnold never gave up. He was a foreigner who came to America with just the clothes on his back, but he made the best of what he had. He went to college but still found the time to work out five hours a day. He won seven Mr. Olympia awards, which makes it obvious he was not lazy—and he was trying to become an actor while bodybuilding at the same time. Most people cannot juggle as much as Arnold did, so us teens look up to him because he shows us that we do not have to come from much to be successful. We can get to where we want to be in life through hard work and dedication. He gets me motivated to go out and do my best at everything I do. I know nothing will be handed to me, so I have to work hard and I can be successful in the things I try hard to do because Arnold did it.

His Success

When we see Arnold on movie screens, he just seems like he has everything together. Arnold inspires people because he is such a great person and his success again shows people that they do not have to come from much to reach their goals. Teens see Arnold’s great success as a bodybuilder, politician, and actor. He did so many things and influenced so many people through his overall drive in every different avenue he enters.

Arnold helps teenagers who feel like they’re lost in life find a way; after all, he did not have a pleasant childhood, living in Austria after World War II. His family had no money and he suffered verbal and physical abuse from his father, and then was sent to the military. So, for us kids in our teenage years who have nothing figured out, he can help to calm us because neither did he, and look how he turned out. We could say he became one of the most successful men in the world. He teaches that not everything in life is determined because of where you came from, but more the work you are going to put in to reach your goals.

He influences me personally because I am really passionate about the gym. I don’t want to become a bodybuilder, but knowing that he was once just a little skinny kid like me but still became a seven-time Mr. Olympia helps me get motivated to go to the gym and try to better myself because Arnold came from a worse place than me but he accomplished so much. And I think all of us younger kids out there, especially people who are having a rough go, will take comfort in knowing that as long as they can dedicate themselves they can go anywhere they want to. Hard work is everything.