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Communication - Clear Communication · 2 min read

Notes on winning by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Discover Arnold Schwarzenegger advice on the Stay Hungry mindset. Learn simple steps to set clear goals, work hard, ignore naysayers and expect to win every day

Chris Farmer, Founder of Corporate Coach Group

“Success follows a clear pattern: decide who you want to be, picture the goal, work hard each day, ignore negative voices, bend old rules without breaking the law and stay hungry for the next climb; Arnold Schwarzenegger proves that when strong self-belief meets steady action, winning becomes daily life.”

Chris Farmer — Founder, Corporate Coach Group

Notes on winning by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Wise words from Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the world's most successful people; he has had huge success in five realms of activity: In sports, as a Movie star, in politics, as an author, and as a real estate investor.

He seems to know how to achieve goals.

I wrote the following to reflect Arnold's content and style. I hope you enjoy this....

"Always I have been a great believer in the Western philosophy of achieving, of climbing, of getting higher and higher to the top.

I have a philosophy I call Stay hungry. Staying hungry means; always being hungry for more. So whenever I achieve a goal, immediately after that, I ask myself, "What other goal can I set, to try to achieve?". That's what staying hungry is all about.

It's about living.

Rich!

Not just existing.

The secret always is to make your mind work for you; not against you.

You have to know who you want to be: Not what, but WHO.

And you must believe in yourself. You must be willing to work your butt off, and you must be ready to sacrifice short term pleasures for your ultimate goal.

You must absolutely ignore the naysayers. All my life I have had people telling me, "Arnold, you are crazy. Nobody has ever done that. It's not possible!". At first, that bothered me, but soon I realised that these people meant only that it was not possible for them.

Their rules did not apply to me.

I was always ready to break the rules; not the law; The rules.

I decided early on, that I could do whatever I set my mind to do.

The mind is incredible, once you have gained mastery over it. With the right use of your mind, you can achieve anything. I mean anything.

I decided early on that I wanted to be the best at whatever I do. When I was a bodybuilder, I was the best bodybuilder. When I was an actor, I was the best actor, in that I made more money and sold more seats than anyone else. I was successful too in politics.

I always use the same methods that I learned in the gym: I decide first, what I want. I am honest about my strengths and my weak points. I work my butt off to eliminate my weak points, and I always expect to win.

I recommend you do the same things:

  • Decide what you want:
  • Be honest about where you need to improve;
  • Work your butt off;
  • Ignore the naysayers,
  • Don't break the law, but dare to break a few rules.
  • Believe in yourself.
  • Expect to win."

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Stay Hungry mindset

Within personal development, the Stay Hungry mindset is a motivation principle. It keeps you eager for fresh goals, blocks comfort that slows progress, makes you set a new target the moment you reach one, and fuels steady learning and hard work. If any of these four traits drop away, you are no longer staying hungry.

CG4D Definition

Context: Personal development
Genus: Motivation principle

  • Creates constant hunger for new goals
  • Rejects comfort that breeds complacency
  • Demands an immediate new target after each win
  • Drives continuous learning and hard work

Article Summary

Success follows a clear pattern: decide who you want to be, picture the goal, work hard each day, ignore negative voices, bend old rules without breaking the law and stay hungry for the next climb; Arnold Schwarzenegger proves that when strong self-belief meets steady action, winning becomes daily life.

Chris Farmer, Founder of Corporate Coach Group

Written by Chris Farmer

Founder & Lead Trainer, Corporate Coach Group

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has over 25 years experience designing and delivering leadership and management training across both the public and private sectors. His programmes are structured, practical and built around real-world performance. Read more about Chris and the story of how the Corporate Coach Group was founded.

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Key Statistics

A 2024 CIPD survey finds 71% of UK workers set at least one personal growth goal at work, up from 58% in 2021.

Research and Markets predicts the global self-improvement market will reach £13.2 billion by 2025, a 6% yearly rise since 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this topic

It means you set a fresh goal the moment you hit one, never let comfort slow you, and keep learning and working hard.
Use these goal setting tips: picture who you want to be, list exact targets, note weak points, plan daily actions, expect to win.
Negative voices reflect their limits, not yours. If you trust their doubt, your self-belief weakens and progress stalls.
Yes. Arnold stresses that hard work leads to success; he recommends relentless effort, honest self-review and practice to remove weak spots; talent only shines when effort backs it.
He uses a mindset for winning: he pictures success, blocks doubt, keeps discipline, and repeats the same routine in every field.
Follow the Stay Hungry mindset: celebrate briefly, set a higher target at once, adjust your plan, and keep moving.
Yes. Question old habits, try fresh methods, trust your self-belief for success, shortcut red tape when legal, never cross ethical or legal lines.

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