Arnold Schwarzenegger grew popular for his evergreen dialogue “I’ll be back”, and rightfully so since he always took his comebacks seriously. In his recent newsletter, he updated his fans on his return to the gym and how this comeback after a pacemaker surgery left him with one of the biggest life lessons he could learn.
Born with a congenital heart condition, he had been through four surgeries in total, where one of them even got botched mid-procedure. At 76, Schwarzenegger is not just used to balancing workout and recovery but also is an expert at staying fit throughout the process.
This time, after getting his pacemaker placed, he recalled how his doctors prohibited him from any intense activity, including going to the gym and cycling, for six weeks. Since he had to heal up for the shoot of the next installment of FUBAR, he begrudgingly agreed.
Throughout his recovery process, Schwarzenegger did not give up on exercise and resorted to walking and increasing his number of steps every day. This way, he reaped the benefits of being active while also making sure to not exert too much. Once his recovery period ended, he came back to his ‘village’ with five lessons to ensure an epic comeback.
Having a mission every day no matter how small
While in previous newsletters, Schwarzenegger had talked about how one should keep a vision of the bigger picture, he strayed from his words here as an exception. Often, during adversities, thinking of the bigger picture makes matters worse. He recalled how his goal during his botched surgery was to prepare for his role in the upcoming Terminator installment, but couldn’t do so. His ideal approach then was to pick up short-term smaller goals that lead up to the bigger picture.
“When you’re making a comeback, the missions and goals you set for yourself might seem small. That’s OK. You need those small steps and little wins to climb back up the mountain.”
One shouldn’t try to get back up without any help
Just like he took help from his training partner Lynn to get walking every day, Schwarzenegger explained that individuals aiming for a comeback didn’t have to refrain from asking for help. With a community of thousands of fitness enthusiasts, he assured readers that he could bring in all the help one needed.
Arnold Schwarzenegger advises to improvise and adapt to changes
Not everything could go according to the plan, and Arnold Schwarzenegger knew that all too well with years of experience. Therefore, the simplest way to overcome change is to learn to improvise and adapt to the circumstances.
“Whether it is an injury, an illness, or a failure, things won’t be the same as before. You must adapt to reality instead of wishing things were how they were.”
Pump yourself up instead of beating yourself up
In times of difficulties, it can be a pain to motivate oneself to work towards a certain goal without feeling helpless. Schwarzenegger understood this sentiment all too well and advised readers to resort to pumping themselves up instead of thinking about the purpose of it all and ending up in a negative space. Comebacks are not meant to be simple, but trying to keep a positive mindset could make things smoother.
You’re never alone
Schwarzenegger ended his lessons with his final word of advice – everyone has made a comeback at various levels and situations in their life. While the concept isn’t unique, the way one deals with their comeback may be different. However, there’s always a group of individuals inspired by others and simultaneously inspiring the rest with their stories.
With all of this, Schwarzenegger concluded his segment wishing his readers good luck. He lost 10 lbs since his comeback and is ready to take over the new acting project with full force. While fans can’t wait to see him on screen again, he seems more happy to simply be back at his beloved Mecca of Bodybuilding.
