Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

In positive psychology, a flow state is a mental state in which a person becomes completely immersed in an activity or task, often associated with focus, gratification, and a feeling of “losing track of time.” Schwarzenegger claims in Chapter 3 that the energized feeling of pursuing a worthy goal is an example of this sort of headspace. He uses this term when discussing his work ethic and that of other successful musicians, artists, and athletes.

Also known as the “negativity effect,” this is a cognitive bias that reflects people’s tendencies to respond more strongly to negative stimuli than to neutral or positive stimuli. It is believed to have served an evolutionary function; alertness to negative information or events would have helped early humans avoid threats in their environment and survive. However, as Schwarzenegger points out, this bias in contemporary life can be more of a hindrance than an advantage as hyperfocusing on negativity can rob a person of time and energy that would be better used in service of a goal. He argues that combatting this bias by focusing on the positive instead makes a person more productive and joyful.

A self-made man or woman is a term for someone who, through their own efforts, discipline, and motivation, reaches a high level of professional success. It especially applies to someone who has done so despite hardship in their upbringing. This phrase is common in self-help circles; the idea of being “self-made” is often aspirational. However, Schwarzenegger argues against this term and rejects the notion that he is a self-made man, asserting that his success is due to the many people who helped and guided him along his path. He encourages the reader to not only show appreciation for their own mentors and those who came before them but to pay it forward by helping others on their paths to success. In this way, self-improvement, professional success, and wealth become attainable for all and are not zero-sum games.

As a school of thought, Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that largely encourages self-control and non-reactivity; a Stoic reframes their thoughts to focus on things they can control and accept the situations they cannot. Schwarzenegger references this philosophy most notably in Chapter 5: “Shifting Gears” when he introduces the Stoic concept of amor fati, “love of fate.” This means accepting everything that happens in one’s life as necessary, if not good.

Vision is a specific image of one’s future life and a specific plan for how to achieve it. This is the image that guides a person’s life and choices and should be as clear and specific as possible. Schwarzenegger argues that a lack of vision is the root cause of much of the unhappiness and aimlessness that people experience today, as vision gives life meaning, purpose, and direction and helps people to make better decisions. Throughout Be Useful, the author explores how a person can create and specify their vision, execute it, communicate it to others, and use it to help others.