Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

Self-help or self-improvement is a popular genre of nonfiction that aims to guide the reader toward solving personal problems and/or improving areas of their life. People turn to self-help books for inspiration and guidance on a wide range of topics, and the industry has grown in recent years. In today’s era of increasing digitalization, self-help content often takes the form of blogs, social media posts, videos, and podcasts.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose diverse life experiences and accomplishments speak for themselves, situates himself as a credible voice in the realm of self-improvement. In this “fourth act” of his life, Schwarzenegger has transitioned into the advice and self-help world. He first gave motivational speeches that went viral online, then grew his social media channels and published Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life. In his guidebook for living a purposeful life and attaining success, Schwarzenegger directly addresses and attempts to avoid some of the pitfalls of self-improvement content.

Firstly, some self-help advice, in emphasizing personal responsibility and the value of hard work, can fall into the trap of overlooking or bypassing systemic causes of unhappiness or hardship. Though Schwarzenegger largely takes the approach of “[I]f I can do what I did, why can’t you?” (69), he maintains an empathetic