“In the book [Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life], it’s something that my father quite frequently said…’Be useful.’ He always wanted us to work, he always wanted us to learn. And he always wanted us to not only think about ourselves, but to also think about other people.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger

Mr. Schwarzenegger, my dad used to say things like this, too…so much so that I put a similar line in his eulogy…and that was delivered 7 years prior to Arnold’s book coming out! 

My husband and I watched Arnold’s Netflix documentary when it released in 2023, and that two-word line resonated with us so powerfully. It still does!

“Be useful.”

Not only because it sounded like my dad had briefly returned to give us a message, but because it shared amazing words to live by. 

“Be useful.”

Is what we are doing now being useful?

Is it productive?

Is it helping us to become better people?

Is it making us better parents?

Is it making a positive impact others?

Let everything you do today…be done with productivity. Even taking breaks can be useful sometimes!

Thanks, Mr. Schwarzenegger