Persevering for dreams

Let me tell you, my young friends, stick to your dreams. In any case, stick to your dreams. Don't give up, even if you encounter blows and setbacks.

Very happy to come to this university. This is really a special place. I just looked around and it was a great, great place. Congratulations on coming to such a good university.

The last time I came to China was five years ago, when I came to promote my movie. They held a film festival here called "Arnold Schwarzenegger Film Festival". I remember that they showed all my movies in a week - you know, it's hard to get - they also played them on TV. But there was another task for us to come here to promote the Special Olympics Games, which was set up to help people with intellectual disabilities. So the last time I came there was two purposes.

But this time my identity is the governor of California, representing the people of California. We have a trade delegation to see how we can expand business cooperation with your country and help each other, because California is a fast-growing state, China is a fast-growing country, and we can cooperate with each other in many ways.

However, I don't want to miss the opportunity to talk to young people here today. In fact, you are the best young people in China. Therefore, it is my pleasure to come to Tsinghua University. I am honored to be invited.

I read some information about Tsinghua's history and learned that this school was originally set up to train students to go to colleges in the United States. I also know that it has been more and more difficult to study at a US university since the "September 11" incident, because now you need to fill out a lot of information and get a visa. This is very complicated, you have to wait much longer than before. Time can only be made. But listen to me, the situation has improved. I have heard that the restrictions have been eased and the difficulty of obtaining a visa has been reduced. My young Chinese friend, I want to tell you that even if you have not been invited by any American, I will invite you in my personal capacity. I want to warmly invite all of you to the United States, especially to California, because that is the fashion capital. California is the best place.

Please go to visit and we will welcome you. I invite all of you to travel, to meet the American people, to go to our university for further study, I hope that one day you will go there to do business, or maybe settle down. No matter what your goal, we will always welcome it. After all, let us not forget that the United States is a country full of opportunities. This is true for both Austrians like me and Chinese. Remember this.

As far as I know, since the beginning of this century, China has been continually nurturing opportunities and changing with each passing day. You are a student of this great school and a rising citizen of China. I believe that you will have a bright future in China.

Today, I want to talk to you about your dreams, your dreams for the future, and the dreams of this country. I want to talk to you about my dreams, because I seem to be a dream expert, and I have realized many of my dreams. So let me tell you my story and tell me how I started my career. I think this story has something to do with you and China.

At first I was a weightlifter. I have always liked weightlifting and bodybuilding. When I grabbed the barbell for the first time, held it firmly, and held it high above my head, I always enjoyed this pleasure. I know that this is what I have to do; I love weightlifting, and this will be what I have to do. I want to do weightlifting and bodybuilding.

I remember my first real training. My home is in Australia, there is a gymnasium eight miles from our village, and I rode past. I trained there for half an hour because they said that after half an hour you have to stop and rest, otherwise your body will be sore. But after half an hour I looked at my body and nothing happened. I said, "I will practice for another half an hour." So I gave more. My strength has not increased, I have not found muscle uplift, or something similar. So I practiced for another half an hour, then another half an hour, and then another half an hour, a total of two and a half hours.

Two and a half hours later, I left the gym and rode home. Although they told me that I should not practice for so long, my body would be sore. After riding a mile, I felt numb, couldn't hold the bicycle handle, fell down and fell into the ditch on the side of the road. After I got up, I tried to ride again. After riding a few yards, I fell off the car again. I tried it three or four times, but I couldn't ride because my body was numb and my legs trembled like noodles.

After getting up the next morning, I was sore and couldn't even raise my arms and comb my hair. I have to let my mother brush my hair for me, you know how embarrassing it is. But do you know? I learned a very important lesson, that is, pain means progress. Pain is progress. My muscles are sore after each workout, but I know that they are growing and becoming stronger.

I think this is a valuable experience in real life. After two or three years of hard training, my form and strength have changed. I have learned something from the fact that since I can change my form, since I can change the power of my body, then I can change anything else. I can change my habits, I can change my intelligence, I can change my attitude, my thoughts, my future and my life. This is exactly what I have done. I think this experience also applies to others and applies to all countries. You can change, China can change, everyone in the world can change.

Of course, I must tell you that my parents could not understand my dream at first. They are always confused. They say, "What are you doing? When are you going to find a job, a real job? When are you going to make money?" I heard such questions. They also said: "I hope that we don't have a donkey, a person who doesn't make money, just wants to live in the gym and think about his form." Well, I endured all these negative thoughts. The more negative these ideas and problems are, the more positive I become, and the stronger my heart becomes.

The reason for this is because I think that some of your family members may have the same idea. They may not believe in your dreams. But let me tell you, my young friends, stick to your dreams. In any case, stick to your dreams. Don't give up, even if you encounter blows and setbacks. Stick to your dreams.

I remember the first time I went to the United States to go to the World Bodybuilding Championships and I lost. I only got second place and I collapsed. I feel like a loser, a complete loser. Moreover, I still cried because I felt that I had failed my friends and myself. But the next day, I regrouped and said to myself: "I want to learn this lesson. I want to stay in the United States. I will not return to Europe. I want to stay in the United States, train with those champions, and train in the United States. I want to eat American food, use American sports equipment and principles." One year later, in the United States, I became the world bodybuilding champion. Therefore, I think this is a very important lesson.

Since then, I have step by step. My career began to take off and everything I wanted to do was fulfilled. First became the world bodybuilding champion, and later became a movie star, starring in the great film, "Ban Wang Conan" series and "Terminator" series, there are others. After that, I became the governor of California. It all happened because of my dreams, even if others told me that those dreams were unrealistic and too crazy, I still persisted.

No matter what I do, even if I am exercising, someone will say that I can't succeed. Later, I made a movie. In Hollywood, they also said that I would not succeed. They said: "You can't succeed. You have a German accent. People who have never had a German accent in Hollywood have succeeded. Yes, you may be able to play some Nazi characters, but because you have an accent, you can't Become a first-line superstar. Also your body, your muscles are too developed. They filmed Hercules's film 20 years ago, but now it is out of date. Now is the age of Woody Allen. Woody Allen Very red, his figure is very red." These are some of the information. "And Al Pacino, skinny and skinny, he is also very red. But you can't do it, it's too strong. Don't think about it, you won't succeed. Go back to fitness."

Ok, the rest will not be mentioned. After the release of "Terminator 3", I became the highest paid movie star in Hollywood. Listen to me, the story is not over yet. Even when I was running for the governor, people said, "Anoud, you won't succeed. You won't be the governor of California. How much do you know about the government?" Well, the truth is, my understanding of the government and other Like the people of California, that is, the government is far away from the top, and it is high above it. This needs to be changed. So I didn't care about those people. I continue to campaign, I insist on my dreams, and I don’t mention anything else. I was elected.

Those dreams have always been the driving force for me to move forward. Bodybuilding gave me confidence, the movie gave me money, serving the people and the work of the governor gave me a bigger goal than achieving myself. The above is my dream, my early life, and how my dreams helped me succeed.

Of course, people should not dream of it. So I not only have my own dreams, but also my dreams for you and China. Let me take it slowly. China’s economy has turned into an engine of human progress, lifting millions of people out of poverty. For China and the world, this is a double success of ethics and economy. I often read the news that China may become the world's largest economy in the next 50 years. I think this is good. Of course, this does not mean that the United States will become poor; it only means that China will become rich, and the United States will benefit from China's development, just as the United States has benefited from the rise of Western Europe after World War II.

I can tell you what the source of energy and power in the United States has been in the past two hundred years. Perhaps China can learn something from it. The United States believes in personal abilities and the achievements that individuals can achieve, regardless of their skin color, religion, or ethnic background.

Let me introduce you to another person, Ken Behring, who is a California businessman and worth millions. He also found his enthusiasm and gave wheelchairs to the disabled in the world. He said that he had met some people. He had been trapped in a room without windows for many years. He was lying on the bed all day, staring at the ceiling, never seeing the outside world, unless someone would like to pick them up and take them out. He said that it is no wonder that so many disabled people dream of becoming a bird. Mr. Bellin said that many of us believe that wheelchairs are a kind of imprisonment, but for millions of people with disabilities, it is not imprisonment, but freedom, freedom of movement and school, freedom of voting, freedom of job search, and freedom to look forward to the future. He has brought freedom and wheelchairs to 400,000 people around the world. This is the power of the individual.

My mother-in-law, Eunice Kennedy Shriver – I always like to mention her because of her kindness – for example, she founded the Special Olympics Games, which was set up for people with intellectual disabilities. Of course, at the beginning of the establishment, the experts told her: "No, you can't bring people with intellectual disabilities out of the mental hospital to participate in sports activities. They will drown in the swimming pool, they will kill each other and hurt each other. Don't do this." But especially Ness Kennedy Shriver has a dream and passion. Today, millions of people around the world compete at the Special Olympics, including China. This is why I came here five years ago. Five years ago, a total of 500,000 people participated in the Special Olympics Games. 500,000 people got a chance to participate in sports competitions, get health care opportunities, get equal treatment, and respect and tolerance. This is the power of the individual. Eunice Kennedy Shriver is another example.

What I want to tell you is that each of you has this power. So, when your knowledge is constantly enriched, when you become smarter and richer, think about it, millions of people need your help. Now, you can ask yourself a question, what can I do? Let me tell you. Even if you may not have money or even nothing, you can still go out and teach a child to learn to read. You can go out and help the disabled, pick them up, go outdoors and let them see the world outside. You can do too many different things. You can bring a mentally handicapped person to watch a football match. Individuals can help and help others by doing all sorts of things.

Imagine how much success would be achieved if all 1.3 billion people in China could release their dreams. Imagine a wonderful future. Each of you has the power to change, and the power of dreams. These forces are endless. You are full of vigor, you are rich in knowledge, you are the elite of China. My young friends, I believe in your dreams. I believe that you can make your dreams come true. I believe that you can make changes and make great changes. All you have to do is dedicate to it. All you have to do is put your dreams into action and devote yourself to it and say to yourself: "Let us let go."