Total Recall, Sejda and Lockdown Film Club
This week’s Friday Footnotes has an underlying theme of a childhood hero of mine: Arnold Schwarzenegger. I hope you find something to help or inspire you in this edition.
What I’ve Been Reading
The core element that has inspired my ‘Arnie’ themed Friday Footnotes is reading his autobiography- ‘Total Recall’. I challenge to fine more incredible rags to riches story. Arnie’s rise from a poor Austrian household to Mr Universe, Hollywood superstar, and then Governor of California is quite astonishing. It is a fun read, with some incredible messages within. You can buy it to read or listen to here.
What I’ve Been Watching
Reading ‘Total Recall’ reminded me of a TED style talk that Arnold did back in 2018, which ‘broke the internet’. It is an inspiring 12-minute speech that one viewer described as being “more valuable than 8 years in school”, and it makes compelling viewing. You can watch it here.
Technology That’s Inspired Me
If you need to sign a PDF and return it by email, but like me can’t stand the idea of printing it out just to rescan it back in, I have the solution. Sejda allows you to edit the PDF, and then save a new version of it with images, text or a signature in place. You’ll need to save a scanned version of your signature first, but then you are away. Hasta la vista baby (to wasted paper)! Use it free here.
App I’ve Found Valuable
It’s a tenuous link, but if you want muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you need to work out. Whether your chosen regime is running, cycling or a workout in the gym, you will probably need sports clothing and equipment. The best resource I have found over the years for this, at massively discounted rates, is Sport Pursuit. You have to withstand getting an email a day from them, but in exchange you will get up to 85% of great stuff from recognised names like Rapha, Giant and Oakley, across all sports including golf and many more. Essentially the TK Maxx of the sports world, you can check it out here or in the Appstore.
How I’ve Been Connecting
I heard a recommendation on a podcast by Esther Perel, where she described how she’d started a lockdown a film club with her friends. They all watch the same film over the course of the week, and then meet on Zoom to chat about it over a glass of wine. I thought this sounded like a lovely idea, so inspired by ‘Total Recall’ I suggested that my school friends and I try the same starting with ‘The Terminator’- the film that really gave Arnie his big break into stardom. What a great film it was for its time. I am looking forward to catching up with my old mates on Sunday while chewing the fat over this classic film, which if you too fancy it, can be watched on Netflix here.
Quote of the Week
“Life’s six rules for success:
1. Trust yourself.
2. Break some rules.
3. Don’t be afraid to fail.
4. Ignore the naysayers.
5. Work like hell.
6. Give something back.”
And one that made me laugh:
“Money doesn’t make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Finance Theme I’ve Been Considering
The reason Arnold Schwarzenegger was so successful in body building was because he worked out more often and harder than anyone else. He didn’t expect to become Mr Universe by just going to the gym a couple of times a week. He created a lifestyle where he did his workouts twice a day, every day, no excuses. It wasn’t one massive effort that helped him hit his goal, more a series of smaller efforts driven by good habits. Achieving financial freedom, and creating enough money for the future, is also about creating great habits. It’s about automating your saving and then revisiting them annually and increasing the amounts. That drip, drip, drip approach might not seem to achieve much in the short term, but it has massive compound effects over the long term. If you want to become financially free, you need to ensure that those habits are instilled, because when you eventually reach financial freedom, you too will feel like Mr Universe!
Stay happy and healthy.
