Introduction There was no way of knowing it at the time, but a child born in Graz, Austria, was predestined for greatness. His father strongly encouraged him to pursue athletics in order to develop a strong sense of determination that evolved into a dogged pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his life. He participated in the sport of football and competed in track and field events before discovering his true passion for weightlifting at the age of 15. Three years later, he trained as a professional bodybuilder and at the age of 20 became none other than Mr. Universe. That child grew up to be ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. Early life Arnold was born on July 30, 1947, in the small town of Thal in Austria, four miles from Graz. The name Schwarzenegger means "black ploughman". His father Gustav was a former military officer who later became a policeman and his mother was a housewife. They all lived above the police station, where Gustav worked. Arnold had a one-year older brother, Meinhard, who died in a car accident when he was twenty. They both grew up in a very strict Catholic family. One day, after seeing Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmüller in Graz, Arnold was so inspired by Johnny's physique that he decided he wanted to become a champion athlete and began training. In the early years Arnold and his brother played many different sports such as skating, skiing, hiking, swimming and table tennis. Due to the interest in the sport, the school came in second place and did not receive much attention. The brothers were always competing with each other both in sports and in school. Gustav wanted Arnold to become a world-class footballer, but at the age of thirteen Arnold quit the football team. He was looking for a role model and found one on the big screen, Hercules. He watched and rewatched all the Hercules films. He started collecting muscle magazines and was so impressed by the strength and muscles in the magazine that he only had one clear goal in mind. So he started training. BodybuildingAlmost everyone who walks the face of the earth has heard of the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger. This man is an inspiration to millions of men around the world, both in success and fitness. Although times have changed, today's bodybuilders are much bigger than in Ar...... middle of paper......Bodybuilder as well as two volumes of the Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Governor On August 6, 2003, The Tonight Show audience received firsthand witness to a stunning and historic occasion: the announcement of his candidacy for the governorship of California. Arnie smiled at the camera, waved a huge American flag and gave a full political speech, adding phrases from his blockbuster hits. Then, on October 17, 2003, Arnie was elected, by a wide margin, governor of California. . Throughout his life, Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided the world with many significant contributions and work achievements ranging from acting, directing and producing to athletic competitions, business ventures and community service and now even governor of California. From his beginnings as Mr. Universe to respected patron of the arts to reigning box office champion, he expects the best from himself and inspires the best in others. Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger puts his family first as the husband of fifteen years to television journalist Maria Shriver and father of their four children Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.