Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals why he lost his first Mr. Universe title

As a teen, Schwarzenegger showed a lot of maturity in accepting what he needed to change. But his loss was not a big surprise for him, as the odds were never in his favor to begin with.

Reaching London to compete was an achievement in itself for the Predator actor. Just a year before he came second in Mr. Universe, he was serving in the army in 1965. He literally went AWOL during basic training to compete in the Junior Mr. Europe’s contest, which landed him in a military prison for a week.

Then he met a gym owner in Munich who promised a trip to London, seeing his interest in watching Mr. Universe. Schwarzenegger was determined not just to watch; he decided to compete.

He started training 6 days a week, twice a day, and was becoming obsessed with earning the victory.

He reached London, but he did not speak English that well back then and knew nothing about bodybuilding circles in and around London.

“No, I was not intimidated as much as I was just — I remember I was shy and I couldn’t speak English,” he said. “I was kind of smiling a lot so that people would like me.”

But while Schwarzenegger failed to earn the top spot in the 1966 Mr. Universe, he made enough of an impact, which gradually made him a star of the sport.

How Arnold Schwarzenegger Turned a Second-Place Finish into a Bodybuilding Dynasty

Even though Schwarzenegger did not win the competition and finished in second place, he became quite a sensation in London. Oscar Heidenstam, the organizer, noted he had never seen a better-built 19-year-old, and given Heidenstam’s experience of organizing international competitions for years, the compliment was a massive one.

After his second-place finish, Schwarzenegger dug his nose deep into training, and what followed was a victory in the 1967 Mr. Universe contest. Subsequently, he claimed the title 3 more times.

In 1968, the Austrian Oak decided to go bigger to satiate his hunger and won the Professional Mr. Universe title. Post his victory, Arnie moved to the U.S. at the age of 21, and started training at Gold’s Gym in Venice, Los Angeles, under Joe Weider’s supervision, and the rest is history.

Schwarzenegger’s story displays that losses often act as the extra spark that drives one to reach the top.

So, now that you know it, will you draw inspiration from it to become better in your desired field?