I'm a fan of Arnold, but I think it's pretty clear that he suffers from issues stemming from his rough relationship with his father. How else could you become the embodiment of success and hard work if not for a pathological need to succeed and impress? It seems to have worked out for him, but in any other person I'd consider his insane work ethics to be toxic and unhealthy.
I don't think that necessarily holds. It's a common trope to look at someone who's had a rough childhood and then become a success and say that it's because of their rough childhood. But this overlooks all the people who had a rough childhood and didn't become a success, why doesn't it hold there? Similarly, many people are successful without having a rough childhood. In essence, if you can easily make the same argument either way, that the childhood did/did not matter, then it's hard to say that it holds any bearing.
Of course, I don't disagree that coming from that background comes to define many parts of one's character, but to say that that's the reason for where they ended up is in my opinion a bit too reductionist.
Validation isn't something you only get from your parents. Notwithstanding, it's not the only motivating factor for achieving and taking risks. Arnold's charisma and charm helped him go far rather early (he made his first million in construction with a fellow bodybuilder). He seems to delight in competing and new challenges. Some people are built that way.
> I'm a fan of Arnold, but I think it's pretty clear that he suffers from issues stemming from his rough relationship with his father.
Read the book and watch the Netflix documentary. I’m pretty sure Arnold is self-aware of his father issues. For a concrete example, Arnold’s brother dies drinking-and-driving at the age of 24. Arnold contrasts the way he was able to handle his relationship with his father compared to his deceased brother.
