"If it's hard to remember, it'll be difficult to forget"
About this Quote
The intent is practical, not philosophical. Whether he’s talking about training habits, career goals, or the slogans of his own brand, Schwarzenegger is arguing for a kind of cognitive engineering: design your routines, messages, and standards so they’re easy to recall under pressure. If you need a complicated motivational speech to get to the gym, you’re already negotiating with your future self. A short, sharp rule has a better chance of surviving that negotiation.
The subtext is even more ruthless: discipline isn’t about inspiration; it’s about reducing friction. “Hard to remember” becomes a proxy for “too elaborate,” “too precious,” “too dependent on mood.” In that sense, the quote doubles as advice for public life. Schwarzenegger’s career - bodybuilding, Hollywood, politics - runs on catchphrases, clear identity cues, and repeatable narratives. He knows that what the audience can’t quickly recall, they can’t reliably reward.
It works because it flatters the listener into action without sounding like self-help. The joke-like inversion turns a lesson about habit formation into a line you can’t help but remember - which, ironically, proves itself.
Quote Details
| Topic | Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Schwarzenegger, Arnold. (2026, January 15). If it's hard to remember, it'll be difficult to forget. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-its-hard-to-remember-itll-be-difficult-to-18522/
Chicago Style
Schwarzenegger, Arnold. "If it's hard to remember, it'll be difficult to forget." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-its-hard-to-remember-itll-be-difficult-to-18522/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If it's hard to remember, it'll be difficult to forget." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-its-hard-to-remember-itll-be-difficult-to-18522/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.












