How Robert Downey Jr. changed his life, rebuilt himself and shot to success

I was in a tailspin.

His life burning to the ground…trapped in drug addiction…fired from the show Ally McBeal…and even sent to prison. No one dares to hire him. You would never guess today. But years ago, that was actor Robert Downey Jr.

However, he changed his life… rebuilt himself… and shot himself to become Iron Man.

How?

Here are four secrets that fueled his comeback. Even if you don’t dream of being a dynamic actor (or actress)… even if you’re up against a different “enemy”… even if you don’t even like superhero movies… these four lessons (when implemented) it can help you get up, rebuild and rise to a new level.

Here you have:

Iron Man’s 4 secrets to get up from the bottom

1. Focus laser beam to take the next step

Like Tony Stark working as a slave in a cave to build the original Iron Man suit. Downey’s rise from darkness took seven years. He rebuilt his credibility, his commitment and his self-confidence one day at a time. One movie at a time. One job at a time.

He says:

I found my way out of the woods

by an increasingly subtle trail of breadcrumbs

-Robert Downey Jr.

Not hulk-like jumps forward. Small slow steps forward.

(Remember progress is progress)

2. You can always build your self-discipline muscles.

At first, Downey doubted his ability to leave a life of drugs. He knew that he was screwing everything up. But he kept coming back. With the help of Wing Chun (Chinese martial art) he built up his concentration… focus like a laser… and inner calm. This finally broke the vice that drugs had on him.

3. Know that it is okay to ask for help

When Downey demonstrated his commitment to staying sober, the producers still had cold feet. They swore that he would run away. But Mel Gibson (who had demons of his own), who worked with him on a previous movie, jumped to the rescue. He believed in Downey so much that he offered guarantees to reassure the producers.

This gave Downey his chance to star. The singing detective… showing the public and Hollywood that he was hell-bent on getting his life back. But if Downey were too proud to accept Gibson’s help, this would never have happened.

4. Total belief that your abilities will dwarf your past mistakes

At first, Marvel Comics wanted nothing to do with him. Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man, he fought tooth and nail to persuade the studio to hire him. He saw Downey’s electricity. He saw that his dynamite acting skills overshadowed his dark past.

Here was this force of nature,

who I think lived with this frustration

that he wasn’t able to really show what he was good at

-Jon Favreau

That greatness is within each and every one of us.

We are all forces of nature in our own way.

Find what it’s for you.

And start building…rebuilding…and creating something (or becoming someone) you’re proud of.

Because the past does not have to be the same as the future.