Recipe for Success: Robert Downey Jr.

Born: April 4, 1965, in New York City, NY

Personal Success Definition

I define success excelling in your craft despite the obstacles that a person has faced. Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) absolutely fits this definition of success. He established the industry then built an empire upon superhero movies, he went from being an ex-con and an addict to one of the most respected men in Hollywood.

Skills for Success

Some of RDJ’s most prominent skills are: 1) acting, 2) perseverance, 3) initiative. RDJ was born into an actor family, it was only natural when he entered the industry himself. He found nothing but success waiting for him when he got there, the only thing holding him back was the addictions that were handed to him by his father. There was huge damage was done to his personal life, and he was momentarily in danger of losing his whole career. Yet he never lost hold of himself completely. He went to rehab, and he stopped using drugs, especially during the production of his films. Downey continued to seek out new roles to play, and finally found blockbuster success in 2008.

How They Used These Skills

Robert Downey Jr. at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards

RDJ used his acting skills to hold his career, as well as his initiative to keep it moving forward during hardship. RDJ was born into an acting family, so it was second-nature for him to break into the industry himself. RDJ used his skills to overcome the obstacles that faced him, and come out on top. Having the determined personality that he does, he was able not only to overcome addiction, but he was able to break into the list of the best Hollywood actors (Ranker).

RDJ struggled with drug addiction from a shockingly young age. His father got him started on drugs, he let him try marijuana at a party for the first time when he was six years old. From 1996 to 2001, Downey was arrested for charges related to cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. He was found blacked out numerous times, and he could never seem to go sober. He had been addicted since he was just eight years old. In 2001, Downey reached out for help, he went to rehab and completely sobered. He has been clean ever since. While these 5 years may been rock bottom for Downey, they didn’t hold him down for long. Just a few year later, he got the role of Harry Lockhart in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and then Paul Avery in Zodiac, both of which got RDJ nominated for Best Actor. Finally in 2008 and 2009, he had blockbuster success on three fronts. He starred in Iron Man, Tropic Thunder, and Sherlock Holmes, all of which either won or nominated him for multiple awards. Tropic Thunder made 195 million, the other two made over half a billion dollars each.

Significant Work

Career: