I have a really interesting political point of view, and its not always something I say too loud at dinner tables here, but you cant go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal. You cant. I wouldnt wish that experience on anyone else, but it was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics every since.

Robert Downey, Jr.

Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn't mean you have to stay there.

Robert Downey, Jr.

bottom remember mean

Listen, smile, agree, then do whatever you were going to do anyway.

Robert Downey, Jr.

agree

People never change because they are under threat or under duress. Never. They change because they see something that makes their life seem valuable enough to start moving toward a life worth living.

Robert Downey, Jr.

duress people moving

Mediocrity is my biggest fear. I'm not afraid of total failure because I don't think that will happen. I'm not afraid of success because that beats the hell out of failure. It's being in the middle that scares me.

Robert Downey, Jr.

mediocrity scare thinking

I don't need an Iron Man suit. I'm already a weapon of mass seduction.

Robert Downey, Jr.

iron men needs

People rise out of the ashes because, at some point, they are invested with a belief in the possibility of triumph over seemingly impossible odds.

Robert Downey, Jr.

impossible-odds ashes people

I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you've done.

Robert Downey, Jr.

moving-on confidence motivational

Worrying is like praying for something you don't want to happen.

Robert Downey, Jr.

praying want worry

I know who I am. I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude.

Robert Downey, Jr.

thunder who-i-am knows

Nothing will serve you better than a strong work ethic. Nothing. And it's something that you can't teach. You have to be thrown into it, where you're going to sink or swim. It's amazing how self-correcting and how clarifying a good, hard, shitty job can be. Because at the end of the day, any profession I've seen anybody in, when you peer behind the curtains of Oh, wouldn't that be a great job? Wow, what an amazing thing, a philanthropic endeavor! it really just comes down to It's a f**king grind.

Robert Downey, Jr.

strong kings jobs

I think that we all do heroic things, but hero is not a noun, it's a verb.

Robert Downey, Jr.

verbs hero thinking

To me, friendship means loving tolerance.

Robert Downey, Jr.

tolerance mean

I think you end up doing the stuff you were supposed to do at the time you were supposed to do it.

Robert Downey, Jr.

ends stuff thinking

I don't drink these days. I am allergic to alcohol and narcotics. I break out in handcuffs.

Robert Downey, Jr.

addiction drinking beer

Nothing's a break for me. Not even the breaks are breaks.

Robert Downey, Jr.

break

I just think it's good to be confident. If I'm not on my team why should anybody else be?

Robert Downey, Jr.

confidence team self-esteem

Im such a work in progress at the moment, its crazy, and life wants me on edge, I swear to you. But as long as I dont forget the past, Im cool. One must always be mindful, just like you might forget that old girlfriend who tried to slit your throat, but shes really still hot. If you remember the stitches more than you remember the pussy, youre going to be just fine.

Robert Downey, Jr.

girlfriend crazy past

I think life changes every year. This is just a little more comfortable.

Robert Downey, Jr.

life-changing years thinking

I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker.

Robert Downey, Jr.

acting motivational inspirational

The lesson is that you can still make mistakes and be forgiven.

Robert Downey, Jr.

sobriety recovery mistake