5 Daily Habits to Steal from Leonardo DiCaprio, Including His 'Intellectual Restlessness'
As a digital nomad and journalist, I travel the world while logging around 70 articles a month. To effectively manage a country-hopping lifestyle while also building my bylines and clients, I turn to the advice of seasoned movers-and-shakers who have developed habits and strategies for success. Each week, I’ll highlight the daily routine of influential professionals, making for the right kind of fodder while you down your coffee.
Your heart still hasn’t gone on from falling in love with Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. Though that ship tragically and romantically sunk—his career has sailed over the past several details, creating a Hollywood star.
While his starring role as Jack skyrocketed him toward fame, DiCaprio has been acting since he was a child, appearing in television commercials and eventually in the sitcom, Growing Pains. Before James Cameron cast him in one of the most successful movies of all time, DiCaprio had already earned an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, portraying a mentally handicapped pre-teen.
Since then, his performances have been celebrated—from Blood Diamond and Catch Me If You Can to Revolutionary Road, The Great Gatsby, The Wolf on Wall Street and countless others. Though he was nominated time-and-time again, it wasn’t until 2013 when he took home a Golden Globe and until 2016, when he won an Academy Award.
Today, he continues to act and owns his own production company, Appian Way Productions. With an estimated net worth of $245 million, his success only continues to build. Here, a few of this hard-working actor and philanthropist's daily habits.
He’s in touch with nature.
Though some people prescribe to the urban lifestyle instead of retreating into the depths of the great outdoors, DiCaprio prioritizes time to escape. Especially with a hectic and demanding schedule, reconnecting with Mother Nature can be a beneficial way to detox and unwind.
For DiCaprio, it’s soul-nurturing, too. In an interview with Time Out, he explained his affection: “I love being immersed in nature, going to places in the world that are pristine and untouched by man. It’s almost a religious experience when you go to a place like the Amazon and there’s no civilisation for thousands of miles.”
The next time you are feeling under pressure with what feels like endless deadlines and responsibilities, go for a walk and breathe in the oxygen from the sky—it might just do wonders for your creativity and productivity.
He takes time off when he needs to.
Believe it or not, DiCaprio was only 22-years-old when he portrayed Jack alongside 21-year-old Kate Winslet as Rose. For the next 20-something years, he took on film after film, expanding his talent to adapt to many characters and personalities. When asked what his plan was at the age of 41 (he’s now 43), he told Time Out the only item on his to-do list is to take time off.
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Understanding your limits and knowing when you are in need of a sabbatical is a healthy way to remain self-aware. Many trendy technological companies—like Facebook—even offer sabbaticals to their employees after several years, hoping the months away from office will invigorate their dedication and inspiration.
He accepts his fame for what it is.
It might be difficult to explain when you aren’t constantly in the spotlight, but many celebrities struggle with the attention that comes with fame. To maintain a healthy mental perspective toward his career, DiCaprio exercises a ‘take it as it is’ approach. He told Wired being famous is surreal and it isn’t something you get used to. “It kind of feels like a video game at times, especially with paparazzi and people following you and things of that nature,” he explained in the interview. “But it’s part of who I am now. It’s part of my life as long as I choose to do what I do as a profession, and I love what I do. I think I survive because I don’t limit myself. If there’s some experience I want to have or a place I want to go, I do it. I think that’s how I bring some semblance of normality to my life.”
Sure, you may never be asked for your autograph, but consider a part of your life that is limiting. Maybe it’s a career you are unhappy in or a relationship that should have ended years ago. Whatever you feel is keeping you from being your best, happiest self, take a page out of DiCaprio’s playbook and strive to never limit yourself. Or more to the point: let anything or anyone hold you back.
He’s always learning.
From Fortune 500 executives to entrepreneurs and influencers in every industry, they all share one quality: they’re lifelong learners. Many actors consider themselves scholars of the world, its people and its offerings. To transform from one person to another on repeat, curiosity is an innate quality that must be nurtured. According to an interview with Martin Scorsese in Rolling Stone, DiCaprio has a ‘intellectual restlessness,’ prompting him to read anything and everything he can get his hands on. Being a bookworm is a positive habit, especially since it keeps your brain robust and fresh, prompts creativity and makes you an excellent conversationalist.
He has a close relationship with his parents.
Having a loving and loyal support system is essential for any child, allowing them to pursue their passions without fear. DiCaprio is lucky to have a close relationship with both his parents, and is frequently open about how much they mean to him. Most notably, he often discusses his father’s impact on his development and career. “My dad always told me, ‘Go out there, son, and whatever you do, I don’t care if you’re successful or not, just have an interesting life. Just be happy to put your pants on in the morning.’ I believe I’m doing that,” he told PARADE.
And another interview, he shared his father was his best teacher. “Look I came from humble beginnings—I came from public school. I always had loving parents, both of my parents were unbelievable and I was very fortunate in that regard. My father is one of the wisest men I’ve ever met and he has steered the course of my life in so many different directions in a positive way, whether it be my environmental activism and as an actor is influenced by him.”
While not everyone is born into a helpful and stable household, seeking a mentor and nurturing a relationship with them will progress every facet of your life.
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