Jeremy Renner My Next Breath: 5 Life-Changing Lessons on Resilience and Survival
How this book, Jeremy Renner My Next Breath, arrived in my lap, first started with The Joe Rogan Podcast. My wife and I listened to the episode on a long drive we had and we were both incredibly moved. Being a fan of all the Marvel movies and also appreciating his work in other films such as The Hurt Locker, Mission Impossible, American Hustle, Mayor of Kingstown and several others, I loved hearing him take Joe through the journey. Some parts of that interview were also incredibly hard to listen to. Graphic and gut wrenching.
However, one thing stood out from that podcast, Whenever Joe would ask about how he managed each of the challenges that popped up, Renner kept responding with, “what’s the alternative?” communicating that quitting wasn’t happening because he had too much to live for and so much more to do.
And that was that. I recommend the podcast to everyone I talked to every time it comes up, but I hadn’t intended on reading the book as I was committed to only reading books about financial literacy in 2025. Then comes Christmas and what does my dear sweet wife get me? You guessed it. This book.
But still it takes me until April 2026 to finally get to it, now one year since it’s publication. Late to the party I guess.
ONE: Take Immediate Action – Inaction is the Real Killer
I believe that the most important thing in life is to take action”
Jeremy Renner doesn’t really sugarcoat that. After that snowplow passed over him, lying there thinking about what to do wasn’t going to save him — or his nephew. He had to move, even in excruciating pain. Overthinking, planning, and feeling are all fine, but without action, without taking that first step (and then the next, and the next), nothing changes. Inaction is what will keep us stuck.
TRY THIS TODAY: Pick one thing you’ve been putting off this week — even a small one. Set a 5-minute timer and take the very first action right now. No perfect plan needed. Notice how momentum feels, and now start building from there.
TWO: Information Defeats Fear – Knowledge is Your Greatest Weapon in Crisis
Information is the key to avoiding one’s fears.”
When everything is unknown in life, fear tends to take over. Throughout Jeremy’s life, he’s found that gathering whatever facts he could (about his body, the next steps, even just focusing on his breathing) shrank that fear. We’re only scared of what we don’t understand. The more knowledge you can gather, the more the monster under the bed turns into something you can face.
TRY THIS TODAY: Identify an area of life where you experience anxiety (work, health, a tough conversation), spend 10 focused minutes researching or asking smart questions about it. Write down three concrete facts you learn. Watch how the fear level drops.
THREE: Perspective is Everything – Turn Trauma into Transformation
The only thing we have control over in our lives is our perception of things.”
Control over Perception – You Get to Choose How You See It
One of the biggest shifts for Jeremy and something I’ve been working on for years was realizing, “The only thing we have control over in our lives is our perception of things.” He very easily, could’ve stayed bitter about the accident that broke 38+ bones and nearly killed him. Instead, he chose to see it as a brutal but powerful reset. Whatever happens to you and around you, you own it and you get to decide how you see it — victim or survivor, ending or new beginning. That control over perception will change everything.
TRY THIS TODAY: Take a recent setback or frustration and write two versions. First write the “neutral” story and explain exactly what happened. Keep it neutral. No blame or negativity. Then I want you to go and write the hero story. What can this teach you and how will you turn this into a victory story? Read both out loud and consciously choose the second one moving forward.
FOUR: Be Purposeful – Makes Life Valuable
We have to be at all times purposeful with the things we do in our lives, otherwise nothing has value.”
Jeremy really drove this home for me. Surviving made him even more ruthless about his time and energy. Random, autopilot living should feel empty everyone but especially after you find yourself staring death in the face. Being intentional — about life, relationships, work, even simple daily habits such as eating healthy and working out — is what gives life weight and meaning.
TRY THIS TODAY: And start doing this daily if you’re not already. At the start of each day (or night before), decide on your top 3 purposeful actions will be and what your intentions are for that day. Make a decision about how your day is going to go and then expect it to go that way. Then take time at the end of the day to debrief and analyze your day.
FIVE: The Real Key To Success – Energy and Growth
When you conspire with the positive energy around you, you tend to attract more positive energy, and pretty much anything is possible. But first, you have to put yourself into positions that make you uncomfortable so you can grow, doing stuff you’re not necessarily good at.”
Here’s the formula for big things. Comfort zones don’t build anything, leaning into growth and surrounding yourself with good energy does.
TRY THIS TODAY: Say yes to something that stretches you (a new skill, conversation, or challenge) where you might suck at first. Then pair it with one positive-energy move: reach out to someone uplifting or do a quick gratitude list. And notice how the energy shifts.
BONUS ROUND 1: Family and Love Provide Unbreakable Fuel
Even when he was pinned under a 14,000-pound snowplow with no heartbeat for a moment, Jeremy says thoughts of his daughter Ava and his loved ones kept him in the fight. Family and love weren’t just nice-to-haves — they became rocket fuel when everything else was gone. In the darkest seconds, it was those connections that pulled him back. That’s the power of having people who matter: they give you a reason to keep going when your own strength isn’t enough.
In my book How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, I argue that it’s a myth to stop smoking for yourself. If you loved yourself enough, you’d have done it already, you need motivation BIGGER than you to get through some of life’s biggest challenges.
Think of the one or two people who mean the most to you. If you haven’t done this lately, write them a short message (or just tell them in person). Let them know how much they mean exactly why they’re your fuel. Be specific. Then, the next time you’re facing something hard, consciously picture their faces or recall their support as your reminder to keep pushing through.
BONUS ROUND 2: Master Your Breath – The Power of Conscious Breathing
One of the simplest yet most powerful tools Jeremy used came from a very unlikely place which you’ll have to read the book to find out. But, when panic and pain tried to take over, he focused on his breath — slow, deliberate, in and out. That single focus kept him present, calmed his system, and quite literally helped save his life. In a world that keeps us constantly distracted, mastering your breath brings you back to the only moment that actually exists: this one.
Jeremy Renner My Next Breath: CONCLUSION
For me, Jeremy Renner My Next Breath isn’t just a story about surviving a horrific accident, it’s a field manual on how to live when life tries to break you. From taking immediate action and starving fear with information, to choosing your perspective, living purposefully, and growing through discomfort while leaning on love and your breath, these lessons give us all a practical roadmap for turning pain into power.
What hits hardest for me is that Renner didn’t just survive, he came back better. Now he’s more intentional, more grateful, and more alive. He reminds us that we all have the ability to write our next chapter, one conscious breath at a time.
So the real question is: what’s your next breath going to be used for?
If these ideas resonated with you, grab a copy of My Next Breath and experience Jeremy’s story for yourself, in his own words. It’s raw, honest, and genuinely inspiring.
I’d love to hear from you — which takeaway hit you the hardest, or which one are you going to put into practice first? Drop it in the comments below and let’s keep the momentum going.
Here’s to taking action, choosing better perspectives, and living life on purpose.