Tom Cruise has a smart career strategy that's helped him stay relevant after 40 years in Hollywood

Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning."

Skydance/Paramount Pictures

• Tom Cruise returns with death-defying stunts in "Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning."
• In 2023, Cruise told Business Insider that he's "always pushing" to make his films bigger and better.
• Cruise's commitment to his craft, including doing his own stunts, keeps audiences coming back for more.

From climbing the world's tallest building to clinging to the wing of a plane in flight and even jumping on Oprah's couch ...