Jeff Jarrett On How The Low Points Of Shawn Michaels' Past Help WWE Stars Of Future

Shawn Michaels is thriving in his current role as WWE's Senior Vice President of Talent Development, helping ready the next generation of in-ring performers. But Michaels has come a long way from balancing his career with partying in the '90s, a time when he was known for drug use and had a reputation for being difficult to work with. On his "My World" podcast, Michaels' former WWE New Generation rival Jeff Jarrett spoke on the value "HBK" brings as a mentor, partly due to his troubled past. 

"I'll call it the valleys, the low points if you will, the learning situations. However you want to paint it, it's what's made Shawn who he is it today," Jarrett said. "Because he can look a young talent in the eye and say, 'Hey man, I ain't BSing. Let me give you these examples... Don't be this stupid like I was.' I mean, he literally is using all of his failures to give strength to others."

After rising to main event status in the mid-'90s, Michaels often abused his heightened stardom, indulging heavily in the party lifestyle and using his influence to gain favor at the expense of others. 

Michaels may have hit his lowest point around the time of WrestleMania 14, when he was reportedly contentious and uncooperative in the build-up to his match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Some were concerned "The Heartbreak Kid" would not do business that night, prompting The Undertaker to tape his fists in the gorilla position to dissuade Michaels from going off script. Michaels also came close to dying due to prescription painkillers, prompting him to become a born-again Christian and start a positive second chapter to his in-ring career. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "My World" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.