Will Smith, is one of the most popular and powerful stars in Hollywood, no doubt! But beyond glitz and glamour, Will is a great human being and has made several contributions to the society through his charity works. His thoughts about life are often philosophical and makes us think about what we already know about success and fame.
Newsweek called him “the most powerful actor in Hollywood” and is the most bankable star worldwide according to Forbes. He’s worth over $260 million.
Here are 10 success lessons from Will Smith – “Actor, Producer, Rapper” for entrepreneurs,
1. Build Up The People Around You
In business, when you take the time to help others achieve success, your efforts are typically rewarded with a network of loyal connections who always have your back. Smith has mastered this behavior. For example, he recently promoted his friend and fellow actor/singer Tyrese on his Facebook page by sharing a picture of Tyrese’s new album.
Smith always supports his family as well, including wife Jada Pinkett Smith and his three children. The two he shares with Jada, 17-year-old Jaden and 14-year-old Willow, have expressed an interest in the entertainment industry and their famous father has backed their endeavors.
2. No Plan B
“Having a plan B only distracts you from Plan A.”
Focus on your goal to the exclusion of everything else. Lack of focus is always the number one reason people fail. Having a plan B may give you some comfort, but that comfort will distract you from plan A. Focusing fully on one thing is the key to success. At the point of making a plan B, deep inside you are believing that plan A would fail, aren’t you? Your plan A should never fail as it is your goal to make sure it succeeds. Don’t make ways for escaping, cut them off. Focus fully, and make it happen. You can do it.
3. Broaden Your Horizons
Whether you’re trying to figure out how to build your brand or working to maintain a successful business, diversification can be the key to lasting success. When you’re willing to branch out a little, you have something to fall back on if one method doesn’t pan out. The multi-talented Smith is the perfect example of this, as he’s enjoyed major success as a rap artist in addition to holding various roles both in front of and behind the camera.
In addition to his entertainment industry pursuits, Smith has also padded his portfolio with a wide variety of investments, including the video-sharing app Viddy, reports Complex. He, Jada, Jay Z and other investors also invested $10 million in the beauty line Carol’s Daughter, reports CNN Money. Smith’s other investments include a Pinterest-like e-commerce site called Fancy, the Philadelphia 76ers and BioBeats, a startup company that turns your vital signs into music.
4. Be Great
“Greatness is not this wonderful, esoteric, elusive, god-like feature that only the special among us will ever taste – you know it’s something that truly exists in all of us. It’s very simple, this is what I believe and I’m willing to die for it. Period. It’s that simple. And that’s all I need to know, so from there you do what you need to do.” – Will Smith
Greatness has never been achieved by people who were striving to be average. In order to do something great, you must be willing to make efforts more than any other people.
5. Nothing Is Impossible
“What’s the point in being realistic?. Edison wasn’t realistic.”
Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished by a realist. Who believed we could fly in 1900? No one cared and believed, but the Wright Brothers did it. Without them, there was no plane today. The world today has been created by the ideas of unrealistic people, who always believed in possibilities while most of the people believed it’s impossible. So don’t be trapped into realistic ideas. Try to see things beyond possibilities and set goals high.
6. Build A Solid Network
Networking is everything in business. It doesn’t matter if you’re building a brand from the ground up or keeping an existing one profitable — who you know can make all the difference. Smith has done a phenomenal job of surrounding himself with the right people from a very young age; he met DJ Jazzy Jeff at a party when he was 16 years old, forming the rap duo that would later win them two Grammys.
After moving to Los Angeles, another of Smith’s contacts — music mogul Quincy Jones — thought that NBC could build a sitcom around him, which of course turned into “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Smith also teamed up with former classmate and film producer James Lassiter to found Overbrook Entertainment.
7. Stay Positive
“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, because hate in your heart will consume you too.”
Always be willing to forgive and move on. In life there are many people who disrespect you and criticize you, but you shouldn’t focus on such people. You need a big heart, and be willing to forgive them, and move on. Don’t listen to pessimists. Listen to the positive ones.
8. Make Informed Decisions
In the business world, be careful not to make impulse decisions. Every move you make needs to be carefully calculated to ensure you’re doing what’s best for your company’s future. In an interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft, Smith explained that he and his manager conducted research on the movie business when he decided to become an actor.
“And we got the top 10 movies of all time, and we realized that 10 out of 10 were special effects movies,” Smith explained. “Nine out of 10 were special effects movies with creatures. And eight out of 10 were special effects movies with creatures and a love story. So ‘Independence Day’ and ‘Men In Black’ were really no-brainers.”
9. Work Harder Than Your Competitors
Having innovative ideas and natural talent is great, but they’ll only get you so far. If you’re willing to work harder than everyone else, you’re much more likely to succeed. Smith credits his strong work ethic for his success. Surprisingly, he said he’s never considered himself to be that talented.
“You know, while the other guy’s sleeping? I’m working,” he told “60 Minutes.” “While the other guy’s eatin’? I’m working. While the other guy’s making love, I mean, I’m making love, too. But I’m working really hard at it.”
10. Make Time For A Personal Life
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to let work take over your life, but that will lead to an inevitable crash and burn. Spending time with family and friends allows you to stay balanced and recharge your energy. Even as one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, Smith has managed to maintain a seemingly happy marriage to Jada — and the two have continuously slammed divorce rumors. He also seems to maintain a close and loving relationship with his children.
