A living legend.
Will Smith is hands down one of the greatest entertainers of our time.
Born Willard Carroll Smith, Jr. in West Philadelphia on September 25, 1968, the rapper turned actor got his start in 1981 after forming a group with friend and classmate Jeffrey Townes, also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff.
The two focused on crafting a hip hop sound with Smith on the mic and Townes on the turntables, releasing their first single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble,” as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince in 1986. The album, Rock the House, followed the single and the two continued to pump out music.
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In 1988, they got their big break with the release of their classic song “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The song catapulted the duo into fame and won them a Grammy Award, making history as recipients of the first ever Grammy presented in the rap performance category.
Two years later, television producers picked up Smith to create a sitcom loosely based around his life. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air became a cult class, running on NBC for six seasons and winning two Golden Globe Awards, cementing Smith as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
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Smith continued to make waves over the years, starring in blockbuster hits such as Independence Day, Men in Black, and Bad Boys, raking up a treasure trove of awards, accolades and even more Grammys for music simultaneously, dropping several soundtracks and solo albums.
He went on to marry actress and producer Jada Pinkett-Smith and raise three beautiful children, Tre, Jaden and Willow. Together, the family has made immense strides in entertainment and in the world, investing in a financial literacy app for teens, helping to raise more than $50 million to fight homelessness, and founding an environmentally friendly water company that provides water to those in need across the globe.
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The Philly native is one of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest stars. Despite giving us some of the most memorable television, film, and music ever, he has also managed to share priceless wisdom.
Below we’ve compiled 10 powerful quotes from Will Smith to live by courtesy of EverydayPower.
“Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”
“Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real but fear is a choice.”
“There’s no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.”
“If you’re not making someone else’s life better, then you’re wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.”
“The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is, I am not afraid to die on a treadmill. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things. You are getting off first. Or I am going to die. It’s that simple.”
“Don’t chase people. Be yourself, do your own thing and work hard. The right people – the ones who really belong in your life – will come to you and stay.”
“The separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.”
“You can’t be scared to die for the truth. The truth is the only thing that is ever going to be constant.”
“Greatness is not this wonderful, esoteric, elusive, godlike feature that only the special among us will ever taste, it’s something that truly exists in all of us.
“Being realistic is the quickest path to mediocrity.”
Thank you for everything Will!
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