Will Smith Credits His Success to This

Will Smith is smart.

He was an excellent student and qualified for an engineering course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But he doesn’t credit his success to his intelligence.

Will Smith didn’t have any intention of going to college. Instead, he began his adult life as the lead singer of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The group went on to win the first-ever Grammy in the Rap category.

But he doesn’t credit his success to his talent for singing.

Smith’s acting career began in 1990 when NBC signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and ran for nearly six years.

But he doesn’t credit his success to comedic ability — he can be rib-ticklingly funny.

Smith’s big jump from television to film came with his role in the huge blockbuster, Independence Day. Smith is the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million at the domestic box office. He’s been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards.

But he doesn’t credit his success to his strong acting.

To get his gigs, Smith has probably been in the right place at the right time.

But he doesn’t credit his success to luck.

There is little doubt Will Smith has put in the effort, he has an array of music singles, albums, videos and live performances. He has many television credits — The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alone ran for 148 episodes over six seasons. He has starred in 47 films, as many as five in a year.

But he doesn’t credit his success to his work ethic.

So what does Will Smith credit his success to if it isn't his intelligence, his talent, luck or work ethic?

Will Smith credits his success to the people around him and he gives sound advice about it: His prerequisite for spending time with any person is that they nourish and inspire you, they feed your flame.

There were very few times in Will Smith’s life that he didn’t find himself surrounded by a person who believed and supported him. He rattles off Jazzy Jeff, Alfonso Ribeiro, and his wife, Jada, as examples.

Jazzy Jeff was one half of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, along with Will Smith.

Alfonso Ribeiro played the character, Alfonso Spears, alongside Smith in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is his wife, an American actress, screenwriter, producer, talk show host, businesswoman, and an occasional singer-songwriter.

For Will Smith, there has always been someone beside him fanning his flames.

“Look at your last five text messages,” he says. “Are those people feeding your flames or dousing your fire?”

Will Smith tells us to stop what we are doing and look around. Pay attention to what the people you surround yourself with are saying and doing.

Do they give you a boost when they speak to you or do they make you sad? Are they talking you up to other people or pointing out your faults?

“Are they throwing logs on your fire or are they pissing on it?”

The people you spend your time with are going to make or break your dreams. Are they at pains to point your last mistake or your last success? In company, can they not wait to relate that embarrassing story they always tell about you or do they sell people on your best qualities?

Do the people around say, ‘I told you so,’ when you fail or are they invested in your goals and dreams. How much support do they truly provide?

As Will Smith advises:

“Not everyone deserves to be in your life — only those people who fan your flames.”