The 2025 Web Summit conference featured many significant moments on its first day, but one of the highlights was actor and media mogul Will Smith's appearance on stage for a live interview with Jay Shetty, the bestselling author and host of the "On Purpose" podcast. Their conversation focused on Will Smith’s journey from music to Hollywood and his views on success.
اضافة اعلان
Will Smith, who owns the media production company Westbrook and is also the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, is one of Hollywood's top businessmen and a first-tier box office star.
Don’t Lose the Sense of Fear
Will Smith began by discussing his journey from music to television roles and later to Hollywood films. He shared that with every new stage in his career, he felt fear about transitioning to something new, likening this to the experience portrayed in his film The Pursuit of Happiness.
He explained that every time he moved to a new stage, he had to let go of the mindset he had from his previous successes. He adopted the mentality of a child learning something for the first time, forcing himself to question everything and learn every aspect of his new field, free from the constraints of previous experiences.
Jay Shetty noted that this advice contradicts many popular tips seen on various platforms, which often stress the need to know everything and possess all skills. Will Smith, however, believes that the true key to success lies in questioning everything and acknowledging the things we don’t know, especially in new areas.
Will Smith’s Concept of Success
Will Smith started his journey with a burning desire to be number one in everything he did. He did whatever it took to reach and maintain that position. Over time, he learned the mechanism of success and found that he could succeed in everything he did.
However, his desire evolved into a deep wish to help those around him succeed. He realized his true happiness came from helping others achieve their potential. For Will Smith, success isn’t about beating competitors but about enabling others to succeed. He shared how fans would stop him in the street to thank him for The Pursuit of Happiness, which became a major source of motivation for him to create more work that could touch and help others.
Work-Life Balance
A common question that Will Smith always receives is about balancing personal life and work. He explained that such a balance is impossible without a set of values that adapt to both work and personal life environments.
He pointed out that it would be illogical to have a competitive mindset at work and try to beat everyone, only to return home and apply the same mindset during family time. Instead, you should always focus on the people around you, which allows you to achieve real balance between your personal and work life.
People Always Come First
Will Smith emphasized the importance of the people in his life, whether in his company, personal circle, or even his fans. He shared an example of how the CEO of his company, Westbrook, always starts meetings by asking everyone about their mental state.
Rather than discussing the reasons behind their mental states, the CEO uses a traffic light system, asking attendees to categorize their feelings as green, yellow, or red without explanation. This helps in adapting conversations and actions based on everyone’s emotional state, whether it's praise or constructive feedback.
Will Smith highlighted that this method fosters success within the company, promoting openness to criticism. He also observed that some people even use this system with their children at home, focusing on their feelings without getting into the reasons behind them.
In Conclusion
Will Smith concluded by emphasizing the importance of the individual's role in society. He believes that the more positive and helpful a person is to others, the more successful they become.
