Will Smith, who considers himself an 'average talent' who achieved success thanks to his obsession over practice and preparation, often attempts to inspire his fans to do the same through his speeches. His words sometimes contain a spiritual undertone, given his Baptist upbringing, even though he declared himself non-religious. He once donated money to Christian ministries, Scientology organizations and a mosque. He also donated money to a private elementary school that he runs with his wife and raised funds for Global Citizen charity by performing a bungee jump in Grand Canyon. Below is a collection of his inspirational quotes from his speeches and interviews. He often urges fans to dream big and strive for success through persistence.
I love being black in America, and especially being black in Hollywood.
Will Smith
I try to speak my points of view about black America, and how I feel about black men and the role that black men should play in their lives with their children and in their lives with their women.
Will Smith
If it was something that I really committed myself to, I don't think there's anything that could stop me becoming President of the United States.
It's quite highly possible that I have peaked. I mean, I just can't imagine what else I could do beyond this. It's really a bittersweet kind of feeling.
Will Smith
My first record came out while I was a senior in high school, which is dangerous.
Will Smith
I love producing. I am loving doing that. I think that is my most natural space in the business. I just love producing or editing and that's where I thrive.
Will Smith
I've never really viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as slightly above average in talent.
My school was 90 percent white, but 90 percent of the kids I played with were black. So I got the best of both worlds. I think that is where my comedy developed.
I was raised in a Baptist household, went to a Catholic church, lived in a Jewish neighborhood, and had the biggest crush on the Muslim girls from one neighborhood over.
Will Smith
There's so much negative imagery of black fatherhood. I've got tons of friends that are doing the right thing by their kids, and doing the right thing as a father - and how come that's not as newsworthy?
Will Smith
When you create art, the world has to wait.
Will Smith
And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy's sleeping? I'm working.
Will Smith
For me, there is nothing more valuable than how people feel in a movie theater about a movie.
I don't know what my calling is, but I want to be here for a bigger reason. I strive to be like the greatest people who have ever lived.
Will Smith
If you're not willing to work hard, let someone else do it. I'd rather be with someone who does a horrible job, but gives 110% than with someone who does a good job and gives 60%.
Will Smith
You can cry, ain't no shame in it.
Will Smith
In my mind, I've always been an A-list Hollywood superstar. Y'all just didn't know yet.
Will Smith
I have a great time with my life, and I wanna share it.
Whatever your dream is, every extra penny you have needs to be going to that.
Will Smith
We all want to be in love and find that person who is going to love us no matter how our feet smell, no matter how angry we get one day, no matter the things we say that we don't mean.
Will Smith
I've always considered myself to be just average talent and what I have is a ridiculous insane obsessiveness for practice and preparation.
Will Smith
Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.
Will Smith
The things that have been most valuable to me I did not learn in school.
Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too.
In black neighborhoods, everybody appreciated comedy about real life. In the white community, fantasy was funnier. I started looking for the jokes that were equally hilarious across the board, for totally different reasons.
