Maybe Chris Gardner’s name doesn’t tell you much, but if I ask you about the movie where Will Smith slept with his son in public bathrooms and went from homeless to millionaire, you know what I’m talking about. . Chris Gardner was the man who lived that story, he was the entrepreneur who made the decision to want to change his condition, he was the man who pledged to leave a legacy for all those who want to fulfill a dream.
Chris’s life (before where the movie begins) was not easy at all. His father left home, her mother was beaten by her stepfather and in a desperate attempt to change the situation, her mother was jailed for trying to burn down the house with her stepfather inside.
Not having anyone to take care of him, he entered a juvenile center where he was raped at the age of 8.
Years later he entered the US Navy Medical Corps and soon after married Sherry Dyson. By the time he turned 29, he got Jackie Medina pregnant and eventually divorced Sherry.
After a few years he went through different jobs and it was on a sales visit that he met the man who would make him choose his destiny, a businessman named Bob Bridges, well dressed in a Ferrari.
For those who saw the movie, they will know everything that he had to go through (if you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?!). From all the comings and goings in Chris’ life we can rescue 3 lessons of success:
Advice from the millionaire who inspired the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”
1. Do what you are passionate about.
“If you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, you’re just a slave to money,” says Gardner.
At first his main motivation was money, but over time he understood that his drive must be caused by something stronger. He understood that only by doing what he was really passionate about could he overcome the potholes where strength was not enough and he wanted to give up.
2. Be the best you can be.
You don’t want to live with the remorse of thinking what would have happened if you had only given your 100%. Always do your best.
For Gardner, the best influence against that thought was his mother, who despite the difficulties and having had to leave his passion for teaching and accept part-time jobs to support his family always told him: You can only depend on yourself , the cavalry is not coming to your rescue. She led him to believe that it was worth having dreams to fight for and we are all witnesses that he achieved them.
3. Give back to yours.
No matter how far you’ve come, the road had a beginningand that is where you should help.
Gardner is known for his financial contributions to many causes: He invests in projects in South Africa with the aim of creating more jobs. In the city of San Francisco, he founded a multimillion-dollar project that creates hundreds of jobs and builds low-cost housing. He also helped youth in Chicago connect with companies to get jobs.
Gardner tells of the satisfaction he gets from walking through some cities and hearing: Hello, you probably don’t remember me but thanks for helping me. For him, that is the best way to honor his mother.
He went through many difficult situations, managed to become a stockbroker, became the best in his field, became independent, founded his own company and is now an example for all entrepreneurs.
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