In case you’re not familiar with him, Jaden Smith is the son of famous actor, rapper and Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith. Following in his dad’s footsteps Jaden has made it big as a rapper and actor at the impressive age of 16.
Since his first film appearance in 2006 alongside his dad in The Pursuit of Happyness, Jaden’s career has continued to grow. He starred in the remake of Karate Kid in 2010, featured as a rapper in a Justin Bieber hit song and released his very own mix tape in 2012.
Believe it or not (and many don’t), Jaden is also a philosophical guru. Although we use the term loosely, at best. Check out his popular Twitter account and see for yourself! Although some of Jaden’s updates are somewhat cryptic, we’ve cherry picked the good stuff and it seems that there is a lot to learn from Jaden Smith, especially if you’re a budding entrepreneur. Feeling inspired, we put together a list of 5 important lessons for entrepreneurs from Jaden’s tweets. Enjoy!
1. “Once you go in you always come out alive”
For anyone who is thinking about quitting their 9 – 5 to pursue their own business, these words will give you the push you need. It’s Jaden’s way of saying there is no harm in trying, because at the end of it all you’ll still live. So if you’re pondering taking the plunge and becoming a full-time entrepreneur – what are you waiting for? Just give it a try and we’ve no doubt you’ll come out alive.
2. “All the rules in this world were made by someone no smarter than you. So make your own.”
With these words it seems Jaden is challenging society. He reminds us that rules are man-made and we have the power to make our own. For entrepreneurs this means ruling yourself, setting your own boundaries and lifting barriers where they need to be lifted. It’s about trusting your instincts and doing what’s best for you.
Obviously, Jaden still wants us all to be law-abiding citizens. Let’s not get carried away!
3. “Disregard everything you know and do what you feel”
We couldn’t think of a better quote out there for entrepreneurs. After all, entrepreneurship is about trusting your instincts and going with your gut. Following your business dream and breaking the mould is the only way to see success. Jaden has once again reignited that fire to make you do what you feel is right.
4. “Once you witness a cycle enough times you step out of it”
As we all know, history will repeat itself, but Jaden is reminding is to not remain in the same cycle. Step out of it and do something different. And for entrepreneurs these words will have a big impact.
If you’ve chosen to ditch the 9-5 job and pursue your own dreams, keep going and don’t become a part of the same repeated cycle.
Do you spend all day every day chasing overdue payments? Find an automated system or outsource the task.
Have you contacted several banks for start-up cash and been denied every time? Go a different way – apply to local angel-investor groups, negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer or launch a crowdfunding campaign. Step out of your cycle.
5. “I hope it doesn’t take for me to die for you to see what I do for you”
Slightly deeper than the rest, this quote from Jaden seems to refer to appreciating what you have when you have it. As an entrepreneur, when things get rough it might seem like everything is going wrong and nothing is going right. Sometimes all you need to do is a take a step back and realise everything you’ve achieved and how far you’ve come. Appreciate what you have when you have it, not when it’s gone.
We hope you enjoyed those pearls of wisdom from Jaden!
