3 minutes of stillness
Brick by brick
Will Smith’s autobiography, Will, is a fascinating journey through a life shaped by inner calling, relentless discipline, and the kind of trust that sees possibility in every step.
One of the most powerful and transformative metaphors in the book is the wall, built one brick at a time.
In the summer of 1980, fresh out of school, Will and his brother Carroll walked into their father’s shop and found something unexpected waiting for them—a surprise that would become the most important lesson of their childhood.
Where there used to be a wall, there was now… nothing.
They looked at their dad, confused.
“I want you to build me a wall,” he said.
Will and Carroll were stunned. They were just kids. They had no clue how to build a wall.
But their father’s voice left no room for negotiation, so they got to work. Every single day, they showed up, got their hands dirty, and laid one brick after another.
It became a ritual. A meditation. A practice.
And after 18 months, they laid the final brick.
As the boys stood back, staring at what had now become their wall, their father came out, looked it over, and said:
“Don’t you ever tell me there’s something you can’t do.”
Over the next 40 years, Will Smith became a global sensation. From music to sitcoms, from box office hits to global stardom, he grew into one of the most recognized Black actors in the world—and a symbol of the American Dream.
Will calls that wall the most important lesson of his life. Looking back, he’s built his entire life that same way: brick by brick.
Here’s what it taught me:
Big, ambitious goals can be deeply motivating—but also intimidating. The size of the dream can paralyze us if we stare at the whole thing too long. But if we focus, day by day, on laying just one more brick, we begin to master the art of steady progress. And just like compound interest, time and consistency can turn a few bricks into a wall.
The difference between something that feels impossible and something that feels doable is often just perspective. The wall feels overwhelming. The brick feels manageable. When we shift our attention to the next small step, everything changes.
That’s why any challenge—no matter how big, daunting, or impossible it may seem—can be broken down into small, simple actions. One brick at a time. The shift in perspective makes it easier: now, the only job is to lay the next brick just right.
The stories we tell ourselves are crafted by the resistance that lives within us. Resistance loves the safety of what’s familiar over the uncertainty of our calling. It keeps us small. It traps us in narratives that seem protective—but often turn into the very walls that block us from growth, connection, and the evolution we long for.
One goal.
One wall.
One brick.
The sustained practice—done for its own sake—shapes the master.
Will put it best, with his usual raw simplicity:
“The secret to my success is as boring as it is unsurprising: You show up and you lay another brick.”
Something to think about…
I’ve realized that for some reason, God placed the most beautiful things in life on the other side of our worst terrors. If we are not willing to stand in the face of the things that most deeply unnerve us, and then step across the invisible line into the land of dread, then we won’t get to experience the best that life has to offer.
- Will Smith
Will Smith x Rick Rubin
In his conversation with Rick Rubin, Will Smith reflects on the deep connection between laughter, safety, and love—and how storytelling became his gateway to true human connection.
After achieving the Hollywood dream he once visualized, he realized the real journey was inward.
True transformation, he says, begins when we use our goals not as trophies for the ego, but as levers for inner growth and authentic contribution. Art, at its best, can’t be systemized—it’s born in the unpredictable magic of the moment. And success? It comes when we create from the soul, with the intention to move hearts, not markets.
"Day by day, stone by stone, build your secret slowly. Day by day, you'll grow too. You'll know heaven's glory." Your beautiful reflection reminds me of these lyrics from one of my favorite soundtracks ever, from "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" by Donovan. Brick by brick, we build our dreams, even the ones we haven't yet dreamed.