The Pursuit of Happiness, starring Will and Jaden Smith is a story that documents a series of failures, defeats, and missed opportunities. This movie is an autobiography of the true life experiences of Mr. Christopher Paul Gardner. He is the owner and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC. Born February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy.
He became a working, single father who struggled to build a future for himself and his son; his determination finally paid off. He landed his dream job. With self confidence he rose above his obstacles. He continued to press on with a positive outlook. Regardless of the outside distractions he maintained a “can do” attitude. He was determined to make it! Once he landed his dream job, he surrounded himself with like-minded people. He was persistent, even during his lowest points in life. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you.
Many of the characteristics portrayed in the movie are common to what is needed to keep a successful college career. To be successful you must first see yourself that way. You have to keep a healthy attitude, meditate on your goals, and take action! In order to get something different, you have to do something different. Often times you have to just “go for it”, against all odds and what it looks like. Here on campus everyone has their own individual goals, however the common motivator is the thirst for knowledge. As a student you have to be determined to pursue your dreams and put in the extra effort to make your college journey as