Did you see it? If not you probably heard about it. The slap heard round the world! Will Smith marched onto the stage of the Oscars and slapped comedian Chris Rock in response to a joke he made about Smith’s wife. He returned to his seat, and the theater was awkwardly quiet. As the awards fumbled on Will Smith received an incredible piece of advice, whispered to him in the middle of the uncomfortable chaos. This advice is the topic I want to share with you today.
Before Will Smith went up to receive his award (and after the slap) Denzel Washington found Smith and told him; “At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the Devil comes for you.” That bears repeating
“At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the Devil comes for you.”
This means that when you’re in a position of influence, or when your stars finally align, and your hard work and dedication pays off, you need to draw on your core beliefs. As it’s said; what’s in the well comes up in the bucket. When you’re at your highest moment, people are going to come at you, or for you, and that’s when the devil is going to show up.
So how can you win this struggle? How can you continue to stand in the spotlight, and maintain a positive influence? Here are a few suggestions.
Four tips to not slap Chris Rock
- Have rock solid values. Write them out, know them, and reevaluate your values constantly.
- Don’t get above your standing. Your hard work and ethics got you there. Stand for what you believe in, but also be humble.
- Don’t open the door even a little. Guard your mind, emotions, and heart. All it takes is a crack.
- Acknowledge your support system and your team. Surround yourself with people that support you and aren’t just yes men and women. Use this group to help you stay focused ahead.
The Take away
The “Devil” Denzel Washington talked about could be many things. This could be predatory people including family, or it could be critics, or it could even be your own old ghosts. What we can be reminded of from the Oscars this year is to solidify our values, remain humble, don’t give the negative a foothold, and trust yourself and your team to keep you focused on the future. That way when you stand with great achievement and influence, you can stand with confidence and gratitude.
