Chris Gardner’s Real 'Pursuit of Happyness'

In a holiday movie season full of Oscar hopefuls, “The Pursuit of Happyness” is hoping to break away from the pack. The film dramatizes the true story of Chris Gardner’s extraordinary journey from homelessness to success as a stockbroker, all while supporting his young son as a single father. Starring Will Smith (nominated for a Golden Globe for best actor) and his son Jayden, the film chronicles Gardner’s Horatio Alger tale of rags to riches, but Gardner says the financial freedom he now enjoys is not what is really important in life.

Gardner spoke with Beliefnet about his definition of success, how to achieve it, and how his mother’s “spiritual genetics” set his determined wheels in motion.


Do you think successes like yours are rare in the world?

First of all, you have to define success. For me, it wasn’t about the money. Money is the least significant aspect of wealth. My life story is really about so many people who have connected in so many ways. In the movie alone, for instance, you can see that it is not about me. It is about every father who has ever also had to be a mother, and every mother who has also had to be a father.

It’s about every parent who didn’t have a parent and tried to give their child something that they did not have. And also, at the same time, it’s about everyone who ever had a dream, and everybody was telling them no you can’t do that, it won’t happen. But they made it happen anyway. So, it’s not about me--it’s bigger than me.

In the film, there are moments of tension between the good moral side of you and the cutthroat business side. Do you think the film did a good job of reconciling the two?

Absolutely, and that’s why I was there everyday for 17 weeks of filming. And none of us are all good, pure, and true. All of us have multi-facets to our lives--thank God. And that provides the balance. But I’m very, very happy with the direction of the movie, no doubt.

What were some of the things that you imparted to your son along the way? What were some of the key lessons that you wanted him to learn?

The most important that he has taken away is that the most important thing about being a man is being responsible. And because I broke the cycle of men who are not there for their children, I’m going to have an influence on generations of my offspring that I probably will never meet. And that all started with me breaking the cycle here.

A lot of people are wondering, why is “happyness” spelled with a “y” in the title of the movie?

There was a place called “Happyness” that became very, very important to my son and I. They spelled happiness with a “y.” It was Happyness Daycare Center. In the film and on the cover of the book, the Y is in a different color. I wanted that for a very particular reason because I want people to start thinking about, well, you and your happiness and what makes you happy. And everyone you talk to today is probably going to have a different definition of happiness.

What constitutes happiness for you and your family?

I am healthy. As a single parent with a lot of help, I’ve raised two children that have become fabulous, young people. And I am now in a position to do work that reflects my values that makes me happy.

Did your Christian principles help you to get to where you are now?

Oh, they still do. I was just at church last Sunday. [My faith] is one of the strongest guiding forces in my life.

Continued on page 2: Discover your defining moment.... »