When Will Smith was just 11 years old, his father gave him and his younger brother, Harry, a challenging task. They were to build a new brick wall in front of their father's shop, replacing the old one that was falling apart. Instead of hiring professionals, their father believed that this would be a valuable learning experience for his sons.

At first, the task seemed insurmountable. The wall was massive, standing 12 feet high and stretching 20 feet long. The boys were responsible for every step of the process - digging the foundation, mixing cement, hauling heavy buckets of mortar, and meticulously placing each brick. It was a grueling, labor-intensive project that took almost a year to complete, with the boys working after school, on weekends, and during holidays.

There were many moments when Will felt like giving up, convinced that they would never finish the wall. But his father encouraged them to keep going, advising them to concentrate on laying each brick perfectly, rather than getting overwhelmed by the enormity of the whole project. As time went on, Will began to understand the wisdom in his father's words. He realized that any large goal can be achieved by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

After nearly a year of hard work, the boys finally placed the last brick. Their father looked at the finished wall, expressed his admiration for their work, and then simply returned to his work in the shop. He left his sons with a powerful lesson that day - never doubt that with focus and perseverance, you can accomplish anything. This lesson of persistence, even when faced with daunting challenges, became a guiding principle for Will throughout his life and career.