Hollywood star Will Smith and successful quarterback Tony Romo surprised students at a high school pep rally in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday. The two celebrities were met with excited screams from the teen crowd. They each gave brief speeches about following your dreams to achieve success, and I found myself pretty inspired by Will Smith’s advice, first given to him by Quincy Jones.

There are two things I want to talk about… it’s really for everybody, it’s something that Quincy Jones told me when I started the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Quincy Jones was the person who produced The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I said to him ‘Quincy I want to be the biggest movie star in the world.’ He said, ‘There’s two words I want you to remember… The first word is you have to be fearless… If there is something that you want to do that’s a good thing, people are going to try and stop you from being able to do it. People are going to tell you you’re not good enough, people are going to tell you you’re not smart enough, people are going to tell you ‘Ooh you’re going to get hurt… they’re going to kill you…’ So you must be fearless. When you stand in front of something your heart is going to beat a little bit, but don’t be paralyzed, don’t get stuck by that fear. Take that step fearlessly toward that thing that you want.

The second word is relentless and relentless means you absolutely positively will not stop until you achieve that thing that you want. You must be relentless. People are going to talk about you, people are going to beat on you, people are going to try and stop you, the world is going to be heavy on you, but when you want something and you dream about something do not stop no matter what. Do not stop going for that thing that you want.

[Transcribed from Will Smith’s talk at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, TX on 11/18/08, video above]

Romo talked about how people told him he couldn’t make it as a free agent in football, but he said he took a realistic look at himself and worked on what he needed to change to meet his goal and improve. He also said that you can make improvements and “turn it around” in every area of your life, like school, your relationships, faith and in sports. Romo then led the crowd in a chant and clap that he says the Cowboys do before every game.

Romo and Smith were riling up the crowd for an upcoming state volleyball championship and district football game. Will Smith was said to have been in the area to promote his film Seven Pounds, which is out in the US December 19. The two also requested a private meeting with the football team, volleyball team and cheerleaders. Students in that meeting said Will sang for them. One kid who asked Smith to hug him said of the experience “Have you ever been hugged by Will Smith? Both of them made us feel special.”

Thanks to OK! Magazine for the heads up on this story. Image below via Dallas News.