Stephen A. Smith opens up about what motivated his dreams: 'Your own ambition kicks in'

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Stephen A. Smith: If it's easy, it ain't worth having

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith joins 'Jesse Watters Primetime' to discuss the obstacles he overcame on his road to success and Super Bowl LVII.

Not many know about the hardships ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith faced as a child, but he opened up about how those hardships shaped his ambition to be the best he could be.

Smith recently released his memoir, "Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes." It delves into how Smith overcame a strenuous relationship with his father early on, a point that he discussed on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

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"At a very young age, when my father had doubts, I was definitely hellbent on proving him wrong," Smith said. "But as time grew on and I saw my mother struggling and suffering because of the kind of positions that he put her in, she ultimately became my ultimate source of motivation."

Smith's father believed him to be a "lost cause" by the third grade, but that pushed Smith to pursue even greater heights.

"Your own ambition and everything else kicks in, and you recognize you've got two choices. You can lay down and do nothing and just disintegrate or you can rise up and strive to be the best that you can be and enjoy the journey along the way, not just the finish line, but the actual journey," Smith said. "Things that are worth having — if it's easy, it ain't worth having. It's the tough road that makes you appreciate what you ultimately end up accomplishing."

ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith reports on the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23, 2022 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.  (Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images)

At ESPN, Smith has become one of the highest-paid sports journalists, but before Smith could write, he had difficulties reading. 

With the help of his mother and sisters, Smith overcame dyslexia and channeled his energy into his passion: sports. Now, Smith is looking to pay it forward.

The "First Take" host explained that his father's treatment of his mother left an impression at a young age. Seeing his mother's situation inspired Smith to follow his "responsibility as a man to provide and protect." 

Now as a father of two daughters, Smith continues to follow that responsibility, but it all began with his mother.

"The ultimate goal was making sure that I was so successful that I would alleviate any concern she ever had in life, and that the later part of her life would be a hell of a lot better than the early stages were with him," Smith said.

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One of Smith's most recognizable qualities is his distaste for the Dallas Cowboys. A reporter in Philadelphia for much of his career, Smith often pokes fun at the Philadelphia Eagles' NFC East rivals and their fans during his shows.

"It's quite lovely to know that the Dallas Cowboys are probably in Cabo or someplace else other than playing football," Smith told Eagles fan Jesse Watters. "They won't let you down. They'll falter when it counts most."

Jalen Hurts #1 and A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles react against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on November 14, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

With the Eagles set to square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, Smith weighed in on Sunday's matchup.

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"You can expect a thriller. Philadelphia is the most complete team in the NFL this year," Smith said. 

"But on the other side of that football is a champion… His name is Patrick Mahomes."