Priyanka Chopra Jonas Shines at Abu Dhabi’s Bridge Summit 2025: “I had to fight for years before I got my first real break in Hollywood”

Abu Dhabi: Priyanka Chopra Jonas captivated audiences on the second day of the Bridge Summit 2025, delivering a powerful and deeply personal address on ambition, social media pressures, and the art of balancing multiple roles in a demanding world.

“We give too much importance to things that barely consume anyone else’s attention. Focus on your dreams, your growth, your legacy not someone else’s post,” she told delegates, setting the tone for an introspective and inspiring session.

The global superstar who has seamlessly navigated Bollywood, Hollywood, music, and entrepreneurship spoke candidly about the challenges of modern life, particularly the emotional toll of constant online comparison. “Scrolling constantly, comparing yourself to curated snapshots, can consume your mental space. Social media is a tool… and we need to use it for connection, not validation,” she said.

Chopra Jonas explained that she has a personal social-media policy designed to protect her mental health. “I decide how I engage, what I focus on, and what I ignore… I know when it becomes harmful. You have to take back control, or it takes control of you.”

Her reflections expanded into her broader life philosophy, one she likens to a juggling act. “Life keeps handing you more: a new business, a new child, a new responsibility. You’re juggling everything, trying not to drop a ball… but some balls are made of crystal.”

A mentor once told her that while experience helps one juggle better, it also teaches which balls must never break. For Chopra Jonas, those are family and home. “My greatest accomplishment isn’t a movie or a show. It’s building a home where my family can feel rested. I guard my family and my sanity fiercely  everything else can bounce back.”

She also reflected on her early years in Hollywood, a period marked by typecasting and limited opportunities. “When I first moved to America… many roles were written with stereotypes. I had to fight for years before I got my first real break a role where I could just be an American character, not defined by my ethnicity.”

Chopra Jonas stressed the power of strategic choices, referencing Matthew McConaughey’s famous refusal of a $14.5-million typecast role. “One ‘no’ can change the trajectory of your career,” she said, urging individuals to define their purpose and guard their professional integrity.

Ambition, she noted, must be balanced with self-awareness. Using a gym analogy, she said, “Your mind will sell you the idea that you’ve done enough, but the challenge is knowing when to push and when to rest.” She dispelled the myth of constant productivity, explaining that her ability to choose fewer commitments today was earned through years of relentless work often at the cost of personal moments and family milestones.

She spoke about how her priorities have evolved: “When I started, I said yes to everything. Now I say yes with intention… I think about the impact on my family, my sanity, and my long-term goals.”

Throughout her keynote, Chopra Jonas encouraged the audience to resist limitations and embrace their full potential. “We’re a beautiful collection of talents. A doctor can play the violin. A mother can run a business. We should resist being boxed in.”

Her words resonated with the summit’s mission of fostering leadership and innovation across industries. Blending professional insight with personal honesty, Chopra Jonas delivered a compelling message about resilience, boundaries, and clarity of purpose.

She concluded by returning to her central metaphor: “You can do a lot, but the real skill is knowing what cannot break your family, your sanity, the things that define you. Everything else can bounce back.”

In an era dominated by digital pressure and hyper-visibility, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ message at Bridge Summit 2025 stood out as both a roadmap for ambition and a guide to personal well-being, demonstrating how even amid global fame, balance and groundedness remain achievable.