Meet Matthew McConaughey
You’ve likely seen Matthew McConaughey in one of his movies, like “Dazed and Confused,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” or “A Time to Kill.” He has a long list of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club.” He’s also the author of a hugely successful book called “Greenlights.” The book is a memoir that includes many of his old journal posts from years back. But, it also includes information on how he manages setbacks and overcomes obstacles.
Why Matthew McConaughey Is Mentally Strong
Matthew shares how he likes challenging himself in life; when things become too easy for him, he changes what he’s doing. For example, he challenged himself to take on new acting roles. Even though starring in romantic comedies was easy and lucrative, he took a break from doing them to find new roles. It took a few years, but he eventually got cast in dramatic roles that challenged him to do something different. He also shares how some of the most challenging things he’s done have been the most significant learning experiences of his life. For example, he spent a year in Australia before becoming an actor. Living with strangers, learning a new culture, and being away from his friends and family challenged him in new ways.
What You’ll Hear on the Show
The concern I had about his book and his response to it Why he decided to write his own book even though most celebrities hire ghostwriters How he turns a crisis into an opportunity How to recognize the greenlights in your life and what to do when you encounter yellow lights and red lights How to become more involved and less impressed How to grow more comfortable being by yourself and what you can learn from time alone What he learned about himself when he looked back through his 37 years of journal entries
Quotes From Matthew
“The times where I was at my lowest had value.” “I’m not for the delusional optimism of a Hallmark card that says, ‘Hey, look on the bright side.’ I’m just saying, ‘No, actually look at the hard side.’ Look at how it’s empty, but don’t wallow there.” “I got more involved, less impressed with trying to be impressive, as a writer, and I think I became a better writer for it.”
More About Greenlights
Matthew’s book is filled with stories from various periods in his life and the lessons he learned along the way. He talks about what it was like growing up in his home, how he got into acting, and how he got married and started a family. He briefly mentions incidents of sexual abuse in the book. And he details several incidents of violence between his parents. He includes a picture of his mother’s crooked finger, stating his father broke it on four separate occasions—something he also references in the podcast.
More About the Podcast
The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.
