Matthew McConaughey

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” And actor Denzel Washington said, “Goals on the road to achievement cannot be achieved without discipline and consistency.”

In whatever career you find yourself in, can you say with absolute certainty that you’ve been giving it your 100%?

And by 100%, I don’t mean hustling yourself into the ground. I mean working with discipline, purpose, consistency, and passion. I mean leaving behind a legacy of impact, love, and gratitude.

We all experience setbacks throughout our careers and even failures. Sometimes self-doubt creeps in and keeps us from pursuing our goals. But what matters most is how we grow from those experiences to make the most out of this life and who we are meant to be. And this doesn’t just apply to careers — it applies to the way we live our lives. When we are intentional about living out our values, serving others, and exuding positivity wherever we go, we make the world a better place.

My guest today is no stranger to achievement and discipline — he is one of the most well-known and accomplished actors in the world today and continues to find his voice through even more mediums! For today’s episode, I have Academy Award-winning Best Actor Matthew McConaughey here to share about his career in Hollywood, how he navigated self-doubt, and how to leave behind an impactful legacy. 

Who Is Matthew McConaughey?

Matthew McConaughey is an Academy Award-winning actor who has starred in several successful films, which I’m sure you have seen! Matthew graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and originally wanted to be a lawyer, but he got his first big break in acting with the 1993 film Dazed and Confused.

After his big break in acting, Matthew moved to Los Angeles, where he experienced even more fame and starred in productions such as Lone Star and A Time to Kill. In the 2000s, Hollywood began casting Matthew in several iconic romantic comedies, including The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with Kate Hudson. Matthew continued to star in romantic comedies during the 2000s, but at the end of the decade, he decided to take a hiatus and shift the focus of his acting career away from rom-coms.

You may have seen Matthew star in films such as Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street, and the sci-fi thriller Interstellar, but did you know in addition to being a top actor, he’s an author as well? On October 20, 2020, Matthew released his memoir, Greenlights, that includes his classic outlaw wisdom, incredible stories from his career, and the truth about finding greater satisfaction in the midst of fame.

In our interview, Matthew shares some of the wisdom in his new book, Greenlights, opens up about his past, and even takes a moment to examine his life through the eyes of his 60-year-old self. I had such a great time talking with Matthew, and I can’t wait for you guys to listen to everything he has to say!

Values from Our Fathers

One of the most interesting stories from Matthew’s new book came from his experience living in Australia. He was just two weeks out of high school, and he went to live in Australia with a host family for a full year. During that time, he experienced a lot of anxiety and doubt about his identity — without a job, family or friends close by, or even a car to make him feel secure, Matthew began to doubt who he was. 

But then his host family asked him to call them “Mom and Pop,” and something clicked in Matthew’s brain — these people weren’t his real parents, so he couldn’t call them “Mom and Pop.” He refused, and the experience became one of Matthew’s first memories of asserting his own identity.

“That really helped with my sanity, to have that sort of something that was so clear to me, that was black and white. … It’s hard to find those things in life, in general.” – Matthew McConaughey

Matthew’s father had a HUGE influence on his life — he couldn’t simply call someone else “Pop!” Matthew inherited his strong sense of values from his father. Those values made him the man he is today.

That became especially clear when Matthew’s father passed away when he was just two days into shooting his first film ever, Dazed and Confused. I can really relate to Matthew — my father was in a massive car accident, and ever since he has just not been himself, and it’s been hard to maintain that emotional connection with him. I know what it’s like to basically lose a father, and at the same time, lose that emotional connection and that guiding light for developing my values. That’s why I was excited to ask Matthew about the values he’s inherited from his dad.

“What I can really speak to is that I manned-up when he moved on. … It was the beginning of understanding, what are the choices you make? … The choices we make [are] the compounding assets for our future. How do we be more true and kind to our future selves? How do we start making … choices that, by hook or by crook, they’re going to be brave, courageous choices that you can look in the mirror, if it works, and go, ‘Yup, I’m responsible,’ and if they don’t work, … ‘Yup, that’s on me.’” – Matthew McConaughey

Those values of integrity, responsibility, and bravery are incredible gifts Matthew received from his father. I want to acknowledge Matthew for consistently displaying those values in the way he lives his life — they’re definitely part of what makes him a great man.

How can you be more true and kind to your future self? How can you make brave choices and take responsibility for their consequences? It’s not always easy, but living life with that kind of integrity and honesty is honorable and inspiring.

Unbranding and Rebranding

That commitment to taking responsibility for his choices led Matthew to do something radical in the middle of his career — he totally walked away from Hollywood.

How many of you remember movies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Wedding Planner, and Failure to Launch? Those romantic comedies defined the genre, and for a while, they defined Matthew McConaughey’s movie career. Everyone in Hollywood knew him as “the rom-com guy,” running around on the beach with his shirt off. And those movies were fun, but eventually, Matthew realized that he’d been labeled. Suddenly, he only got offers to be in those types of movies, and he struggled to get work in films that held a wider interest for him.

“I was like, ‘Ah, I wish I could find some work that would challenge the vitality and … great drama I have in my own life.’ Those things weren’t coming to me. So, since they weren’t coming to me, I decided to stop what I was doing … [and] I moved down to Texas. You didn’t see me on the beach. You didn’t see me in the rom-com. You didn’t see me in the tabloids. … Then nothing came in for about ten months. … All of a sudden, I became a new, good idea — McConaughey for Killer Joe, Magic Mike, Mud, True Detective, Dallas Buyers. All of a sudden, I was a new, novel, good idea. Why? Because I’d unbranded.” – Matthew McConaughey

In the business and self-help spaces, we talk a lot about branding — it’s important to have a clear brand identity so that your clients or followers know who you are.

But sometimes, your personality identity changes. You grow and evolve, and your brand identity no longer embodies your authentic self. That’s okay! In fact, it’s wonderful to keep growing. But sometimes you just have to take a step back and disconnect from your old brand identity so that you can build a new one.

Who are you in your business? How are you showing up on social media? Have you spent time creating a specific brand voice that no longer matches your identity? That’s okay! Matthew McConaughey was once known as “the rom-com guy,” but now he’s known as an Oscar-winning dramatic actor. If you need to take time to unbrand and rebrand yourself, do it! You’ll be happier doing work that feels more authentic and fulfilling.