So I stripped down to nothing. If I win, I will be happy. I was no longer in a rush to get anywhere. See, I forgave myself that morning. You just did it. Number five. Find the courage to overcome them or see clearly that they are not really worth prevailing over. And, boy, was I shocked. And I say if happiness is what youre after, then youre going to be let down frequently and youre going to be unhappy much of your time. It was awesome. Guess which column was empty? I was asking myself, whats the reality in this and whats the bullshit? Maybe its a healthy family. Teachers, mentors, the government and laws, they all give us guidelines for which to navigate this life. We get better at them. Ive had quite a few written by the more talented critics. Do yourself a favor. I stuttered a moment. It means you have more knowledge in a specific subject, vocation. Number two. So the question that we got to ask ourselves is what success is to us? You, customize your future. You want to ask her out but you fear she may say no. You want to ask for that promotion but youre scared your boss will think youre overstepping your bounds. We can see the beautiful world around us. And dont get paralyzed by denying that they exist and therefore abandoning your need overcome them. It's great to. Giving thanks for that which we do have, for what is working, appreciating the simple things we sometimes take for granted. My face was everywhere, everyone wanted a piece of me, people Id never met were swearing they loved meeverywhere I went, there I was, on a billboard, a magazine cover. Ive never have my jeans pressed again. Dont get all macho and act like theyre no big deal, and dont get paralyzed by denying they exist and therefore abandoning your need to overcome them. A sugar doughnut or some oatmeal? Congratulations class of 2015. "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." ~ Mahatma Gandhi. The adventure never ends because we are always on our way. In 1995, I got my first big paycheck as an actor. McConaughey here. Discover." ~ Mark Twain. Matthew McConaughey: (04:10) Now, at this time in his life, Larry was in the prime of this country music career. More money? Because their displeasure actually uncovers and makes more apparent what I do, do well, what I am successful at, and then I dissect that. man flies a suicide jet into the World Trade Center, millions die from diseases that we have cures for, Bob the builder swears hell have your house built by Thanksgiving and you cant move in til Christmas, THE NEXT YEAR Our best friend lies to us, and WE, lie to our self, all the timeunbelievable? Here is the full transcript from the video from the Matthew McConaughey video . We obsess on them. I need the respect of my peers. In fact, 13 has been a pretty lucky number for me and I want to tell you how. Or, some cops who got a disturbing the peace call at 2:30 in the morning because you were playing bongos in your birthday suit. It is not. I seriously love that guy. My face was everywhere. What are crumbs? And this was a time when a high school GED got you a job, and the college degree was exemplary. THESE ARE CRUMBS! You witnessed it. I think fear is a good thing. He told him how embarrassed he was and how he had lost his way in the midst of all this fame and fortune. However his speech was quite inspirational. As much because he felt so disrespectful to Coach Royal, and as much because hed obviously gotten too comfortable with the drug to even hide as well as he should. To say, What an unbelievable play! It was an unbelievable book, film, act of couragereally? Did I want to stand up here at a podium and read you your rights? Its a heck of a deal. DISSECT YOUR SUCCESSES (and the reciprocity of gratitude). NUMBER 1, LIFES NOT EASYdont try and make it that way. I've had my heart broken. But unbelievable? What was reality and what was bullshit? In a mere two quarters, defensive coordinator, Jim Eddy went from being called the defensive coordinator of the year and the man first in line to be a head coach next year, to a man without a job in the NFL. I was nervous before I got here to speak tonight. Sure, he's got a nice face and a great body, but he is so much more than those things. You know what Im talking about? All of these badges and banners and expectations and anxieties I was carrying with me. I never thought about if I really wanted it. Usually because were not in the right place to do so. I have. Many of you dont even have a job at all. Make the choices, the purchase TODAY that PAYS you back TOMORROW. Speaking to some 4,000 graduates, he shared personal stories and lessons he hoped would . First, we have to put ourselves in the place to receive the truth. 7. That college degree? It was just weird. And when we do this, the race is never over, the journey has no port. After a number of supporting roles, his first success as a leading man came in the legal drama A Time to Kill (1996). What was up ahead. So here we go. Schedule it. One was in high school in the early 1970sa time when a high school GED got you a job and college degree was exemplary. He was embarrassed. All right. Matthew McConaughey makes emotional plea for gun reform at White House: 'A non-partisan issue' Actor and Uvalde native speaks at the White House press briefing following the Texas school shooting. A grateful person finds happiness even in small things in life. Its really simple and it works. Larry confessed. We give thanks for these things and that gratitude reciprocates, creating more to be thankful for. AND ITS NOT OUR RIGHT TO SAY OR BELIEVE IT IS. I discarded my lucky and faithful American cap, stripped off my talismans from adventures past. Defining ourselves by what we are not is the first step that leads us to really knowing who we are. Even the local Sherpas I was traveling with, they noticed calling out to me. So, while were here, and theyre going to run across the jumbotron, lets make it a place where we break a sweat. Build with the best speech-to-text APIs around. Actor Matthew McConaughey made an impassioned speech at the White House reflecting on the mass shooting that occurred in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas. Or say my spiritual health could use some maintenance. That side when we humans underperform or act out of our best character. I felt free and light. And since we are the architects of our own lives, lets study the habits, the practices, the routines that we have that lead to and feed our success, our joy, our honest pain, our laughter, our earn tears. Or maybe youve had that feeling of, oh my god, life just cannot get any better than this moment. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. A limit where we think its all too good to be true. A roof is a man-made thing. Me, I graduated HS in 1988, got my college degree in 93. Transcripts & captions for a better media workflow. DONT LEAVE CRUMBSand the beauty of delayed gratification. Again, these are not societal laws and expectations that we acknowledge and endow for anyone other than ourselves. To actually take it into our daily lives and practice it. The sooner that we become less impressed with our life, with our accomplishments, with our career, with whatever that prospect is in front of us, the sooner we become less impressed and more involved with that and these things, the sooner we get a whole lot better at doing it. Why? Okay. McConaughey delivered a passionate 20-minute speech, after meeting with President Joe Biden, at the podium of the White House press briefing room while wearing a black suit with a Texas pin. I thought about what you might NEED. Now, personally as an actor, I started enjoying my work and literally being more happy when I stopped trying to make the daily labor a means to a certain end. So, Im going to talk to you about some things Ive learned along my journeymost from experience, some I heard in passing, many Im still practicing, but ALL of them, true. Matthew McConaughey: (00:01) We have to have them. I just want to be happy. I hear that all the time. Before his appearance in the. If we can do that, then we have what I believe is heaven right here on earth. Sometimes we do not like what we see. I hate that line. Process of elimination is the first step to our identity (a.k.a where you are NOT is as important as where you are). Dolby Theater, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA [AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio] Thank you. And I got back in good graces with my God and I shook hands with myself. If we do THAT, then comes the third part: .having the patience to internalize itand get it from our intellectual head and into our bones and soul and our instinct. It is an if-then quid pro quo, standard that we can not sustain because we raise it every time we attain it. Not the lowered insurance rate for a good driving record, you will not be fined or put in jail if you do not gratify the obligations I speak ofno one else governs these but you. An honest mans pillow is his peace of mind, and when you lay down on the pillow at night, no matter whos in our bed we ALL sleep alone. Acknowledge acts of greatness as real, and do NOT be naive about mankinds capacity for evil nor be in denial of our own shortcomings. I've had plenty experience with grief. Matthew McConaughey: (40:56) Get over it and get on with it. Well, I did NOT want it there. !meaning you are light in Spanish. How about that bar that we keep going to that we always seem to have the worst hangover from? A few hours later I returned to camp and packed for my continued journey onto Machu Pichu. I needed to free myself from them Who was I? Id argue that our cultural values have even been financializedhumility is not in vogue anymore, its too passive. Also, we should be grateful for the eyes. They aim on the other side of the target. Life is not easy. The sooner we become LESS IMPRESSEDwith our life, our accomplishments, our career, the prospect in front of us. He was ashamed. Read the transcript of his speech here. What happens when we get that feeling? We end up intoxicated with them to the point of disillusion. Or how about that bar we keep going to that we always seem to have the worst hangover from? It shouldnt ever come out of our mouths. "My experience in workeven going to work with Scorseseis that people always think there's some magic trick. I love what Im doing. I was present, I was out of my own way. In 2015, Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey gave the commencement address at University of Houston. [inaudible 00:07:00]. Thirteens never done me wrong. For me, that initiation period usually last about 13 days, 13 hellish days until Im out of my own way. Lets admit it. I mean, I think the answer, its always right there, right there. Because were not looking at the clock. Life is not a popularity contest. We shouldnt create these restrictions on ourselves. Actor Matthew McConaughey delivered an emotional address at the White House where he shared details about the school aged victims of the Uvalde shooting massacre. And from that morning on, the adventure was awesome. It is result. It was not a free pass go to anything. These are the choices I speak of and this is the beauty of delayed gratification. I dont. To say, what an unbelievable play. But if we stay in process within ourselves in the joy of the doing, we will never choke at the finish line. All reasonable aspirations but truth is, as soon as the WORK, the MAKING of the movie, the DOING of the deed became the reward in itselfI got more box-office, more accolades and respect than Id ever had before. No, were in process. Or you will two, see more clearly that theyre not really worth prevailing over. Should never come out of our mouths. Now, at that moment for the first time in this trip, I had stopped anticipating what was around the corner. Read next: 4 Commencement Speeches to Get You Through the Work Week, Alan Alda to Grads: Everything in Life Takes Time, Bernard Harris to Grads: You Are an Infinite Being With Infinite Possibilities, Eric Schmidt to Grads: You Can Write the Code for All of Us, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel to Grads: This Is the World We Were Born Into, and We Are Responsible for It, Gwen Ifill to Grads: If You See Something, Do Something, GE CEO Jeff Immelt to Grads: Become a Force for Change, Jorge Ramos Message for Journalists: Take a Stand, Joyce Carol Oates to Grads: Be Stubborn and Optimistic, Katie Couric to Grads: Get Yourself Noticed, Ken Burns to Grads: Set Things Right Again, Madeleine Albright to Grads: The World Needs You, Matthew McConaughey to Grads: Always Play Like an Underdog, Maya Rudolph to Grads: Create Your Own Destiny, Mellody Hobson to Grads: Set Your Sights High, Meredith Vieira to Grads: Be the Left Shark, Mitt Romney to Grads: America Needs You to Serve, President Obama to Grads: We Should Invest in People Like You, President Obama to Cadets: Lead the Way on Fighting Climate Change, Salman Rushdie to Grads: Try to Be Larger Than Life, Samantha Power to Grads: Start Changing the World By Acting As If, Stephen Colbert to Grads: You Are Your Own Professor Now. I dont get them and I never did. Were obsessed with failure, we dissect failure in our failures. You are the author of the book of your life. For me, its a measurement of five thingsfatherhood, being a good husband, health, career, friendships. We live in an extremely noisy world with all kinds of frequencies coming at us. His career progressed with lead roles in . I took off every moniker that gave me pride and confidence, all the window dressings, the packaging around my product (heart). So I stripped down to nothing. You know that group of friends that you hang out with that really might not bring out the best in you? Voluntarily keeping our own counsel because we want to. 1) Don't be happy, have joy. Translated on-screen subtitles for videos. I would argue that our cultural values have even been financialized. Its under construction. Matthew McConaughey: (32:59) One I need something to look up to, another something to look forward to, and another is someone Continue reading Inspirational Oscar Speech - Matthew McConaughey You know what Im talking about, fumbling at the goal line, stuck a foot in your mouth once you got to the microphone, had a brain freeze on the exam that you were totally prepared for. Really? You ever felt that way? And I got sick. Life Isn't Easy or Fair Nothing good in life ever comes easy. And it was then, for the first time, that I noticedIve never thought about NOT liking that starched line down the front of my jeans!! Matthew McConaughey: (38:58) Its on you. I even discarded my late fathers gold ring he gave to me that was made from a meltdown of he and my moms class rings and gold from one of her teeth. But there ain't no denying that he's a bit weird. "The people who are really good at what they do do simple things really, really well.". Matthew McConaughey: (29:49) In an emotional speech at the White House on Tuesday, actor Matthew McConaughey called for new gun regulations in the wake of last month's mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, and urged . He was embarrassed as much because he felt so disrespectful to coach Royal and as much because hed obviously gotten too comfortable with the drug to even hide it as well as he should. But if we stay in process, within ourselves, in the joy of the doing, we will never choke at the finish line. "If you are too busy to laugh . The Oilers lost that game, they beat themselves. Maybe its to help others, to be famous, to be spiritually sound, to leave the world a little bit better place than you found it. He had picked up a habit snortin the white stuff somewhere along the line and at one particular party after a bathroom break, Larry went confidently up to his mentor Daryl and he started telling Coach a story. I was naked, literally and figuratively. Trust me, too many options. Be brave, take the hill but first, answer the question, What is my hill?. In FILM AND TV 2 Tags MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ACTOR, BEST ACTOR, OSCARS, FIRST BUYERS CLUB, ACADEMY AWARDS, TRANSCRIPT. Alive and well in the doing of what were fashion to do and enjoying. You ever choked? Like a 21 day fast from attention, from all the things I have in my well appointed life. Matthew McConaughey: (10:12) Its a get rich quick on the internet, rich as 15 minutes of fame world that we live in, and we see it every day. Do not fall into the trap, the entitlement trap of feeling like youre a victim. Even when it means having more, be discerning. In these columns were all these vials of these magic potions, right? Larry confessed. Define success for yourself. In the job market? You already liked that one. And that college degree in 93 did not mean much. The Academy award winner attended the University of Houston graduation tonight to deliver his $135,000 speech. Im talking about the ones that we make with ourselves, with our God, with our own consciousness. Yeah, the Bills won, but they didnt really beat the Oilers. Coach listened as he always had and when Larry finished his story and was about to walk away, Coach Royal put a gentle hand on his shoulder and very discreetly said, Larry, you got something on your nose there bud. Larry immediately hurried to the bathroom mirror where he saw some white powder he hadnt cleaned off his nose. Get that one out of the red. Writers Guild of America - 2017 . Tastes so good going down but makes us feel like crap the next week when we feel lethargic and keep putting on weight? A speech by Matthew McConaughey shows us that we can always find those things that make us positive if we focus on the journey and stop searching for things that we constantly change. Knowing who we are is hard. The director, Richard Linklater, kept inviting me back to set each night, putting me in more scenes which led to more lines all of which I happily said YES to. And he gave a speech that was vintage McConaughey, full of tangents and folksiness. You dont have the answers and is probably pretty damn scary. Matthew McConaughey: (11:59) I lost my mother suddenly and really tragically at the age of 11. Traveling towards immortal finish lines, we write our own book. And I know that if I dont take care of them, if I dont keep up maintenance on them, one of them is going to get weak, man. Im settling into camp. Thank you, to the Academy for this -- all 6000 members. Grappling with the demons on this night, I couldnt sleep. I was sick of myself. Oscars 2014: Jared Leto Oscar Winning Acceptance Speech. All right. [time-brightcove not-tgx=true], So, before I share with you some what I do knows, lets talk about a what I dont know.. I dont think so.. Again, it just happened, and it happens everyday , NOTHING we homosapien earthlings do is unbelievableone thing you can depend on people beingis people. Matthew McConaughey: (14:24) Im not saying be in denial of your failures. And we all know what can happen when we do that. Matthew McConaughey: (19:46) Nobody has ever choked? I got to pick up the slack on being a better husband. Oscar Acceptance for Best Actor in a Leading Role . That was some extra incentive for me to come. We realize that the moment just got bigger than us. You hear me okay. Why they beat themselves? Im talking about the you versus you obligations. Okay. It was spectacular. Short and sweet or long and salty? So first, we have to define success for ourselves. Now, check this out. Matthew McConaughey: (22:38) And when you do, you get stronger, you get more aware, you get more respectful of yourself, and that which you fear. Lets dissect that, and give thanks for those things. 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