On January 7, 2016, Matthew McConaughey gave a speech at the University of Houston, and I’ve read that it is considered one of the best motivational speeches of all time. I thought I’d do a deep dive into it and provide my feedback as, although it features some good moments, I don’t share that opinion. To me, along with being inspiring, a motivational speech, in order to be good – and especially if it is going to be considered great – it should be palpable. I have a feeling that many of these so-called masterpieces are considered so, not because of the words they contain, but simply because of who’s delivering them.
Coming out calm and collected, not yet in huckster mode, he notifies the crowd that he is there to talk “brass tacks”, but then noting that although the nuggets of wisdom he will reveal may be “truth” to him, they, in fact, aren’t his, because you “cannot own the truth”. As such, we are instructed to think of them as signposts, approaches and paradigms, that give some “science to satisfaction”. Uh, okay.
He imparts that the sooner we stop feeling so special about ourselves, we will get better at being ourselves. This is certainly true and I’m actually writing a post about this, titled “Snowflakes are Unique. We Aren’t” that, among other things, demonstrates the need for tenacity. He goes on to state that “not only is life not easy, it’s also not fair, never was, isn’t now, and never will be”, which is true, especially for those not living in the First World. I find it interesting that those such as Mr. McConaughey love to create the illusion that somehow, someway, some of us in the First World are somehow, someway, hard done by.
Next he rails on the word “unbelievable”, focusing on how it is apparently, the “stupidest word in the dictionary” then somehow juxtaposing it with happiness and how you shouldn’t seek it, as “if happiness is what you’re after, then you’re going to be let down frequently and unhappy much of your time”. “Joy” is apparently what we should be seeking, as it is a constant, and seemingly more so when it is expanded to the word “enjoy”. He proclaims that joy is “always in process and under construction, in constant approach” and lastly, “alive and well in the doing of what we’re fashioned to do and enjoying”. Huh?
Next to come is that old reliable notion of success, and how money is the world’s measuring stick for it. He pronounces that in his opinion, our cultural values have even been financialized. Humility is next on his list of catchwords, contrasting it with success. He encourages us to reach for it, in whatever form we covet, as long as it is something that “doesn’t jeopardize our soul”. Got it.
Prioritizing who we are and who we wish to be is next up, but “not if it antagonizes our character”. We’re “not to drink the kool-aid because although it tastes sweet, we’ll get cavities”. We’re told that “life’s not a popularity contest, to be brave, and to take the hill.” For Matthew, the hill’s a measurement of fatherhood, husbandhood, mind/body/spirit health, career and friendships. He checks in on ‘em daily, seeing how he’s doing in each. He reveals that “we got two wolves in us, a good one and a bad one, and they both want to eat, so we just got to feed that good one a little more than the other. Here we go.” IMHO, here he gone.
Next up is identity, and the process of elimination to discover it. Using his first significant speaking role in film as a metaphor, he tells those of us that are struggling to know who we are, in a somewhat roundabout way, to eliminate who we are not, first, and then, voilà, we find ourselves and where we need to be. Wow!
He notes the importance of doing the right thing when confronted with a choice, advising to do what’s morally right. He gives examples of negative choices, including those made in not paying debts, cheating on your spouse or with a married individual, alcohol or drug abuse, neglecting your kids, etc. Then these examples are juxtaposed with positive, proactive choices, relating to delayed gratification and work before play. All pretty much common sense if you ask me, but makes for extraordinarily empty filler for a sermon.
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