Greenlights

Matthew McConaughey

📚 GENRE: Biographies & Memoirs

📃 PAGES: 304

✅ COMPLETED: November 17, 2020

🧐 RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Short Summary

Reflecting on diaries kept during his exciting Academy-Award winning movie career, Matthew McConaughey outlines life lessons that have shaped his values and perspective. Greenlights is a memoir that delivers honesty, and wisdom about living with style.

Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Identify Who You Are NOT — Sometimes identifying your values and character is tough. Start by eliminating what you are NOT and slowly narrow it down from there. 

2️⃣ Be Decisive — Once you make a decision, you can focus on making the most if it. Sitting on the fence and hesitating when faced with a big decision prevents you from being able to move forward and get the most out of the situation. 

3️⃣ Focus On The Task — Rather than worry about outcomes, worry about the process. Focus on the TASK at hand rather than the end RESULT. When you become too focused on what might happen in a situation, you get distracted from executing the task at hand. 

Favorite Quote

"If you’re not a starter and think you should be, give them no choice in the decision. Play so well that it’s undeniable."

Book Notes 📑

Introduction

  • This is an approach book written by Matthew McConaughey using stories from his past.
    • McConaughey has kept a diary his whole life and went through it to find stories and lessons that have helped him be successful.

Part 2

  • Knowing who you are is tough. Start by identifying what you are not.
    • Start by eliminating the values and ways of living that aren’t you.
  • “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.” — Gore Vidal
    • You know who you are when you become independent enough to believe your own thoughts and become responsible for your own actions.
    • Live what you believe. This is your personal style.

Part 3

  • Embrace other people’s differences. Embrace all people, regardless of the ways they may be different than you.
  • Quote: “If you’re not a starter and think you should be, give them no choice in the decision. Play so well that it’s undeniable.”

Part 4

  • Quote: “Don’t walk in like you want the job, walk in like you own the job.”
  • We are all made for every moment we encounter.
  • When trying to accomplish a task or goal, don’t think about the finish line or the consequences of something. This is when we tense up and lose focus on the present moment and what we’re trying to do.
    • Focus on the present. Focus on doing the task. Focus on executing the task.
    • There is no finish line. We want to run through the finish line, not just make it there.
    • Ex. Golf — 3-foot putt to win a tournament. Don’t focus on the repercussions of the putt. Focus on the putt and what you need to do to make it.
    • Have joy in the doing.

Part 5

  • Sometimes the choice you make it isn’t as important as just making a decision and committing to it.
    • Make a decision! Once you’ve made a decision, you can focus on making the most of it. But hesitating and being indecisive is never the way to go.