I’ve always enjoyed Matthew McConaughey’s performances. I became a fan of him personally after his Oscar Winning Speech for best actor in the Dallas Buyers Club. In his speech, he inspirationally described three things that he needs each today: “something to look up to”, “something to look forward to”, and “someone to chase”.
When his autobiographical book Green Lights came out, I had to indulge. On the topic of adversity, here’s a gem from the book:
“The problems we face today eventually turn into blessings in the rearview mirror of life. In time, yesterday’s red light leads us to a greenlight. All destruction eventually leads to construction, all death eventually leads to birth, all pain eventually leads to pleasure. In this life or the next, what goes down will come up. It’s a matter of how we see the challenge in front of us and how we engage with it. Persist, pivot, or concede. It’s up to us, our choice every time.”
Despite the adversity we face, we can choose to focus on what we control – our responses to adversity, attitudes, and ability to learn, evolve, and improve – all lie within our control.
Alright, alright, alright.
Image credit: Keith Ellwood, Green Lights in the Smoke of La Mascleta Valencia
Source: Wikimedia Commons
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