Life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you get good at.
Matthew McconaugheyRead
I've read a lot of really great characters in some really crappy stories, where I said, like, 'Boy I could shine here, but the story sucks.' I don't want to be part of that.
Interpretation
Great characters can be overshadowed by poor storytelling, and it's important to choose quality narratives.
Matthew McConaughey reflects on his experiences as an actor, expressing that even if he encounters well-developed characters, he prefers not to associate with subpar stories. He values the integrity of the narrative and believes that one should strive to contribute to worthwhile projects rather than settle for mediocrity.
In practice
In a discussion about film projects, this quote can highlight the importance of narrative quality.
Life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you get good at.
I know who I am. And after all these years, there's a victory in that.
I don't dislike any of my exes. If I took time to form a relationship, it's gonna hurt when we move on, but are you puttin' White-Out over all that beautiful time together? That was real time in your life. It's connected to where you are today.
You know who it is? It's me in 10 years. So I turned 25. Ten years later, that same person comes to me and says, 'So, are you a hero?' And I was like, 'not even close. No, no, no.' She said, 'Why?' I said, 'Because my hero's me at 35.' So you see every day, every week, every month and every year of my life, my hero's always 10 years away. I'm never gonna be my hero. I'm not gonna attain that. I know I'm not, and that's just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.
I love having my hands in the dirt. It is never a science and always an art. There are no rules. And if it comes down to me versus that weed I'm trying to pull out of the ground that doesn't want to come out? I know I'll win.
Kids will remind you that, even though you've gone down a road 100 times, it's brand new for them - and that's healthy.
Great art transcends its culture and touches on that which is eternal.
I usually write for the individual reader -though I would like to have many such readers. There are some poets who write for people assembled in big rooms, so they can live through something collectively. I prefer my reader to take my poem and have a one-on-one relationship with it.
I discovered writing children's books was a way to keep living in my imagination like a child. So I wrote a number of books before I started 'Magic Tree House.' Then, once I got that, I never looked back because I could be somewhere different in every single book.
Well, I feel that we should always put a little art into what we do. It's better that way.
I'm not afraid of a big studio film; I trust my instincts. But for me, it's not really about box office. It's about looking back on your work and not having to apologize for it.
I try to remember that the job - as well as the plight, and the unexpected joy - of the artist is to embrace uncertainty, to be sharpened and honed by it.
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