“Congratulations class of 2015. “Life’s not fair. It never was, isn’t now and won’t ever be. Do not fall into the entitled trap of feeling like you’re a victim. You are not.”
Those were the opening words from Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey who delivered a commencement speech to to the Spring 2015 graduating class at the University of Houston this past weekend.
The speech by the University of Texas alumni, who was born in Uvalde, TX, was broken up into “13 Life Lessons”
1. Life Is Not Easy
2. ‘Unbelievable’ Is The Stupidest Word in the Dictionary
3. Happiness Is Different Than Joy
4. Define Success for Yourself
5. Process of Elimination is the First Step to Our Identity
6. ‘Don’t Leave Crumbs’- and the Beauty of Delayed Gratification
7. Dissect Your Successes (and the Reciprocity of Gratitude)
8. Make Voluntary Obligations
9. From Can to Want
10. A Roof Is a Man-Made Thing
11. Turn the Page
12. Give Your Obstacles Credit
13. How Do We Know When We Cross The Truth
Each lesson was full of sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes bizarre but always amusing stories and advice.
“Let’s make it a place where we break a sweat, where we believe, where we enjoy the process of succeeding in the places and ways we are fashioned to. Where we don’t have to look over our shoulder, because we are too busy doing what we’re good at.”
McConaughey was given a standing ovation and a check for $135k for his commencement speech. The check will be donated to his and his wife’s foundation ‘Just Keep Livin’ which places fitness programs in public schools.
