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Greenlights

By: Matthew McConaughey

Reflection by: McCreight King, CLU®️, CFP®️

Why I read it?

A really good friend read it and said it was an interesting read. It was probably not a book I would have picked up on my own accord, but I am glad I did!

What is it all about?

It is primarily about McConaughey’s life with lessons learned, advice, and perspective sprinkled in along the way. He exiled himself in the desert for 52 days without electricity while he wrote the book. It originated from journal entries that he wrote as early as 14 years old. He describes the book as a “collection of stories, prayers, poems, people and places, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers.” The term “greenlight” is used in the movie business when a studio gives the go ahead for a project you’ve been developing. The theme carries over into life as he talks about how greenlights in life can be created with the right perspective and approach to living, which he affectionately calls “LIVIN.”

What caused me to pause?

From having parents who were divorced twice and married three times, to debating becoming a monk, to how McConaughey landed his first role in Dazed and Confused, it was hard to believe this all happened to the same person. One of the major takeaways is what he calls, “getting relative with the inevitable,” simply meaning some things are unavoidable. Not every plan is going to work out perfectly, but how you deal with setbacks is relative. We are in control of our reactions.

How will this book change my habits/influence me? 

We are able to learn and grow from whatever circumstances or seasons we are enduring in life. How much we learn and grow depends on our attitude, of which again, we are in control.

Add this to your reading list if …

You want a very entertaining read in which you will walk away with a shift in perspective that will help you create more “greenlights” in your own life.

Pickle Rating: 5/5

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