This is an autobiography of Matthew McConaughey as he shares stories about various points in his life that built him up. The titular Greenlights refer to his mantra in life as a sign to proceed when the opportunity presents itself or to pause when things seems red or yellow. He opens up a lot about the values he learnt growing up and what drove him and his success we see.
Some of the values I derive from this book:
- Hustle. Put in the work. Don’t do things half-heartedly
- Importance of identity and individualism: Learn the fundamental before expressing individualism but Stand your ground and principle. Make a judgment.
- Resiliency: You appreciate the light more when you see the shadow. Life is hard and suffering can force you to look at yourself and be more introspective
- Open-mindedness: Travel to see humanity and understand the values around us
- Action: Be less impressed, more involved
- Priority: Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you have to
- Community: Everyone needs love, family, community and purpose
A fun, visceral book with surprisingly lots of heartfelt lessons on life as he paused to reflect on what he has learnt. I listened to an audio version of this and McConaughey gave an entertaining readout of his work. When the author participated in the audiobook, it really can add a fun perspective to the experience:)