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.
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.
Nothing in art should seem accidental, not even movement
The merit of poetry, in its wildest forms, still consists in its truth-truth conveyed to the understanding, not directly by the words, but circuitously by means of imaginative associations, which serve as its conductors.
Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.
the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat
A writer lives in awe of words, for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator.
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