It seems actor Matthew McConaughey is now a self-help guru. He held the “Art of Livin'” live event with self-development gurus Dean Graziosi, Tony Robbins, Trent Shelton and Marie Forleo. I was unsure what the purpose of this event was, but I had a feeling there would be a sales pitch.
The entire live had a hghway/driving theme to go along with his “Greenlights” book, which I have yet to read.
He asks why we are here on this Earth, on “this highway called life” and says we have the “hazard lights on.” I immediately couldn’t stand the (what seemed like) fake laugh track and cheering and zoom screens. It seemed inauthentic. Where was the laughter coming from? Was there a studio audience? The comments in the YouTube live chat, however, did seem authentic.
I have been a fan of McConaughey for years, and I’m disappointed to see this. I want to believe he wants to help people but he seems to be saying nothing and wanting money for it.
“No one is coming to save us,” he says with a maniacal laugh. He speaks in his signature style; it’s almost poetic. Don’t worry, he plays the bongos, too. He plays the bongos as he lets people type in the chat to answer the question, “Why are you here?” or stuff they want to “admit.” He calls out some of the answers he is seeing. Some of it is surreal. He calls out stuff like “death” and “despair” and “not being enough” while playing the bongos?
He even recalls a time he had a “wet dream” involving African tribesmen. Yes, really.
Road puns/analogies/metaphors throughout the live:
- Rule of the road
- Quest for more
- You are not alone on this journey
- Clear the lane between your head and your heart
- Buckle up
- Around the bend
- Stuck at the red light
- Under the hood of what you do well
- Potholes
- Roadmap
- And it doesn’t stop there.
To be honest, I couldn’t follow much of what was being said. It’s like a one-man show and McConaughey gives it his all. He’s moving around, grabbing his journal, clapping, whistling, playing the bongos, etc. It’s like a charicature of himself.
Marie Forleo gives her speech, and she incorporates the red lights vs. green lights theme as well. At the end, Tony Robbins gives a speech. For the record, I am not a fan of Robbins. (This video gives reasons why.)
What is McConaughey selling? A course, of course. Roadtrip, the Highway to More, which has nine mile markers to take you where you want to go in life. He calls it an “Immersive Learning Experience.”
I hope this course truly helps those who pay the fee to join. Do I think this is necessary? No, not at all. It seems that many people feel lost after the past few years, though, so I am not surprised people would be interested. The sales pitch says it “should” be more than $6,000, but it’s $997. If you bought during the live, you get in for $397. What a deal.
It’s interesting that Mcconaughey is not there for the sales pitch with numbers. He leaves the stage after introducing the course. Why is that? if he put so much time into this — 8 months according to Graziosi — why doesn’t he talk about that?
If you’re seeking help or feeling lost, I recommend seeking professional counseling. If you can afford this course, at least, you can perhaps afford at least a few sessions. You might benefit from journaliing, talking to friends or family or trusted people, or reading books from actual mental health experts.
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Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.