On February 4th, 2014, actor Matthew McConaughey was a guest on The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno.
Near the end of their conversation, Leno thanked McConaughey for being a friend of the show and told him what a pleasure it has been for him to watch McConaughey’s career progress over the years.
McConaughey, who was making his 16th appearance on The Tonight Show, told Leno that he owed him a “thank you” as well.
He then recalled the very first time he had appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show. It was back in 1998. McConaughey was promoting the film The Newton Boys.
“I was hanging out back there (the green room) getting ready to come on and you said ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ “
Then McConaughey says that Jay asked him if he was a little nervous.
“Yes sir,” was his reply.
“Do you want to know the secret?” Leno asked.
“Please,” said McConaughey.
Leno said…
“Just want to be here.”
“Now that is not only a secret for coming on Jay Leno’s Show. But I’ve taken that into places in life where – you know there are always things you don’t want to do, but we all know we have to do them – instead, you know, remember what Jay said ‘just want to be here…just want to be here.’ That’s all you got to do.”
Now, this might seem like simplistic, even silly, advice but it’s really not.
We can all relate to “things we don’t want to do and places we don’t want to be.”
When we head into situations and events with a chip on our shoulder (no matter how big or small) it can’t help but affect our enjoyment level. Not to mention the enjoyment of the people around us.
What if instead, as Leno and now McConaughey’s advice, you were just happy to be there?
You could instantly turn a potentially dismal trip or event into an exciting fun-filled adventure.
My guess is that its advice that almost everyone can use.
“Just want to be here.”
And you’ll never again have a bad experience.
