Words and Intent: Lessons from Matthew McConaughey
People remember intentions more acutely than they remember our words.
I was recently watching the new DOAC podcast episode with Matthew McConaughey, and he shared the observation that "words are momentary, intent is momentous".
I liked it and took note of it. Yesterday, I started typing out the words in this essay. Let's explore it together!
Words exist in time and then vanish.
When McConaughey speaks, whether in an interview, a film role, or a conversation, those syllables and phrases emerge briefly before dissolving into memory. The acoustic waves fade, the written text gets scrolled past, and the phrasing becomes difficult to recall with precision. This temporal quality of language is both its limitation and part of its beauty.
We often struggle to recall the exact words someone used in a meaningful conversation, even when that conversation profoundly changed our lives. We might recall the content or the emotional tone, but the vocabulary often eludes us.
This isn't a failure of memory; it's simply the consequence of words being vessels rather than permanent structures.
The specific words we use will fade from memory, but their impact depends on what lies beneath them.
McConaughey himself embodies this principle in his career. His performances aren't remembered for lines of dialogue, but for the emotional truth and intention he brought to each character.
Whether playing the antihero in "True Detective" or the father in "Interstellar," what stays with audiences isn't what he said, but what he meant.
Intent operates on a completely different plane.
It carries significance because it represents the deeper currents of human motivation and purpose. Intent is the why behind our words, the driving force that gives meaning to our communication and actions. Unlike words, intent has the power to transcend the moment of its expression and create lasting change.
When someone speaks with genuine intent, whether it's love, encouragement, warning, or wisdom, that purpose can ripple through time in ways the original speaker never imagined.
The intent becomes embedded in how the listener thinks, feels, and acts long after the words have been forgotten. This is why we can be moved by a conversation years later, not because we remember precisely what was said, but because we remember what was meant.
This moves me deeply. There's something profoundly comforting about knowing that our deepest motivations and genuine care for others can outlive the clumsy or imperfect ways we sometimes express ourselves.
People respond to the sincerity of our purpose more than the eloquence of our expression.
McConaughey's philosophy embodies this understanding. His approach to life and career suggests someone who prioritises authenticity of purpose over perfection of expression. His mantra "just keep livin'" is the proof!
The words become secondary to the underlying purpose. This is why the same script can feel completely different when performed by other actors. The words remain constant, but the intent varies dramatically.
McConaughey's transformation from romantic comedy lead to serious dramatic actor illustrates this perfectly. The shift wasn't primarily about different dialogue or better scripts. The real change came from his commitment to bringing deeper, more authentic intention to his work.
He began choosing roles not just for their surface appeal, but for their alignment with his evolving sense of purpose as an artist and human being.
Authentic transformation comes from changing our intentions, not just our words or actions.
This philosophy extends into our everyday interactions.
In relationships, conflicts often arise not from the words that were spoken, but from misunderstood or misaligned intentions. We've all experienced conversations where someone said the "right" words but with the wrong intent, leaving us feeling manipulated or hollow.
Conversely, we've been moved by people who spoke imperfectly but with such genuine intention that their message resonated deeply.
The most effective leaders, teachers, and communicators understand this principle. They focus less on crafting perfect speeches and more on ensuring their underlying intentions are transparent and authentic. They know that people respond to the sincerity of purpose more than the eloquence of expression.
People remember intentions more acutely than they remember our words.
This doesn't mean we should be careless with our words, but it does mean we can stop being paralysed by the fear of imperfect expression.
The parent struggling to comfort a grieving child, the friend trying to offer support during a difficult time, the leader attempting to inspire their team; all of these people can take comfort in knowing that their genuine care and intention matter more than their rhetorical skills.
The words we speak today will be forgotten, but the intentions behind them, if they are genuine and purposeful, can echo through time.
Perhaps that's the most significant truth of all: our influence comes not from our eloquence, but from our authenticity. The people who have shaped us most weren't necessarily the most articulate, but they were the most genuine in their intentions towards us.
This gives me hope. Every conversation, every interaction, every moment of attempted connection has the potential to matter deeply, regardless of how perfectly we express ourselves. What matters is that we mean it.