Matthew says authenticity matters: "Just showing up and being who you are...if you do that every day...you're gonna have left the world a better place than you found it."

Matthew says video games matter now as "a way for me to connect with my kids...it's a gateway and a bridge for me and my kids."

Matthew says Peloton matters a lot: "Physical health, taking care of your body is so important...It's not vanity, it's functional health, it's wellness, it's being able to play with my kids."

Matthew says theater matters: "I love the arts."

Matthew says journaling matters, wishing he did it more: "I have unlocked a lot of self realizations about myself through journaling over the years."

Matthew says climate change matters.

Matthew says investing matters: "It's what makes the world go round for many people, and so it does matter."

Matthew says higher education matters, reflecting his role as an adjunct professor and his belief in lifelong learning.

Matthew says "faith matters to me. I don't subscribe to a specific religion...but faith matters."

Matthew says philosophy matters, as he actively applies philosophical principles like stoicism to both his personal and professional life.

Matthew says stoicism matters, calling it a way to be "a better dad, a better son, a better brother, a better person" and credits it for making him "a better lawyer and...a happier lawyer."

Everyone said making partner was the mountaintop, but when I got there it felt completely empty.

Titles and money felt real until they weren't — relationships are the only things that actually held up.

I used to think you had to be a hard-driving egomaniac to succeed — turns out you don't.

I walked away from the title and took a step back financially, and it was still the best decision I ever made.

I think chasing titles and money is like trying to fill a cup that has a hole in the bottom.

I tell people, at minimum make sure someone walks away feeling seen and heard.

I catch myself in moments now instead of replaying them later, and that actually made me better at my job.

I hit the goal everyone said mattered, and then just stood there thinking, is this really it.

I believe titles and money are hollow — family and connection are what actually last.

I tell my kids the one rule is never make things worse for the people around you.

I believe the stuff that actually matters is relationships and shared experiences, not titles or money.

I tell my kids: you don't have to fix everything, but never make it worse.

You don't have to be aggressive or ego-driven to lead well. Being balanced counts for something.

My rule is simple: never make it worse, and at least make the person feel heard.

I believe titles and money are hollow — family and real connections are what actually matter.

I tell my kids: you don't have to fix everything, but never make it worse.

I don't think you have to be a hard-driving egomaniac to succeed at something serious.

I realized titles and money don't actually hold much once you have them.

I made partner and thought I'd arrived, but the top was actually pretty empty.

The mountaintop is real, but nobody tells you how lonely it is up there.

I pause more in the moment now, and I spend less time wishing I had.

Money and titles keep moving the goalpost — there's a hole in that cup.

I ground for eight years, made partner, and thought — wait, this is it?

I tell my kids: you have three options in any interaction, and never pick the one that makes it worse.

Titles and money are real, but they're not the things I actually think about when it matters.

I pause more in the moment now, so I walk out of meetings feeling like I actually showed up.

I realized you don't have to be an aggressive grinder to be a good lawyer.

I left the mountaintop and everyone thought I was crazy, but I've never been happier.

Making partner felt like the finish line, and then I got there and thought, oh no.

I chased hours and accolades for years, but the cup just never fills up.