Entertainment Movies Matthew McConaughey Says America Is 'Going Through Puberty' in Fourth of July Speech "We are going through growing pains," Matthew McConaughey said on Sunday in an Independence Day speech he posted to social media By Glenn Garner Glenn Garner Instagram Twitter Glenn Garner is a Writer/Reporter who works heavily with PEOPLE's Movies and TV verticals. Since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a dual major in journalism and photography, he got his professional start at OUT Magazine, The Advocate and Teen Vogue, and he's since consistently kept his finger on the pulse of the LGBTQ community. His first book The Guncle Guide was released in 2020 and was featured on Katie Couric's list of 100 recommended books of the year. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 5, 2021 12:52 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Dan HImbrechts/Shutterstock Matthew McConaughey is perfecting his political charm amid his gubernatorial aspirations in his native Texas. The Academy Award winner, 51, sought to inspire on Independence Day, sharing a very McConaughey speech on social media. "Happy 245th birthday America. Let's rock," he captioned the video, in which he rocked some gold aviators while dispensing wisdom with an American flag positioned thoughtfully in the background. "Happy Birthday, America. Yes, indeed," McConaughey started in the speech. "As we celebrate our independence today, as we celebrate our birth as a nation, the day that kick-started a revolution to gain our sovereignty, let's admit that this last year, this trip around the sun, was also another head-scratcher." Matthew McConaughey on Potential Future in Politics: 'I'm Interested in Building Something That Can Last' He then compare the country's many issues to "growing pains," urging his combined 8.3 million Twitter and Instagram followers to keep growing. "We're basically going through puberty in comparison to other countries' timelines, and we're going to go through growing pains," McConaughey said. "We are going through growing pains." "This is not an excuse, this is just the reality, and this is good because we got to keep learning, we got to keep maturing, we gotta keep striving, we gotta keep climbing, we gotta keep building," he continued. "And we gotta make sure we maintain hope along the way, as we continue to evolve." McConaughey added: "So, as we celebrate the red, white, and blue this weekend, let's be sure and just reflect just a minute, take a little bit of inventory on where we've come from, where we are, and how and where we want to go from here on the way to being the best we can be." "Now what if that was a song, and each of us just said, 'I can't not sing that song'? I want to be a little bit better, you want to be a little bit better. Let's be on the way to being the best we can be. Let's make that a song we can't not sing. Why? Because it's who we are. It's who we gotta be, and again, the alternative sucks," he concluded. "Let's rock, America. Happy Birthday, just keep livin'. I'll see you there." Donald Miralle/Getty The Gentlemen actor has been teasing a potential gubernatorial run in Texas after several years of flirting with the idea of getting into politics. Although he told Stephen Colbert in November that he has "no plans" to run, McConaughey later clarified it's "a true consideration." "I'm looking into now again, 'what is my leadership role?'" he said on The Balanced Voice podcast in March. "Because I do think I have some things to teach and share. What is my role, what is my category in my next chapter of life that I'm going into now?" RELATED VIDEO: Matthew McConaughey on Helping Fellow Texans Rebuild After Devastating Storms: "There Are Immediate Needs" The actor previously stepped up to help his fellow Texans, organizing a star-studded virtual benefit after a series of devastating winter storms ravaged the Lone Star State. "In Texas, we're used to a hurricane, a tornado, a drought, heat, but not a freeze," McConaughey told PEOPLE in March. "It's something we weren't prepared for." "One of the great things about Texas is that it's in our spirit to pull our bootstraps up and go, 'Let's deal,'" he added. "We like to help ourselves. And we need to all help each other."