Actor Matthew McConaughey has found success and fortune throughout his storied career. But despite the wealth he has amassed, McConaughey recently shared that his life boils down to three “non-negotiables.” In an interview with Fox News while speaking about his new book, Poems & Prayers, McConaughey shared what keeps him grounded. One mantra that has especially grounded the star is the “just keep livin,’ a term popularized from his character in the 1993 film, Dazed and Confused. “Just keep livin’ is a starting point for me to do my best to take care of the family. That’s something that’s non-negotiable in my life,” he said.

For the husband and father of three, that means prioritizing his family first, anchored by he and his wife, Camila Alves. “That’s something that’s non-negotiable in my life,” he said. “That’s one of those fires that’s going to … I started when I met Camilla 19 years ago, and we’ve continued as we have kids and when the kids get out of the house and Camilla and I continue on, those are fires that I want to keep putting fuel on. I want to keep building those. Those are non-negotiable. Those are always on my proverbial desk in my life.”

Followed by his family, the actor’s faith is another important tentpole of his life. “I want to keep my faith as strong as possible, because when my faith is strong … I have more courage to take risks in my life and follow through on them,” he said. Poems & Prayers hones in on the actor’s faith, who began writing during a crisis of faith. “I found myself looking at the world around me and not finding evidence of things I want to believe in. I didn’t want to quit believing, but I was looking at how we’re treating each other, the low barometer of trust, and there seemed to be a sense of win at any cost. It doesn’t matter how you did it, just win. I became a little cynical,” he told The Guardian.

The third non-negotiable is “moving” as he called it. “Keep moving, it seems like, man, one of the things that gets everybody in old age is they have trouble staying on their feet,” he said. “And it’s not the injury from getting hit, it’s the doggone injury from dropping the keys and trying to reach back and pick them up the wrong way and all the other back. Or an elder falls and breaks a hip. It’s usually pretty close, man. They’re going out, so try and stay on your feet.” McConnaughey will be turning fifty-six this year, but he still sports the good looks that made him the rom-com heartthrob in his early career. McConaughey and Alves have kept a busy lifestyle, too, having moved to his native Texas for a place that more aligned with their values. “I wanna sit back and have some experiences, some real life experiences, learn from those, take that into maybe my next performance when it’s time,” he said. “But I like the life we live here.”