Matthew McConaughey has revealed he once considered becoming a monk.

The actor, 56, has told how his career could have taken a very different path.

He spoke about spending a year in Australia when he was in his 20s gave him time to reflect on the type of path he wanted to choose.

"That entire year in Australia in '88 '89, I did (consider joining a monastery)," he said on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

"And then for another 10 years after that, I did. Quiet alone, even the hermetic life was somewhat appealing."

He said how he was so close to following that career path, he asked his friend, who was a monk, if it was what he should dedicate his life to.

He noted that his friend told him, "That is not what you're here to do."

The How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days star has been married to wife Camila Alves for 13 years. They share three children, Levi, 17, Vida, 15, and Livingston, 12.

The star recently revealed the secret to his long-standing marriage in his book, Poems & Prayers, crediting getting rid of their King-sized bed as a factor.

"We have kids, and we go to our friend's house and he has one of these double king-size beds put together and all the kids sleep in the bed," he said. "The wife's on one side with her side table and the husband's on the other side and it's great when you got all three kids, but all of a sudden the kids get too big. They're out of the bed."

He recalled waking up one morning and feeling like Camila was "like a football field away" from him.

"You're like, man, this damn king-size bed is not good for the marriage, man. Get rid of that son of a b**ch. So we got a queen size where we're shoulder to shoulder. I'm telling you, it's good for your marriage."