Seven years ago, in my weekly Monday Morning Thoughts, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I posted some of my favorite quotes from his speeches along with a few thoughts.
Today, I share these same favorite quotes, with updated thoughts. I hope as you read his quotes, you’ll see as I have, the ideas and beliefs he spoke are timeless and the time to make a difference is now.
“The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.”
During this pandemic and resulting tough economic times, the majority want to put their heads down, continue plodding along, blaming others, hoping things will return to normal. Life will never be the same as it once was! Wishing for the “good old days” only prevents the creation of future “good old days.”
“Almost always the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better.”
Because of this alone, when we are presented with alternatives to the way we are doing things, we must be open-minded. The reality is things have changed and will continue to do so. Refusing to participate won’t stop the change. It will only leave you behind. We cannot wait on the masses to improve the world. It’s individuals, like you and me, that continue to learn new skills, improve communications, and ways of conducting business that truly make the world a better place.
“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Today our survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”
During times of isolation, losing a sense of contribution, being deprived of times to worship in shared beliefs, it is easy surrender, to fall victim. It’s easy to accept what you are being told. It’s easy to wait on the government to solve the problems. Don’t let this be you! Stay informed. Don’t let anyone make up your mind for you. Listen to all sides. Listen to all the ideas. Then decide for yourself what is best for you. Your greatest and most powerful freedom is your freedom of choice. Getting to choose how you respond in any situation is the greatest freedom of all.
“We’re now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. There is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
If we thought the rate at which we shared information made complacency a thing of the past, nothing changed the way we do business faster than the shelter-in-place order during this pandemic. In what seemed like overnight, employees were working from home, conference rooms were replaced by Zoom, and “to-go boxes” initiated meals instead of concluded them.
One thing this pandemic did on a positive note was make everyone aware that change is imminent and can happen instantaneously. Career changes can happen in days instead of years. There’s not enough time to go to college for each one. This is a great example why personal development is key. Working on you, helps you in all areas of your life, not just your current position at work. Work to improve a product, the price of the product goes up. Work to improve you, the price of the value you bring to the marketplace goes up.
“We must use time creatively and forever realize that the time is always hope to do great things.”
My hopes and dreams are to help as many people as I can that are willing to look at things differently, try things differently, for different results. I wish to encourage and support others as our efforts will be met with opposition and failure. I want to teach others to be thankful for the opposition and failure. Without both, true success is not possible. True success, as MLK, demonstrated throughout his life, derives from who we become along the journey. It’s overcoming failure, turning opposition into supporters, the disbelievers into believers, that create true success. Monetary rewards and recognition are after-effects just like a diploma. The real reward is who you become, the knowledge you gain, the wisdom you can pour into others.
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
I believe, if we each start by helping one person learn a new skill, another perspective, an increase of self-worth, we have begun doing a small thing, then as we continue, we will educate and teach those we help to do the same – start by helping one. We will build momentum and our individual small things will cumulatively become great things.
“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”
There has never been a better time to serve than now. I hope you’ll join me in helping to instill hope in others so that they may dream again. We must let others know we care. I assure you every person can improve. Most improvement, especially for those that have been labeled as a lost cause, starts with knowing that someone cares.
In closing, I find fitting some remarks from MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech…
“The nation will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual…we must conduct our struggles on the high plains of dignity and discipline…we must always move ahead we cannot turn back…when can we be satisfied? We can never be satisfied…know that somehow, this situation can and will be changed.”
Finally, “I say to you, today, my friend, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.”
I do too! I hope you do as well.
“The greatest thing you can do is make a difference in the lives of others.”
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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.com
Published by Bryan M. Balch, Results CoachHelping Individuals and Businesses Achieve Desired Results
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