BDLN: 5 lessons from Martin Luther King – who we remember today

1. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” 

How often have you thought that there are just too many obstacles in your way so you just give up trying? Chances are if you focus on the things that you can change, you will succeed if you persevere. No matter what your limitations are, you will get there if you are determined, single minded and driven. Just keep going!

2. “The time is always right to do what is right.” 

Life is full of choices. The most important thing is that we do not stay silent, turn our back or let fear of repercussions prevent us from doing the right thing. You may have to part ways with a rich client, an aggressive employee or an unscrupulous partner but staying true to what’s right is always the best thing to do.

3. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Injustice is never acceptable and we should all try to make sure that we never consciously or unconsciously accept it. You may be very well aware that there is someone in the office who is unfairly subjected to taunts, exclusion or ridicule. And this, if left unchecked, can ruin lives. So if you notice absenteeism, low self-esteem or depression in one of your colleagues, be watchful and protective and tell someone. We all need to look out for each other.

4. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Many entrepreneurs will tell you that disappointment provides you with the stepping-stones to success and the more you meet with rejection, the harder you try, as failure is never an option. When Martin Luther King Jr. urged the Americans to treat African-Americans with the same respect as their white counterparts, his cause may often have seemed to be hopeless.  But he held on to his dream and the rest, as they say, is history.

5. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Often starting is the hardest part. You may not be sure what you will be letting yourself in for and there may be a lot of unanswered questions. Successful inventors see a gap in the market and they take a leap of faith into the unknown. They know where they want to get to but they don’t have a map. They know that there will be unexpected twists and turns and uncomfortable potholes along the route, but they have courage, self-belief and faith. And that at the end of the day sometimes that is all you need…