Photo credit: Mike Licht (Creative Commons)
Martin Luther King, Jr. left us a legacy. He taught us as much through what he did as through what he said. (Maybe more.)
One of the many lessons Dr. King exemplified was the effectiveness of a life lived out loud — one in which a person’s words are backed by considerable action.
He showed us that our lives must be lived intentionally and without regret, that our words mean something and we must speak up in the face of injustice.
He taught us that it is one thing to say you have an idea and quite another to act on it. The man’s courage still inspires millions of people today.
I’m glad he spoke up. And then acted.
We are all better for it.
Here are several other lessons we learn from this pioneer of civil rights (all quotes are from Dr. King):
You must speak with conviction
Words ring hollow when you declare something with wavering, weak words.
When your message lacks conviction, we all notice. It would be better for you to say nothing than to mutter a few wimpy phrases followed by parenthetical caveats and exceptions.
MLK never spoke like this.
He understood that if you are going to change things, you will need to be bold. Your words, as well as your life, will have to reflect this.
You may have to say something that is hard. You may be required to challenge the status quo.
Be absolutely sure of what you say before you say it. And then, just say the thing. No pussyfooting about it.
All stories are intertwined
All I’m saying is simply this, that all life is interrelated, that somehow we’re caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.
We cannot attempt to live — or tell — a compelling story without being conscious of others. Everything we do is affected by and has an effect on other people. We are in this together.
Until we realize this, we are not living to our fullest potential. We are, instead, aimlessly and irresponsibly wandering like adolescents.
Until we start telling stories that unfold symbiotically, we are not telling truth. We are simply reciting fairy tales.
The truth is we need more honest stories that call us into a deeper reality.
This is where we all long to live.
Speaking the truth is always dangerous
There is nothing safe about being honest, nothing comfortable about doing the right thing. If anything, when you are committed to saying what needs to be said, it will likely get you into trouble.
The tough part is that the fruit of the message may be worth the pain.
But you’re the one who has to decide. Choose wisely before opening your mouth, and be aware of the consequences. This may cost you your life.
Of course, if you don’t speak, it could cost you something far greater.
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Your goal should never be popularity
It is a dangerous thing to strive for the popular vote.
As a communicator and leader, you will be asked to compromise all kinds of values to please others. Sometimes, this is good; it teaches you flexibility and humility. But the practice of consensus-building can be very, very bad.
Steven Jobs showed us that people often don’t know what they want or need until it is revealed to them.
If you are offering a new paradigm, you cannot assume they’ll know what you’re talking about. You have to show your audience the Promised Land before they’ll want to go there.
You can use this information to coerce people or help them — it’s up to you.
Whatever you do, beware the temptations of flattery. If all you’re doing is following the status quo, you’re neither leading nor communicating. You’re entertaining.
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
The first person you need to convince is yourself
MLK often spoke about the importance of believing in yourself before trying to convince others to do so.
He knew that if we doubt ourselves, so will others.
He also knew that human beings cannot act according to their identity until they believe it about themselves.
In the field of writing, we see this to be especially true: “A writer is a writer when he says he is,” says Steven Pressfield.
This may be the most important lesson Dr. King taught us: we are what we are when we decide to be it. May we honor his memory today by boldly being and believing who we are.
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What lessons have you learned from the life and legacy of MLK? Share in the comments.
*Photo credit: Mike Licht (Creative Commons)
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