Martin Luther King Jr. at March on Washington
You can make a difference. No matter what obstacles you face and no matter how humble your beginnings.

Monday we remember and celebrate the life of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

He was never elected to public office, never wealthy or powerful, but the impact he made was incredible. We are grateful for the changes he helped bring about as a result of his actions, and we can all learn from a few principles reflected in his life:

Present a Clear Vision

“I have a dream.” There are few more well known phrases in US history than this one. That phrase and the way he, as an experienced public speaker, delivered it played a part in how well it was received.

But its impact came from not just the words and how they were delivered – it came from the crystal clear vision he shared when he said them. He wasn’t just looking for general improvement – he looked “to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”.

That kind of clarity has a significant impact – both in life and in business. Are you clear about your goals and vision? Do the people around you know what those are? There are people who want to – and will – help you reach them if you are clear about your vision.

Do the Right Thing

No one is perfect, but King got the big things right – in spite of plenty of reason to retaliate.

When he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in response to Rosa Parks’ arrest, his house was bombed. He was arrested on capricious charges. He was stabbed in the chest. His phones were tapped by the FBI.

Through it all, though, he remained focused on nonviolent responses to each threat, attack, and challenge. When many might have taken the temporarily easier way out he did not.

Doing the right thing is not always easy. It matters the most – and shows the most about your character – when it’s not. Right now at iMGA we’re expending a lot of resources to fix a problem we found. Our agents and their clients had no knowledge of the problem, but fixing it is the right thing to do even though it has and will cost us a lot of time and money.

But how much trouble it is in the short run is not what matters. Doing the right thing is what makes for a lasting impact.

And a commitment to doing the right thing along with a clear vision of a great goal? That’s a combination that changed the world – and can change yours too.

Enjoy your MLK Day – and make a difference in your world.

 

If you’re a Texas independent insurance agent and would like some help making a difference in the lives of your personal property clients, contact us.

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