As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, let us take a moment to apply the lessons of his life to our own.
From: Obstacles Welcome: Turn Adversity to Advantage in Business and Life
Ralph de la Vega (President and CEO of AT&T Mobility)
The Power of Sacrifice
Every great endeavor, whether personal or career, requires sacrifice. Perhaps it is easiest to understand this if you think about people who have turned a great vision into reality. To me there is no better example of that than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King had a bold vision: to eliminate racial injustice through nonviolent means. In order to achieve it, the people who accompanied him on his journey sacrificed and suffered a great deal. They were sprayed with fire hoses. They were beaten and incarcerated. Some were killed. But nothing could douse the desire for a better future that Dr. King instilled in his followers.
I see this as ultimate leadership: someone who inspires people to persevere even in the most extreme ordeals in order to fulfill a bold vision for a better future.
Think about it. Dr. King inspired people to march, sit in, and face the wrath of angry crowds, knowing they could be subjected to threats on their lives. Maybe you have to be a minority to understand how intimidating the situation was for his followers. A small group being threatened by a larger group that has raw force on its side, plus the weight of authority. And yet this small group willingly took huge risks to change the future, not necessarily for themselves, but for their children and their children’s children. To me, inspiring such behavior is leadership at its finest. The results show the power of sacrifice at work.
The fact that Dr. King was assassinated in the process of creating his vision underscores the degree of sacrifice he was willing to make. Major sacrifices, though usually not to the extent of giving up life itself, are always required to achieve something worthwhile.
In business…there’s an incredible amount of work involved. … You may have to sacrifice personal time and leisure time. In some cases you might not see your family for several weeks.
Why do it? Opportunity!
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Entrepreneurs are the perfect example of sacrificing to create a better future. Many are willing to sacrifice everything they own, everything they have saved. I haven’t found many entrepreneurs who only work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on their venture. In fact, most work around the clock upon occasion.
…Sacrifice requires a generous spirit. You need to be unselfish, because the sacrifice you are making is usually for a greater cause. You are not the ultimate beneficiary. You may get great recognition or a raise if the sacrifice occurs in a workplace setting, but the benefits usually accrue to something far more important. … A generous spirit allows you to give up time and resources to create value for others.
This is the real impetus for any sacrifice: the vision of a better future for yourself, your family, your friends, your community, and the world.
What vision of a better future are you sacrificing to achieve?